Seasquatch
Guest
Mares Volo or Oceanic V12
Volo vs V12
- Thread starter Seasquatch
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
taylorm007
Guest
I've never used the V12's but I love my Mares Volo's!!! Ultimately, you should probably try them out first if you can. If you don't know where you can rent/borrow a pair you should read up on Rodales and SB.
Matt
Matt
norcaldiver
Guest
I have the Apolo BioFin, which is as close to the V12 as you can get (actually, it's the other way around) and I love them. But I can't stress personal pref and type of diving strongly enough. My buddy has Volos and loves them. We switched in the pool one day and each of us hated the other's fins.
The volos use a small flutter kick. You don't have to do the full leg kick because of the hinge. What you get is about 60% of a regular fin on the downstroke, but you get that 60% on the upstroke - as opposed to nothing on the upstroke of a regular paddle fin. A full kick cycle give you 120% rather than 100% of a normal paddle fin cycle.
With the V12, you still dn't get the power on the upstroke, but the way they channel water and push you is so much more efficient than any paddle fin (IMHO). One thing that I've heard, but not really noticed is that the vortex that comes off the v21/biofin/imprex/other split fin goes back quite a ways. This could cause some problems with stiring up the bottom even if you aren't on the bottom...maybe 2-3 ft off, finning upwards. I really like the fact that they are so pliable, they're like fish tales-no effort at all. The only down side is if you'rein a current. The natural instinct is to kick really hard to get back to the boat. If you kick as hard as you can in a split fin, they just open up and you end up with about 3 inches of effective fin and you're going to loose ground. If you slow the kick down - and this takes a concious effort not to kick like hell when you start moving backwards- you can make headway against the current.
The volos use a small flutter kick. You don't have to do the full leg kick because of the hinge. What you get is about 60% of a regular fin on the downstroke, but you get that 60% on the upstroke - as opposed to nothing on the upstroke of a regular paddle fin. A full kick cycle give you 120% rather than 100% of a normal paddle fin cycle.
With the V12, you still dn't get the power on the upstroke, but the way they channel water and push you is so much more efficient than any paddle fin (IMHO). One thing that I've heard, but not really noticed is that the vortex that comes off the v21/biofin/imprex/other split fin goes back quite a ways. This could cause some problems with stiring up the bottom even if you aren't on the bottom...maybe 2-3 ft off, finning upwards. I really like the fact that they are so pliable, they're like fish tales-no effort at all. The only down side is if you'rein a current. The natural instinct is to kick really hard to get back to the boat. If you kick as hard as you can in a split fin, they just open up and you end up with about 3 inches of effective fin and you're going to loose ground. If you slow the kick down - and this takes a concious effort not to kick like hell when you start moving backwards- you can make headway against the current.
kd5izq
Guest
I know that Panthers aren't Volos, but they're kinda close. Long and short of it, I had a set of Panthers, 3 dives after OW cert. I tried one of the instructors set of Oceanic V12s. With the Panthers and most any other kind of paddle fin I have had problems with leg cramps and I really don't have a super strong kick (kinda bad knees, I guess is the problem) and had trouble keeping up with some folks, since switching to the splits (I swear on the good book I am not lying or even stretching it here) I haven't had anymore leg cramps, I haven't been run off and left, my air consumption went down and my legs don't feel anywhere near as tired after a dive. Interesting note, the first day of diving with my splits I kept sinching the heel strap up cause I thought they were coming off because I couldn't feel anything back there, they were fine there is just that little resistance to the kick.
how do the tigers compare to the volos and the panthers...ive tried the tigers,and i thought they would be reall nice and efficent, but i found that they were the complete opposite of that. my dad and i rented a pair of tigers and v12opr some type of split fin. we both liked the splits a heck of a lot better then the tigers...we found that the splits were more efficient and faster then the tigers. i personally would like to try the mares volos and the mares avanti quattro..and maybe the panthers...the more u try the better understanding of u wnat...right?
jplacson
Guest
I LOVE my Volos!!!! 
Similar threads
