US Divers Rocket Fin users, have you found something you like better

[tkaelin]

Been diving using US Divers Rocket fins since certified in the 70s. I like everything about them. My second pair is in need of replacement. Thought I would reach out to those who used rocket fins and maybe switched to another to see if people who switched found something they liked better. Thanks in advance. TK

 

[northernone]

Nothing does it for me for durability and power. I do use tiny duck feet style fins for travel.

 

[tbone1004]

they were the first fins I used and still use them as my pool fins. I quickly went to Jet fins because of foot pocket size. I think the Deep6 fins perform much better than either of them and are more comfortable to boot.

Deep 6 Eddy Fin - Fins

 

[mdb]

I've owned many pairs of fins over 40+ years of diving. First pair SP Jets.

My favs (some prejudice involved):

Mares Avanti and Avanti Quattro, Original force fin, Apollo Prestige and Bio-fins.

Fins are a very important part of any divers equipment.

Threads such as this give good real world insight to those divers looking for advice.

Best advice is to try them our for yourself, talk to your diver friends, borrow a pair or two
for a weekend.

Decide what is right for you.

For me; I kinda of look at it as choosing the proper snow ski.

Depends on the conditions, the objective, the dive at hand.

 

[JamesBon92007]

I got certified in '69 and bought some Sportsways 707 fins which were very similar to Rocket Fins. I hated them. I now use the original ScubaPro Jet Fins, second edition with the lightning bolt through the insignia. I love them. I also have some of the original Jet Fins and they are OK too, just not as good as the Lightnings. The fit in my carry-on too.

@tbone1004: The Deep 6 fins are plastic? I'm not sure if I would like that.

 

[tbone1004]

@mdb as an FYI for those not in the know. Dive Rite purchased the Apollo Prestige molds and that is what evolved into the Dive Rite XT. They've made some material changes and obviously changed the straps, but the molds are still the ones Apollo used.

@JamesBon92007 plastic isn't always what you think of as plastic. I'm a textile engineer, so here are some interesting examples of plastic that you may not be aware of.
Basically all of your clothes. Polyester and Nylon are plastic
Rugs, most rugs are made of nylon these days
Your BCD-again made of nylon

These are not things that we typically associate with "plastic" like lego bricks or tupperware. Silicone is halfway between rubber and plastic.

Now, fins like the Apollo Prestige as mentioned above, the Dive Rite XT's, OMS slipstreams, and Deep6 fins are made out of something called Monprene or monoprene. There are different blends to grab different properties. Deep6 and OMS go for more of a silicone or rubber type feel where the Dive Rites are more plastic feel. This comes with pros and cons as the stiffness is adjusted.
They are more durable to wear and UV, and have stronger tear resistance *you don't see torn foot pockets in OMS slipstreams but you do with Jet fins all the time. Dive Rite has them but it's more because of how thin the foot pocket is* as compared to natural rubber. They are also able to be formulated to adjust the density. Monoprene is a mix between polypropylene or polyethylene *that float* and styrene butadiene *aka buna same stuff we use for o-rings and is also used for shoe soles, car tires, etc*.
Not something that is going to feel cheap and plasticky like you may expect. These fins feel more like silicone than anything else

 

[mdb]

@mdb as an FYI for those not in the know. Dive Rite purchased the Apollo Prestige molds and that is what evolved into the Dive Rite XT. They've made some material changes and obviously changed the straps, but the molds are still the ones Apollo used.

@JamesBon92007 plastic isn't always what you think of as plastic. I'm a textile engineer, so here are some interesting examples of plastic that you may not be aware of.
Basically all of your clothes. Polyester and Nylon are plastic
Rugs, most rugs are made of nylon these days
Your BCD-again made of nylon

These are not things that we typically associate with "plastic" like lego bricks or tupperware. Silicone is halfway between rubber and plastic.

Now, fins like the Apollo Prestige as mentioned above, the Dive Rite XT's, OMS slipstreams, and Deep6 fins are made out of something called Monprene or monoprene. There are different blends to grab different properties. Deep6 and OMS go for more of a silicone or rubber type feel where the Dive Rites are more plastic feel. This comes with pros and cons as the stiffness is adjusted.
They are more durable to wear and UV, and have stronger tear resistance *you don't see torn foot pockets in OMS slipstreams but you do with Jet fins all the time. Dive Rite has them but it's more because of how thin the foot pocket is* as compared to natural rubber. They are also able to be formulated to adjust the density. Monoprene is a mix between polypropylene or polyethylene *that float* and styrene butadiene *aka buna same stuff we use for o-rings and is also used for shoe soles, car tires, etc*.
Not something that is going to feel cheap and plasticky like you may expect. These fins feel more like silicone than anything else

Nice informed post. Good info for those following this thread for a bit of "fin knowledge"

 

[tbone1004]

Nice informed post. Good info for those following this thread for a bit of "fin knowledge"

thanks. Helps when it is your day job. On the blends, there is a lot of proprietary blending that guys like Chris did to get the fins "just right" so it is important to know that monoprene isn't always monoprene. It can go 99/1 to 1/99 and everywhere in between. Other additives like the color can also change the properties. Blue is a nucleating agent that will naturally make the fin stiffer etc. so you have to tweak for different color additives. It's incredibly complicated and I know Chris went through quite a few design changes to the blend to get it where he wanted it and I am eternally grateful for that effort. The OMS Slipstreams were a huge leap forward from the Jet Fins, but these things just blow them both out of the water. I am eagerly waiting for a negatively buoyant set but have to be patient as those are at least a year away due to much higher priorities. With sidemount and CCR as dominant in the market as they are right now, the neutrally buoyant fins make a lot more sense with the ever dwindling percentage of doubles divers. You can make neutral fins work in doubles, it is a LOT harder to make negative fins work with OTS counterlungs on a CCR or in sidemount


Dive Rite doesn't hide the fact that they are the Apollo molds, they just don't really broadcast it. There was a thread last week on cave diver forum about someone who had lime green Dive Rite XT fins when they were actually old Apollo's. Most divers are new enough that they wouldn't recognize the Prestige fins so it isn't really worth them talking about

 

[JamesBon92007]

[QUOTE="tbone1004, post: 8060012, member: 136424" The OMS Slipstreams were a huge leap forward from the Jet Fins, but these things just blow them both out of the water. I am eagerly waiting for a negatively buoyant set


Dive Rite doesn't hide the fact that they are the Apollo molds, they just don't really broadcast it. There was a thread last week on cave diver forum about someone who had lime green Dive Rite XT fins when they were actually old Apollo's. Most divers are new enough that they wouldn't recognize the Prestige fins so it isn't really worth them talking about[/QUOTE]


Got any free samples or test products you don't need?

Or they are too old and weren't paying attention when all of this stuff came and went.

 

[tbone1004]

Got any free samples or test products you don't need?

Or they are too old and weren't paying attention when all of this stuff came and went.

negative. Anything that I don't use gets donated back to the university that I work with for students to use as they are evaluating new gear for themselves