THEY EXIST! XXL Jets (New)

[SeaJay]

For months (years?) we've been hearing about how ScubaPro was going to create an "XXL" Jet fin with a larger foot pocket for drysuit boots.

They're here. Finally!

I got the opportunity to see them and try them on for myself. I had, right there in front of me, a pair of L Jets, XL Jets, XXL Jets (new) and everyone's "normal" solution to the foot pocket issue... Turtles. This was at Extreme Exposure last weekend.

Okay... My foot is a size 11... And I was wearing a size 10 3 mil "sock" style bootie. The latest XL foot pocket seems to fit my foot a little largish like this (much to my surprise - it's not always been this large) and I was actually able to get a thicker "sneaker style" 5 mil bootie to fit in the foot pocket of my new XL Jets. By the way... I settled on a pair of DeepSea 5 mil boots - the Scubapro ones that I saw at Extreme Exposure simply weren't comfortable, and the sole were too thick and would not fit in the XL's foot pocket. Anyway, that's my final assembly: XL Jets with a thicker bootie (DeepSea - looks like a sneaker almost) and a pair of honest-to-goodness Halcyon spring straps (I liked the material instead of plastic tubing) in XL. I'm completely thrilled. (If I had stuck with a 3 mil thin-soled bootie, then I'd have gotten a L spring strap instead of the XL).

The new XXL Jet has a truly massive foot pocket. My size 11 foot equipped with a full size bootie (the large, thick one from Scubapro that was too big for the XL foot pocket) swam in these things. I mean, they're seriously large! I believe them to be significantly larger than the Turtles' foot pocket, but I didn't have a way to find out for sure.

The new XXL Jet is about 1.5" longer IN THE BLADE than the XL Jet, too. I found that interesting.

What is identical is the same design, same thick, durable and heavy rubber, and the same super-thick foot pocket walls. By comparison, the Turtles had very "flexy" walls in the foot pocket.

I wish I had more information on how the new XXL Jets compared with the Turtles... But I didn't have a way to compare. Both had enormous foot pockets... It looked to me that the new XXL Jet foot pocket was larger, but that's all I can say about it. I can tell you that the new Jet seemed stiffer and better made than the Turtle.

...Anyway, that's all I know. They're available at Extreme Exposure in High Springs, FL. Don't all beat their doors down at once. :biggrin:

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Seems to be good timing as I recently saw a letter from IDI (the maker of Turtles) informing their vendors that they're shutting down their operation due to a recent lawsuit settlement ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[mwilding]

Good to know!

Hopefully this will help me with my problem. I have a pair of Large Twin Jets and they fit my wet boots and drysuit perfectly - gotta love the twin jet foot pocket design. I have a pair of Turtles that are WAY to big and a pair of XL Jets that are too small. Maybe the XXL Jets will have the same foot pocket as the L Twin Jet...

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Does anyone know any other place that one can get these fins? Preferably mail order for me.

 

[SeaJay]

Capt Jim: You might want to call FifthD (Andrew G's shop) in Washington - EE and 5thD seem to work together closely on many projects, so they might also have the new XXL Jet fin in.

...But I've done a ton of mail order business with EE, and they're fantastic. Call Doug at 800.574.6341 and tell him that SeaJay sent you in for the new XXL Jet fins. Assuming they're still in his shop, he'll package them up for you and get them out to you pronto.

Mwilding: Sorry to disappoint you, but the Twin Jet's pocket is still unique to the Twin Jet. The new XXL "regular" Jet has a foot pocket that's simply a larger version of the XL foot pocket. And I do mean larger! I believe it to be even larger than the Turtles' foot pocket, and it's quite tall... Dimensionally, it's MUCH taller than the XL's foot pocket, yet only a little wider. It's very obvious that the new foot pocket is designed specifically for drysuit boots.

To put it simply, if the Turtles' foot pocket is too big, then these XXL Jets aren't going to help you either.

I found that my foot fits perfectly (size 11) in the XL foot pocket with the right boot on... One that is more than just a "sock" style boot. What size is your foot?

 

[mwilding]

Size 11

My Jets are the "old" non-lightning bolt if that makes a different and they would need to be a little wider to fit either my 5mm booties or my drysuit integrated boots...

 

[SeaJay]

I don't know if there's a difference in the foot pocket from "old" to "new," but I believe it to be so... I've found that some XL Jets fit my foot and others simply don't. I haven't seen a pattern on why some fit and others don't.

...But I can tell you this... The foot pocket is a very strange shape, and not at all like other fin pockets. As such, it can appear to not fit well even when it does. The natural rubber in the fin can "hook onto" neoprene and prevent a boot from sliding all the way into the fin, producing a feeling that it doesn't fit well. Of course, when swimming with the fin, the water acts as a lubricant, and the flex of the fin works it onto your boot nicely... creating a great fit. What appears to not fit at all topside can have very different results underwater.

This may be the reason why so many people are dissatisfied with the fit of the Jets.

My recommendation would be to try your 5mm booties in a pair of Jets, after having sprayed the inside of the foot pocket with silicone (the kind you use to keep your mask supple). Armor-All works well, too. Then try the fin on.

The bottom line is that you won't need the Armor-All/silicone on a regular basis, but that helps to simulate the fit of the fin underwater, during a dive.

What sort of 5mm booties do you have? Can you point out a picture for me online?

 

[pufferfish]

I doubt SP has redone their foot boxes but it would be real nice if they did. An ideal foot pocket should be supple enough to conform to one's foot and fit like a sock not like a box.

When I purchased my first pair of SP Jetfins in XL I found a huge difference how one fin fit compared to the other. One seemed not bad and the other cut into the top of my foot and slopped around like a board on my foot. I switched them over and same problem on the new foot. Closer inspection revealed the thickness of rubber on the one foot 'pocket' was twice that of the other. Yes I got some calipers out. This pocket was almost completely rigid and was the reason for a poor fit.

I took the pair back to the LDS and showed them the problem after initially they thought I was nuts on the phone. Sure enough when a few pairs were taken out and inspected lots of variation in the thickness of the foot pocket rubber. Some you could pinch closed with your two fingers and others you needed a pair of Vice Grips to close. I finally chose a pair that were at least the same but I have seen other folks with much more supple (thinner) rubber on their Jet foot pockets. Personally I think this manufacturing quality issue, the type of boot you are trying to use, and the funny shape of the foot pocket as Seajay mentions above create the large individual variations in fit. I switched from a Bare 6mm to Henderson Goldcore 6.5mm and the fit seems a lot better but SP could still shave the thickness of the rubber in half and create a much better fitting fin.

I wonder if anyone from Scubapro ever reads these threads

 

[cornfed]

Does anyone know any other place that one can get these fins? Preferably mail order for me.

Jim, LP has them listed but still claim to be out of stock.

 

[Genesis]

SP ought to put a TwinJet-style foot pocket on the Jets.

If they did, they'd be golden. There is a HUGE comfort difference in the foot pockets between the two fins.