What Fins for Rescue in OW

[MikadoWu]

Hello all,

A few year back during my Rescue Course, I used my Atomic Split fins, then later during my DM Course I used Atomic Blade Fins. Later I tried a pair of Mares Quatro Plus and Atomic X1's. None of these Fins, I felt performed well in Rescue situation.

Now I am looking at the Apex RK3 fins. Anyone have some thoughts on this?

While I am at it, what would be a good Color for people to chase after me with?

Diving Hudson Grotto a few years back for my Son's Advance Class, it scared the hell at of him. He found the instructor because of the Instructors Blue fins.

 

[ennieee]

In what way did they not perform well?

Bright neon/fluoro colours work for being seen. Pink, orange, yellow, green... though, as someone who has dived with divers in said bright colours, I have to say they were sometimes a bit of an eyesore lol. You could also just get black fins and have your name printed on them in white, or phosphorescent tape.

 

[saxman242]

I'll be doing my rescue here shortly in bright orange deep6 fins. I didn't put any thought into anything rescue specific when buying them, but did go with the bright orange so I'd be easier to identify quickly underwater by those I'm diving with.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Now I am looking at the Apex RK3 fins. Anyone have some thoughts on this

I have a pair, which I generally use for teaching and guiding in. They're nice. I like them because they're compact, easy to put on and take off and easier for me to back kick in

They are Neutral/positive.

As to colour - I have white, yellow seems to work well too. It depends on the colour of your water and vis

Comparison to other fins... Way back on my DM course, for my 800m swim I used my other go to fins, my Dive Rite XT. I use these fins when I go play in current. I decided to use these fins for speed and distance. Huge mistake. Finning hard for 10 mins plus killed me. On my second attempt, I switched to my RK3 which were better.

I've never since needed to kick hard for 10 mins plus though...

Much as I like my RK3, if you forced me to only keep one fin set, it would be my XT's

 

[Efka76]

For rescue diver course there is no big difference what fins you are using. This is not a cave or some overhead environment where you need to have frog propulsion in order not to silt environment. I see only one advantage of plain fins comparing to split fins in rescue course as it is more convenient for towing. That’s it. I did rescue course last week with scubapro seawing kova fins.... however, could easily do it with split fins as well.

 

[tursiops]

I'll be doing my rescue here shortly in bright orange deep6 fins. I didn't put any thought into anything rescue specific when buying them, but did go with the bright orange so I'd be easier to identify quickly underwater by those I'm diving with.

Well, they are not so bright orange underwater, but more of a orange-brown. Still identifiable....

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Maybe not necessarily for a rescue course, as I don't know that it really matters, but I personally dive a pair of Hollis F1's that are black w/ yellow tips. Very easy to see, but not so bright that they're an eyesore and provide plenty of thrust when you need it. But they are fairly heavy and negatively buoyant so they will weigh your feet down a bit. I did the 400m kick requirement for Rescue in them and afterward my legs were a bit tired, but not so much that they were cramping up. Just realize that you don't necessarily need to kick them hard to move. For normal diving I generally use what I would consider a modified frog kick (I won't call it a frog kick because it's not really dialed in that way) and with very little effort I can move through the water at a pretty decent pace. Great fin, love the color, but pretty heavy.

 

[Rooster59]

Scubapro jetfins XL or XXL

 

[Damselfish]

Splits may not have as much thrust as you would like in certain rescue situations. But I don't think you should pick special fins for Rescue, you should use whatever you usually dive with. After all, that's what you will be wearing if you ever run into a real life Rescue situation. Using your usual fins in the class may make you decide they aren't what you want for your regular fins.

 

[saxman242]

Well, they are not so bright orange underwater, but more of a orange-brown. Still identifiable....

True, but even at orange-brown, they're still higher contrast than black. It's that still identifiable part that I am going for