Tech Fins vs Recreational (Mares Quattro, etc.)

[bradlw]

I've been curious about any of the various "Jet Fins" for quite a while, but have never had the opportunity to try them. Hoping you folks can make me smarter on the topic.
I remember always reading that the stiffer fins are better for some folks with different kick styles...different leg strengths...but how do I know if they'll work for me?

I'm not in the market right now for fins, but I'm just wanting to wrap my head around it a bit for future reference. My Mares Quattro fins are very long in the tooth, and as I get back into diving after a couple decades, I have this nagging concern that my fins could potentially come apart at the seams between the plastic and elastomer bits. Elastomers get old and brittle, bonds break down, and all of that.... Mine still look and feel to be solid, but I'm bracing for an eventual and sudden need to buy new fins.

Not long before I hung up my dive gear around 24 years ago, I went through basically the whole path of technical dive training up to full/advanced trimix.... but through all of that I never switched away from my recreational fins. I feel that my finning was probably the only thing in tech training that I didn't work on nearly enough.

In the pool the other day while my family was doing their OW class, play time near the end of the session, I was working on finning backwards. The divemaster working the class gave me some pointers and I finally started to get it.

Also, the whole weekend in the pool, I was feeling like my fins were long and in the way. Other than that I have never found a fault with these quattros.
When I was first certified, I bought the original version of the Cressi Frog fin. I was always struggling to keep up, and it wasn't untill my instructor lent me a pair of Quattros that i figured out that it was my fins. Wow, I felt like I jumped from a golf cart into a sports car! That was way back in the late 1990's and the old Quattros that I immediately bought have served me well. they're scratched up and you can tell they're old and well used, but they still seem solid and the still work great

But I'm wondering.... should I consider one of the many jet-fin variants?

I seriously doubt that I'll ever do any more tech diving, and the only thing I feel like that I'd like to fix is that my fins are kind of long
shorter would be better in crwds, in small environments, and better for packing/travel too!
and I certainly don't want to give up the power/speed I get with quattros.

I'd say the majority of my diving is frog kicking, otherwise flutter when I want to get someplace fast
But as I get back into it, one goal I have is to work on finning....going backwards, helicopter turns, etc....

 

[Wibble]

As you say, the Jetfins are good for technical finning such as frog kick, back finning and helicopter turns. They're not the best at flappy leg finning.

Jetfins tend to be heavier too which is good for drysuit diving. There's a very wide range of weight with the different brands of Jetfins, so holding them is vital before purchase.

 

[loosenit2]

Some features to look for in fins used for technical diving:

1. Spring straps (not bungee). This is simply for their near indestructability - who wants a strap to break
2. Very thick side rails. Having a fin with a high side wall or side rail is key for being able to effectively back kick and thus helicopter turn.
3. Fin Stiffness - when diving with doubles and extra bottles having a stiff fin is key to being able to produce good propulsion.
4. Fin material, and therefore weight, is a consideration. The two primary materials that fins are made of are monprene (lighter) and rubber (heavier). Both materials work it is just a matter of how much weight you want on your feet. to help with trim. A lot of drysuit divers prefer rubber to add weight to their feet.

 

[bradlw]

I guess I should have prefaced that I'm wondering about these types of fins for warm water recreational single tank diving (wetsuit or skin)
And knowing that just like the comparison between my old Frog fins and my Quattro fins, there are probably a big differences between models/brands/materials...so any guidance on which ones might be good for single tank diving, if any?

And to those of you tech divers who use jets for drysuit doubles diving...and that also go recrational single tank fun diving, do you switch to quattro or somthing similar for that recreational stuff or have you found a jet style that works equal or better than quattros or similar?

 

[happy-diver]

I chopped these down to scare sharks

I chopped these down to fit in small spaces

They both work, they got me there and now I'm here

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Just buy another another Mares Quattro - they are perfect for warm water thin wetsuit diving.

Jetfins work better when you need to haul loads of stuff and when you are in a drysuit. Also pretty heavy if you travel.

 

[inquis]

I'm wondering about these types of fins for warm water recreational single tank diving

Deep6 Eddys are a neutral implementation of the jet fin style and therefore perfect for wetsuit diving. You've listed the numerous advantages of this style, they are specifically designed for your preferred kick style, so I'd say get these and be happy.

 

[landphil]

Deep6 Eddys make tech finning much easier- I never looked better backfinning than in those fins. But I had to stop using them; since they were super uncomfortable to surface swim. And every shore dive I do starts with a pretty significant swim. I currently use Fourth Element Tech fins, which are very soft for a tech fin, and definitely a compromise. But I only really notice it when backfinning; since I’m not pushing doubles and my drysuit doesn’t have much drag. I’m still able to place my body in the position I want and make small adjustments with minimal finning, which is why you choose a tech fin

I recently picked up some used Seawing Supernovas to use on dives where the swim out is measured in fractions of miles. They make all of those tech moves a little difficult; and you can feel the difference in loss of frog kick efficiency. But when you flutter kick them you just fly. I want to sprint everywhere! You certainly lose the ease of moving your body in any motion that’s not forwards, though.

 

[grantmac]

I rather dislike Jets because the foot pockets basically hang off my feet and lack of depth crushes my toes.
If I wanted a tech style fin for warm water recreational diving I'd look at the Go Sport Gorilla or Hollis F1 LT

 

[bletso]

Whatever you decide just be aware of the sales person's hype or predisposition. There are many good fins out there. Me personally, I don't like jet fins due to their weight but their functionality is as good as several other options without the weight factor.

I have used Quatros and like them a lot. I finally settled on DIve Rite. They work for me and the tech diving I do, but then so would a lot of other fins on the market.