Torch and camera mounted on mask at once?

[BoundForElsewhere]

your hands move around a lot with swimming.

Umm, you shouldn't be moving your hands all that much, actually. Especially not "swimming".

 

[Naked diver 2]

Umm, you shouldn't be moving your hands all that much, actually. Especially not "swimming".

"Shouldn't"? There's no legal requirement to move around in a certain way. I prefer to even out the exertion between my arms and legs, just as you would swimming on the surface. It also means you have four things to adjust your position instead of two, and you don't need to bother with fins.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

you do you, babe. but do try not to be such a roaster. people were naught but offering insight to your query and you chose to be thrawn.

 

[Naked diver 2]

you do you, babe. but do try not to be such a roaster. people were naught but offering insight to your query and you chose to be thrawn.

Wrong way round. I asked something, got given silly opinions with no facts, then everyone here gets all upset over nothing. This has got to be the forum with the weirdest people in it. Reddit is full of politics, but this really takes the biscuit.

 

[Barmaglot]

Wrong way round. I asked something, got given silly opinions with no facts, then everyone here gets all upset over nothing. This has got to be the forum with the weirdest people in it. Reddit is full of politics, but this really takes the biscuit.

Using fins to swim being more efficient than waving your hands around is not an opinion, it's a well-known, well-researched and well-proven fact. It requires some more effort to learn how to use fins effectively, especially for maneuvers that are more complicated than simply going forward, but simply because you don't know something doesn't make it untrue. Yes, it's a common mistake among people new to diving to use their hands for swimming. Most people grow out of it. The only valid reason for using your hands to swim while diving is some sort of crippling leg disability. I've shared a cabin on a liveaboard once with a guy who had dwarfism and had some leg conditions that required him to use crutches to walk; he had a special pair of paddle gloves which he used to propel himself while swimming, and he still wore a pair of fins - the gloves were assisting him, not replacing the leg propulsion completely.

 

[Naked diver 2]

Using fins to swim being more efficient than waving your hands around is not an opinion, it's a well-known, well-researched and well-proven fact. It requires some more effort to learn how to use fins effectively, especially for maneuvers that are more complicated than simply going forward, but simply because you don't know something doesn't make it untrue. Yes, it's a common mistake among people new to diving to use their hands for swimming. Most people grow out of it. The only valid reason for using your hands to swim while diving is some sort of crippling leg disability. I've shared a cabin on a liveaboard once with a guy who had dwarfism and had some leg conditions that required him to use crutches to walk; he had a special pair of paddle gloves which he used to propel himself while swimming, and he still wore a pair of fins - the gloves were assisting him, not replacing the leg propulsion completely.

I looked it up. If you add fins, but still use your arms aswell, you gain 30% speed. Not using your arms is bound to remove at least that 30%. So you'd actually be best (if you want to go as fast as possible) wearing fins AND using your arms.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

would you believe me if I told you that diving is not about speed? if you're trying to take photos or video, why are you in such a hurry?

most of us practice the mantra, "move less". but like I said, you do you. hopefully, now you know not to ask for advice if your mind is already set on the answer you want.

 

[rhwestfall]

(if you want to go as fast as possible)

and there it is.... and a topic of basic training... SLOW DOWN.....

99.44% of divers realize that SCUBA is not a race. No reason to just speed through an area, but actually "stop and smell the roses". Lots to see, and much less air used. You want to move fast/far in a short time, there is a thing called a scooter...

 

[Naked diver 2]

Of course I realise it's not a race. Which is precisely why I don't need the fins!!!!! Wow, biggest whoosh I've seen in years.

 

[jborg]

The difference between fins and not-fins is not about speed. It's about things like turning ninety degrees in the water column with the flick of a foot vs a whole bunch of hand sculling, it's about being able to stop your forward motion immediately by angling your feet out vs a whole bunch of hand sculling, it's about moving forward with a small leg twitch while your hands are otherwise occupied, etc.

You can paddle a canoe with your hands, or you can use a paddle. It's not--just--about speed, it's about control, avoiding exertion, and finesse.

I also suspect your speed comparison numbers are for a strong swimmer at the surface, using a freestyle/crawling technique which is entirely based on the fact that arms and hands can move forward above the water in essentially zero resistance. How that applies to a fully laden scuba diver is something else entirely.