Time honored Jet Fins vs Slipstream, Vs Dive Rite XT

[rsingleton]

Looking to get some new fins.. All my research points me to the Scuba Pro Jet, OMS Slipstream and DiveRite XT (or EXP) as the best fins.. (Oh and the Hollis F-1, but I read they are heavy and don't think I want excessivley heavy fins. Although I do see many people prefer them simply b/c of the foot pocket).

Should I stick with the time tested, most popular SP Jet. Or do the Slipstream or DR XT, F1 have improvements over the Jet.

Thanks

 

[WhiteSands]

I have tried all except the diverite.

If you want light fins I suggest the UTD neutral buoyancy fins. It outperforms the OMS in every way except for weight. The OMS is lighter on land.

If you don't mind the weight, jetfins have a longer blade & have an edge over distance travelled per frog kick.

However if you dive in confined spaces you might prefer a shorter blade.

 

[rsingleton]

I have tried all except the diverite.

If you want light fins I suggest the UTD neutral buoyancy fins. It outperforms the OMS in every way except for weight. The OMS is lighter on land.

If you don't mind the weight, jetfins have a longer blade & have an edge over distance travelled per frog kick.

However if you dive in confined spaces you might prefer a shorter blade.

Thanks. Thus far, i've mainly been a tropical water diver. However, I'm in a upward momentum phase where I'm really getting more involved in diving. So I'm refreshing my gear to accommodate the growth. Switch to BP/W, want to get new fins from my cheap $30 ones and I'm starting to do more variety of diving.. Caverns, Kelp, Mines, Lakes, etc. Basically, I just want to get good gear that will grow with me regardless of the environment. I know that once I really "into" it, I'll end up having multiple pieces of the same equipment for different environments. But for now, I want one good primary set that is "great".

 

[Nemrod]

You will never go wrong owning at least one pair of for real Jet fins. They are the M1 tank of SCUBA fins. Thy are not the best at everything but they can do everything. Rumors abound of how heavy and stiff they are and that they can not be flutter kicked etc. Whatever, when in doubt, many experienced divers revert to the Jet, the undeafeted all around champ.

N

 

[buddhasummer]

I have chicken legs and in my wetsuit in Jets I'm way foot heavy. Am hoping my new drysuit will make them usable.

 

[TSandM]

I can only speak to the Jets and the EXPs. The EXPs are plastic, and lighter; the Jets are rubber, heavier, and probably harder to damage. EXPs come with spring straps; Jets require you to purchase them separately. For the same foot pocket size (L) the EXPs have about an inch and a half longer blade, and I think they are just a little bit stiffer than the Jets, at least than my yellow ones, which I think might be a bit softer than my black ones.

The biggest selector, to me, would be whether, in your usual setup, you would benefit from placing weight at the end of your legs. If so, use the Jets; if not, use the EXPs.

 

[Dive-aholic]

SP Jets/OMS Slipstreams are very different than Dive Rite fins. The shape and length are different. I can't speak for Slipstreams as I've never used them but I have used Jets and DR fins. Jets are heavy. I put a pair on for the first time in years yesterday and it felt like I had bricks on my feet. I couldn't believe the difference. I used DR fins for years until they changed to the new black and gray style. Since then I've had nothing but issues. The fins keep splitting on me. DR is great about swapping them out but I don't feel like having to get new fins every 3-4 months (yes mine have split that often). I now dive similar weight and shape fins as the DR fins and love them. No issues with splitting and they give me all the power I need to move steel tanks and stage bottles through the water.

 

[buddhasummer]

SP Jets/OMS Slipstreams are very different than Dive Rite fins. The shape and length are different. I can't speak for Slipstreams as I've never used them but I have used Jets and DR fins. Jets are heavy. I put a pair on for the first time in years yesterday and it felt like I had bricks on my feet. I couldn't believe the difference. I used DR fins for years until they changed to the new black and gray style. Since then I've had nothing but issues. The fins keep splitting on me. DR is great about swapping them out but I don't feel like having to get new fins every 3-4 months (yes mine have split that often). I now dive similar weight and shape fins as the DR fins and love them. No issues with splitting and they give me all the power I need to move steel tanks and stage bottles through the water.

What fins are you now using? Cheers.

 

[Dive-aholic]

SEAC R1 4x4s. As seen here on one of my students.

 

[victorzamora]

I own a pair of the OMS Slipstreams. They're MUCH less negative in the water than F1's or Jet Fins. In Sidemount, the lighter fin is CRUCIAL. In backmounted single, it depends on the tank, the person, and the setup. In BM doubles, most people need to weight at their feet. In a drysuit, this is typically exacerbated.

If you want a short, simplified physics lesson:
Trim is all about balance. You want your Center of Gravity (CG) to be in line with your Center of Buoyancy (CB). Your CB is dependant (mostly) on your lungs and your wing.
In doubles, there is a lot of weight up by your neck with both valves, the manifold, and first stages....plus the tails get lighter on many tanks, making the head-up worse. That's why most doubles divers use ankle weights or heavy fins. In SM, the valves are WAY behind your head (nearer to your ribs) and there is no longer anything super negative in front of your center of buoyancy. That's why most SM divers like the lighter fins. What you need to do is figure out if you need weight in front or behind your CB.