Travel Tech Fins

[KerrenL]

Hi all,

Looking to rebuild my kit (long story) and after some new fins. Do about 30-50 dives a year warm salt water, starting DM in new year so will do some more cold water dives too ().

Ideally would like a pair that I can travel with so lightweight, preferably slightly negative buoyant.

Am looking at the RK3, the SP Go Gorilla, the Fourth Element Tech, and the SP Seawing Nova 2

Unfortunately dive shops near me are few and far between so trying them all on before buying is near impossible. Generally use 3mm rock hopper boots when travelling.

Worst case I need a separate pair for cold dives but will worry about that later.

Any thoughts / experience of the above welcomed. Dived last dive in RK3s which I liked. But the footbed felt a little loose.

Thanks!

 

[Wibble]

The main challenge is getting fins that fit. Obviously your main requirement is lightweight.

The Mares Quatro fins seem to be pretty popular and are stiff enough for technical style finning.

There are some lighter weight JetFin copies, as you've mentioned the Apeks & Fourth Element, but others are available.

I've found I need three fin sizes. A tighter pair for wearing with neoprene booties in the rare times I dive in warm water; an XL size when using rock boots in cold water; and an XXL size if diving with wellington boots.

If you ever go diving in one of the UK diving lakes, maybe you could wander around and ask people if you can try their fins on?

If all else fails, go to the Dive Show near Coventry in early March. You'll need to bring your target footwear.

 

[KerrenL]

The main challenge is getting fins that fit. Obviously your main requirement is lightweight.

The Mares Quatro fins seem to be pretty popular and are stiff enough for technical style finning.

There are some lighter weight JetFin copies, as you've mentioned the Apeks & Fourth Element, but others are available.

I've found I need three fin sizes. A tighter pair for wearing with neoprene booties in the rare times I dive in warm water; an XL size when using rock boots in cold water; and an XXL size if diving with wellington boots.

If you ever go diving in one of the UK diving lakes, maybe you could wander around and ask people if you can try their fins on?

If all else fails, go to the Dive Show near Coventry in early March. You'll need to bring your target footwear.

Thanks for this. Yea I reckon I’ll probably need two pairs - one for heavier rock boots. Don’t foresee doing wellington boot diving. Will be avoiding UK diving as much as I can - only really for the DM training and a spattering of other courses as I fancy.

Not a bad idea going to the dive show though. Not too far away to wait either

 

[Mobulai]

I was facing the same issue lately, I had a fourth element and a SP go sport (not the gorilla) as finalists (I shrugged off the RK after hearing [NOT TRYING] some (minimal) complaints about it being either too stiff(HD version) pr too soft in a way that wouldn’t worl for my knees — I have chronic pains due to bad posture and.. gravity)

I eventually got the SP go sport, on blind trust after reading good stuff about it (and the gorilla) in threads by @Nemrod and @lexvil; I tried it on a 90 min dive in Tenerife the week after and decided to keep it as it was great on all fronts in the surge — very easy and comfortable frog and flutter, modified also; easy helicopter turns (took a second on the first try to get the feel for it), but my back kick really suck already so that I can’t judge (I can do it very inefficiently on full sized blade fin format)

The pattern/texture on it’s lower surface made it easy to grip and go up the stairs in medium surge with one of my SM tanks still attached — that was impressive tbh

It was still just a just a bit longer than my carry on rolling bag so that was slightly disappointing (I’m sure there are other carry on bags that can fit it)

EDIT:
on foot pocket size (the issue that delayed this purchase gor a whole year):
The Large did fit me on both 3mm booties and (dry test) drysuit boots (integrated)
That was an issue on my force fins and the blades (old SP velocee, looks just like the dive rite ones — also in Large)

Buoyancy:
They were a bit light in the water (+ve) which was no issue in a „rec“/NDL sidemount dive in 3mm wetsuit; but I doubt that would work well for me (foot light) with a drysuit or on ccr (I need to re adjust my weight placement better for these situations)

The gorilla and the RK HD both are a bit denser than the Go Sport and normal RK so helps with foot light issues I hear

someone joked in a previous thread about putting stainless steel skegs (the vertical small blades that you can screw into the go edge) to weight them down — I might try that to see if they can be all rounders

 

[Wibble]

You're unlikely to buy stuff at the Dive Show; it's more about trying things on.

 

[GDHLEWIS]

Tecline lightjet fins kind of fit the bill your asking for, dive similar to the RK3s, but I believe they are slightly lighter (well they felt that way when I tried them). Use mine with 3mm rock boots in warm waters and colder waters from Im brave enough to go near cold water.

 

[KerrenL]

I was facing the same issue lately, I had a fourth element and a SP go sport (not the gorilla) as finalists (I shrugged off the RK after hearing [NOT TRYING] some (minimal) complaints about it being either too stiff(HD version) pr too soft in a way that wouldn’t worl for my knees — I have chronic pains due to bad posture and.. gravity)

I eventually got the SP go sport, on blind trust after reading good stuff about it (and the gorilla) in threads by @Nemrod and @lexvil; I tried it on a 90 min dive in Tenerife the week after and decided to keep it as it was great on all fronts in the surge — very easy and comfortable frog and flutter, modified also; easy helicopter turns (took a second on the first try to get the feel for it), but my back kick really suck already so that I can’t judge (I can do it very inefficiently on full sized blade fin format)

The pattern/texture on it’s lower surface made it easy to grip and go up the stairs in medium surge with one of my SM tanks still attached — that was impressive tbh

It was still just a just a bit longer than my carry on rolling bag so that was slightly disappointing (I’m sure there are other carry on bags that can fit it)

This is really useful! Is there a reason you don’t consider the gorilla?

 

[Mobulai]

This is really useful! Is there a reason you don’t consider the gorilla?

It wasn’t available in the shops that deliver to me easily / they also had a much favorable price for the normal GO Sport [100€]
I read they were stiffer in a way I’m not a fan off (again knee pains)
Edit: I correlated what people described on other fins I tried

They don’t come in fun colors (yes I’m also vain )

 

[KerrenL]

It wasn’t available in the shops that deliver to me easily / they also had a much favorable price for the normal GO Sport [100€]
I read they were stiffer in a way I’m not a fan off (again knee pains)
Edit: I correlated what people described on other fins I tried

They don’t come in fun colors (yes I’m also vain )

Fair enough! On all points!

 

[Mobulai]

Fair enough! On all points!

If I exclude my knee issues, it would make much more sense to go with something stiff like the gorilla or the HD for more tech-y dives, so I think that’s a bigger plus than the normal sport for others divers also