Info What is the "best" fin?
- Thread starter tursiops
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Absolutely at least until I find a good price on the super nova.
seriously they are really good fins, they have the canted blade angle like the GoSport That makes them easier to flutter kick and really good with frog kick, they have replaced my Jets as my go to cold water fin.
So they are worth trying in the coming year I guess.
SlugLife
Contributor
The "study" you referenced doesn't look very scientific at all. In other words, if I really wanted to do a "scientific" test of fins, I'd need a number of divers, trying a bunch of different fins, with different finning techniques, etc.
If you think military-contracts and studies are unbiased, I have a multi-billion-dollar arms contract to sell you.
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I have no ForceFin experience myself. Some people seem to really love them, while others thing they're quite bad. For example this reivew and his other videos on FF.
I have noticed a STRONG marketing-effort for FF on ScubaBoard. I'm not hating on that, everyone has to promote their business or product, but whenever FF are mentioned it's almost like summoning a ghost with the kinds of replies that start quickly showing up, and I take it all with a giant-grain-of-salt. Same obviously goes for any marketing-materials or articles published about a company about itself.
As a used-market guy, I have noticed FF have strong used-resale-value, which is a good sign that people usually like them.
If anyone in the Austin, TX area is ever willing to let me try them, I'm happy to try them out, and give an honest assessment (when the waters warm up).
If you think military-contracts and studies are unbiased, I have a multi-billion-dollar arms contract to sell you.
---
I have no ForceFin experience myself. Some people seem to really love them, while others thing they're quite bad. For example this reivew and his other videos on FF.
I have noticed a STRONG marketing-effort for FF on ScubaBoard. I'm not hating on that, everyone has to promote their business or product, but whenever FF are mentioned it's almost like summoning a ghost with the kinds of replies that start quickly showing up, and I take it all with a giant-grain-of-salt. Same obviously goes for any marketing-materials or articles published about a company about itself.
As a used-market guy, I have noticed FF have strong used-resale-value, which is a good sign that people usually like them.
If anyone in the Austin, TX area is ever willing to let me try them, I'm happy to try them out, and give an honest assessment (when the waters warm up).
scubaozy
Contributor
Honestly, without removing human factor from these tests, you can't have unbiased results. Given, it is not so hard to create hydrolic legs where you can adjust the power applied and measure max speed, or achieve a predetermined velocity and measure the power applied, I somehow think that this bias and ambiguity is actually desired.
SlugLife
Contributor
Different fins likely require different finning-techniques to be effective or efficient, or are better/worse for different purposes.
The data from a hydraulic-leg could actually be useful though. If I had the time/resources/etc to do such a thing, I'd probably program in a variety of techniques and scenarios. For example, with my Seawing Novas, I've found a very short-stroke flutter kick can build up a lot of speed when swimming without scuba-equipment.
If I had a scuba-shop, I might also be tempted to setup a fin-rental or fin-exchange program, whereby you could try dozens of different fins without breaking the bank.
The big miss I see in the mechanical tests, particularly in the amplitude difference comparison, is that it is probably not a good reflection of the cost of moving a fleshed leg in an exposure suit through the kick cycle. There are a number of parasitic forces fighting that motion before fins are added in. Unlike exploring efficiency with different gearing on a bicycle where the motion remains the same and parasitic drag on the legs is minimal in air and shorts/spandex with regards to pedaling speed, moving that leg through water, further loaded by an exposure suit, is much more significant. The kicking cost/benefit is further dependent on change in amplitude and leg articulation for both the leg motion cost and the net thrust/drag balance of the legs without the fin.
That is where I think the greatest opportunity for net efficiency lies for more frequent, low amplitude kicks and fins that best match that style. At least for average humans.
That is where I think the greatest opportunity for net efficiency lies for more frequent, low amplitude kicks and fins that best match that style. At least for average humans.
Force fins are not bad fins, the best use in my opinion is where you have distance to travel and don’t want to be tired out or cramping when you get there, the military like them for that and they are compact.
All fins require different techniques and it takes some water time to find what works for you. The FF works for frog kicks but not very well, the frog kick uses the opposite of its design parameters so they can function that way but best used in a more limited fashion.
I have a lot of fins, sold the FF recently. I find many of Bob’s various designs intriguing, always wanted to try the tan delta but never had the chance.
it’s easy to just stick with what you are used to but a lot more fun to try different things and use what works best, no one design (in my experience) works “best” in all situations.
All fins require different techniques and it takes some water time to find what works for you. The FF works for frog kicks but not very well, the frog kick uses the opposite of its design parameters so they can function that way but best used in a more limited fashion.
I have a lot of fins, sold the FF recently. I find many of Bob’s various designs intriguing, always wanted to try the tan delta but never had the chance.
it’s easy to just stick with what you are used to but a lot more fun to try different things and use what works best, no one design (in my experience) works “best” in all situations.
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