switching from Mares Avanti Quattros to OMS Slipstream? Opinions?

[afieldofblue]

Hello all,

I’ve been thinking of changing my beloved fins, reading up on fin threads here, and still stuck in the middle. Informed opinions could come in handy, so here it goes.


Basically I’ve been diving with Mares Avanti Quattro + (XL size) for a few years.


I really like them, really nice in strong current, simple and efficient frog kick (which is what I use 90% of the time), I can back-kick with them if necessary (rare) - I have them in yellow, which helps with visibility when guiding.

They work well enough for basic free-diving as well.

On the downside, they’re long, take up a lot of space in the bag or on the boat and sometimes the size of the blade feels a little too much, teaching in a pool for instance.


I’ve tried a friend’s OMS Slipstreams (XL fins and am 10.5 feet size US, so probably the right size), and like them as well. Different, compact, more muscular.

The more compact/rigid design feels like there’s a quicker response, not sure I get as much propulsion with the frog kick, but it’s a good feel overall.

But I’m still torn. I won’t be able to keep both (luggage weight...).

Not sure how these would fare in current à la Komodo for instance (currently in the gulf of California, so nothing comparable), and if I won’t end up using more energy than with the Quattros on a daily basis.
And for visibility while guiding, options are white or pink, which isn’t great.


I have steel springs on the Quattros (bungee rotted and broke after a year - a common fungus-related issue apparently), so weight is equivalent, if not lighter with the Slipstream.
The Mares springs keep falling off the post and I've to cable tie them for a tighter fit.


Have people made a similar switch?


I’m mostly concerned about saving energy, say guiding 3/4 dives a day, and also in current situations.

I’m not planning on doing overhead environments in the future so not super interested in precision control.


Is this just a case of "if it ain’t broke don’t fix it"?


Thanks

ben

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Ben, I was clad in the Mares Plana Avanti fins when I started GUE-F back around '99 or '00. Prior to wearing those plastic composite fins, I had been using the Mares Mark X fins which were heavy rubber fins and great for drysuit diving. My dive shop convinced me I was wearing outdated technology and sold me the Plana Avantis (2 rather than 4 channels) along with ankle weights. HAHAHA! Thanks to GUE, I went back to the heavy rubber fins when diving dry or in 7mm - 5mm wetsuits in the form of the ScubaPro Jets and I use OMS Slipstreams when wearing 3 mm - 5mm wetsuits. At 5mm, you can go either way. Jets feel either slightly heavy or slightly light to me in 5mm.

OMS Slipstreams will allow you to do any kick with high quality results ... flutter, mod flutter, shuffle, frog, mod frog, backward kick, helicopter turns. The same can be said of the Deep 6 Eddy fins. I took Chris' fins cave diving and put them through the above dog & pony propulsion show in low flow and high flow and they performed as good as the OMS. The foot pocket comfort is what separates them depending upon foot shape and boot. Some divers like the OMS fit better. Others like the Deep 6 Eddy.

If not wearing one of these for scuba diving, I like my Picasso America Black Team freediving fins for cruising with critters. I don't miss my Plana Avantis one bit. If the performance isn't better with the OMS then you need to look at the mechanics of your stroke.

 

[afieldofblue]

Thanks - how do they fare in strong current?
Are more compact and solid fins not more tiring on the long run, especially when doing up to 4 dives a day for a season, and/or in current?

As I wrote, I won't be diving in overhead environments and therefore not so much interested in precision kicks, but the shorter blade is appealing.

cheers
b

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Your muscles strengthen. My longblade freediving fins felt like piers on my legs at first. Now, they feel like the flexible rubber snorkeling fins I had as a kid.

I'm usually making 60 to 90 minute dives 3 times a day when teaching cave diving including swimming the Mile Run at Peacock. Most of those are high flow dives. In the 1000 Islands, I might make 1 - 4 dives a day in strong current. My longest dive in my Jets was 3.5 hours straight.

I'd never want to do these dives in Quattros. Performance also means I can switch up kicking styles and not lose efficiency. Therefore, I can get more rest while wearing the OMS.

 

[runsongas]

a fair number of the dm's i've seen in palau and komodo use long blades (mostly cressi gara). and nemo hoods for visibility.

HammerHead Clownfish Costume Dive Hood

i used a pair of dive rite xt's for both palau and komodo. bit more power than the quattros

 

[Kupu]

I switched from Quattros to OMS Slipstreams and it was the right choice for me. The only downside to the Slipstreams was a little bit more bulk and size when packing for travel when compared to the Quattros, but the Slipstreams have been very comfortable in the water and I really like the power and control they allow with different kicking styles. The Slipstreams are better for diving in strong currents than any fin have used in the past.

After using the Slipstreams for many years, I recently did a dive with the old Quattros and felt like I had floppy wet noodles strapped to my feet. Maneuvers such as helicopter turn and backward kick took more effort. I would not want to go back to the Quattros.

 

[afieldofblue]

a fair number of the dm's i've seen in palau and komodo use long blades (mostly cressi gara). and nemo hoods for visibility.

Yes I know, I did my DMT in Komodo and worked there after this. Bright visibile fins help, especially in crowded conditions - no fancy hoods though
But price (especially for local dive guides) and availability is also an issue. Quattros are really good in current, and though I'm currently not in Indo I will be back. I wish I could try stiff short blades out in current.

 

[afieldofblue]

The Slipstreams are better for diving in strong currents than any fin have used in the past.

that's encouraging. I talked to the person who lent me his slipstreams to try out, he also went from quattros to slipstream for photography, but finds that they're more work in current and a little funny on the surface as well.

 

[afieldofblue]

Your muscles strengthen. My longblade freediving fins felt like piers on my legs at first. Now, they feel like the flexible rubber snorkeling fins I had as a kid.

I'm usually making 60 to 90 minute dives 3 times a day when teaching cave diving including swimming the Mile Run at Peacock. Most of those are high flow dives. In the 1000 Islands, I might make 1 - 4 dives a day in strong current. My longest dive in my Jets was 3.5 hours straight.

I'd never want to do these dives in Quattros. Performance also means I can switch up kicking styles and not lose efficiency. Therefore, I can get more rest while wearing the OMS.

Thanks. I think I'm a little biased towards long blades because of all the endurance flutter kicking I had to do in French CMAS training. But if the Navy used short blades for this type of training efficiently, I guess it works.

This is subjective, but the main difference I felt is less propulsion with a standard frog kick stroke. More concentrated, but needing more energy to cover the same distance, as in using more muscle than fin snap.

 

[Kupu]

that's encouraging. I talked to the person who lent me his slipstreams to try out, he also went from quattros to slipstream for photography, but finds that they're more work in current and a little funny on the surface as well.

When swimming against the current for whatever reason, I would say that the Quattros use less muscle power per kick, but the Slipstreams give more boost per kick.

One of the main reasons I decided to try out a stiff paddle type fin was finding myself in situations where I have needed to swim against the current (getting back to the anchor line, working thru a strong down current, etc). The Quattros and other fins I had used had a point where I gained very little or no ground despite pushing the fin to maximum effort. The Slipstreams stand out as being better for me in those situations.

For a one type fin to fit all conditions, I have grown very used to the Slipstreams and comfortably use them for surface skills in addition to dives. If only doing surface work and not diving with the potential for stronger currents, I could see a preference for Quattros. They are nice on the surface.