Put a little profit back into your life.... ebay dude!
Split fins ??
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yeah...I'm with pug....e-bay...or take them to gilboa one weekend this summer ...."only 75 bucks a pair...while supplies last!!!"
that should cover you and your wife's season pass
AggieDiver
Contributor
The splits everybody here seems to be mentioning are among the softest bladed splits out there. Soft blade equals easy effort with more difficulty using alternative kick styles. My atomics splits have about the largest blade among all splits, and are among the stiffest. I have no problem whatsoever doing helicopter turns, frog kicks, etc. With the softer smaller blades on the Tusas, Apollos, and to some extent the soft version of the Scubapros, there is obviously going to be a difference in how well certain kicks will work.
As a real life example, My wife has older paddle fins, and I used to have even older Tusa paddle fins (1988 vintage). On all of our previous dive trips, she would regularly come out with 400-700 PSI more than I did. Since I bought my split fins, not only do I no longer get ship splints or sore ankles, but she no longer comes up with significantly more air than I do. During our last trip to the Caymans, the most she beat me by was 200psi, and I actually beat her by several hundred PSI on a couple of dives. As an added bonus, if she has the camera and we see a ray or turtle ahead of us, I can swim fast enough usually to go out and around it before it spooks away from her. That way it is more inclined to stick around and let her get some photos. I do have to be careful not to outrun her sometimes, because it takes so little effort to go fast, I sometimes outrun her without even realizing it.
As for the silt thing, that is all about buoyancy control. Buoyancy control isn't awarded like a patch with a certification, it is practiced and developed. If you have ever watched the PADI nitrox video, watch the girl diving during the video footage. She is always pointed upward at a 30 degree angle from her buddy. I would assume she works for PADI, and has had all kinds of access to training, but clearly she was negatively bouyant the entire dive and had to kick upward to stay even with her buddy. it is also possible to be neutrally bouyant with your legs lower than your head. That is alot more likely to be the cause of the silting than some mystery flaw in the split fins. By design, the splits direct more water straight behind you, where as paddle fins have been shown to direct water upward or downward in greater volumes, which accounts for their difference in efficiency versus splits. If you are in a quarry on a weekend, its a good bet that you have alot of newbies wearing splits who either let their dive shop direct them to them, or read all the scubalab reviews showing that splits were more efficient. You are also alot more likely to see experienced instructors and DMs wearing their "pool" fins or who haven't wanted to spend the money yet to upgrade to splits.
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference, but I think anybody who dismisses splitfins because they think they silt up water or because they heard you can't turn around in them is missing an opportunity to try them for themselves. Its one thing to put them on in a pool for 20 mins and decide you don't like them, its another to wear them for several dives and get used to them, and still say you don't like them.
AggieDiver
As a real life example, My wife has older paddle fins, and I used to have even older Tusa paddle fins (1988 vintage). On all of our previous dive trips, she would regularly come out with 400-700 PSI more than I did. Since I bought my split fins, not only do I no longer get ship splints or sore ankles, but she no longer comes up with significantly more air than I do. During our last trip to the Caymans, the most she beat me by was 200psi, and I actually beat her by several hundred PSI on a couple of dives. As an added bonus, if she has the camera and we see a ray or turtle ahead of us, I can swim fast enough usually to go out and around it before it spooks away from her. That way it is more inclined to stick around and let her get some photos. I do have to be careful not to outrun her sometimes, because it takes so little effort to go fast, I sometimes outrun her without even realizing it.
As for the silt thing, that is all about buoyancy control. Buoyancy control isn't awarded like a patch with a certification, it is practiced and developed. If you have ever watched the PADI nitrox video, watch the girl diving during the video footage. She is always pointed upward at a 30 degree angle from her buddy. I would assume she works for PADI, and has had all kinds of access to training, but clearly she was negatively bouyant the entire dive and had to kick upward to stay even with her buddy. it is also possible to be neutrally bouyant with your legs lower than your head. That is alot more likely to be the cause of the silting than some mystery flaw in the split fins. By design, the splits direct more water straight behind you, where as paddle fins have been shown to direct water upward or downward in greater volumes, which accounts for their difference in efficiency versus splits. If you are in a quarry on a weekend, its a good bet that you have alot of newbies wearing splits who either let their dive shop direct them to them, or read all the scubalab reviews showing that splits were more efficient. You are also alot more likely to see experienced instructors and DMs wearing their "pool" fins or who haven't wanted to spend the money yet to upgrade to splits.
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference, but I think anybody who dismisses splitfins because they think they silt up water or because they heard you can't turn around in them is missing an opportunity to try them for themselves. Its one thing to put them on in a pool for 20 mins and decide you don't like them, its another to wear them for several dives and get used to them, and still say you don't like them.
AggieDiver
I actually had them on ebay for a few days at my cost and they didn't sell. I am cursed as far as these fins go. I think the only way to get rid of them is to through em into a fire. Heck then I'd just get a ticket for burning trash.
DocRCH
Guest
I have a pair of TwinJets that I bought 2 yrs ago. Prior to that I was using SP Sea wings. (I decided that I liked them better than the JetFins). When I first used the TwinJets, it was on a wreck (the Eureka) that usually has a stong current. I was amazed that I was able to move into the current with less effort than I had anticipated. Since then, I have used the TwinJets most of the time. I do feel that I use less gas with the TwinJets.
As far as silting and bouyancy control, I believe that it is independent of fin type. These are skills that need to be learned and practiced.
My 2cents, Robert:doctor:
As far as silting and bouyancy control, I believe that it is independent of fin type. These are skills that need to be learned and practiced.
My 2cents, Robert:doctor:
Again, we all have personal opinions that reflect our personal tastes (in fins).
I do detect a hint of Luddite technology in this thread.
I am for one, a candidate for something different. My new passion is video underwater. On a dive in 36 degree water and full layering under my dry suit, I was laboring with my finning. This was due to the drag of a camera housing and bulky insulation.
The group I was with had to slow down for me and even then I was making an extra effort to keep up.
What does this mean to me? A different fin is in my future. I have heard all the opinions and have looked at some psedo-scientific testing (Rodale). I will try the split fin and then I will offer my OPINION too.
I do detect a hint of Luddite technology in this thread.
I am for one, a candidate for something different. My new passion is video underwater. On a dive in 36 degree water and full layering under my dry suit, I was laboring with my finning. This was due to the drag of a camera housing and bulky insulation.
The group I was with had to slow down for me and even then I was making an extra effort to keep up.
What does this mean to me? A different fin is in my future. I have heard all the opinions and have looked at some psedo-scientific testing (Rodale). I will try the split fin and then I will offer my OPINION too.
BillB do youself a favor learn how to use them, the atomics are pretty stiff, thats what i use, my long fin buddys cant keep up with me, and i use less air. what more could you ask for. these OLD people are like old dogs cant teach them anything new. I sight see & spearfish with mine. deep and shallow dive. wouldn't use anything else. You dont want soft Splits, all motion no go.
FortWorthDiver
Guest
I used my ScubaPro Twin Jets for the first time on Friday and noticed that after 30 minutes my calves were killing me - whats up with that?
Barracuda2
Contributor
Have been diving for 45 yrs. I have owned 5 pairs of fins because I'm I tightwad. If they propell me, that's all I figured I needed. My fifth pair of fins are the splitfins ---I went from the old Rocket Fins to the new split fins in one leap-- I never looked back. Very easy on the legs and propells me. I have no bouyancy proplems and am very careful about stirring up the bottom for other divers espeically at popular quarries. I have observed divers wearing all kinds of fins and still kick up the bottom---I don't know why---maybe just inconsiderate.
my $.02
Barracuda2
my $.02
Barracuda2
ivansie
Guest
I have posted a couple of responses on this thread and want to give a new report on split fins.
First, I have the softer ones SP twinjets full foot which are made of a different composite than the other twinjets and trust me they work. Again, you have to kick differently but I usually use the flutter or frog kick and it work like a charm. I am involved in a couple of projects regarding coral conservation and bouyancy control and fin kick are very important. Now to my report.
We dove this weekend out of dania beach and in our last dive the current had picked up quite good (drift diving would have been acceptable although we were required to go back to the boat). We had people surfacing everywhere from 20ft to 200 ft from the boat and since there was a lot of boat traffic because of the air an sea show, we had a long swim to get back to our boat. I was swimming on the surface using my supposedly no good split fins and even though we were not racing or anything like it and at the time I was not thinking about this post, we wanted to get back to the boat ASAP before being run over by a distracted boater. Well the difference between me and the other members of the group, all divers with much more experience than me and in good physical shape was probably close to the margin of victory of Secretariat in the 1973 derby....
well, maybe not quite that but at least 10 meters.
I am not promoting split fins, just saying that for me and other people I know, they work.
bye
ivan
First, I have the softer ones SP twinjets full foot which are made of a different composite than the other twinjets and trust me they work. Again, you have to kick differently but I usually use the flutter or frog kick and it work like a charm. I am involved in a couple of projects regarding coral conservation and bouyancy control and fin kick are very important. Now to my report.
We dove this weekend out of dania beach and in our last dive the current had picked up quite good (drift diving would have been acceptable although we were required to go back to the boat). We had people surfacing everywhere from 20ft to 200 ft from the boat and since there was a lot of boat traffic because of the air an sea show, we had a long swim to get back to our boat. I was swimming on the surface using my supposedly no good split fins and even though we were not racing or anything like it and at the time I was not thinking about this post, we wanted to get back to the boat ASAP before being run over by a distracted boater. Well the difference between me and the other members of the group, all divers with much more experience than me and in good physical shape was probably close to the margin of victory of Secretariat in the 1973 derby....
well, maybe not quite that but at least 10 meters.I am not promoting split fins, just saying that for me and other people I know, they work.
bye
ivan
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