Why are jetfins so good?

[MarkUK]

They aren't cool and shiny and most DMs/Instructors/Divers that I've seen couldn't kick their way out of a mud-puddle and only use the flutter. If they need to back up, they wave their hands....They are also often diving in incredibly benign environments (warm, clear water, no silt). It's sad, but generally speaking when I see "DM" or "Instructor" next to someone's name in the recreational diving world, my default reaction is "incompetent." Thankfully, I am sometimes proven wrong, but most of the time my gut reaction is on the money.

I'm sorry that in your period of diving that you've had such experiences with instructors and DMs, but don't you think you are making a bit of a generalisation? Yes, I agree, there are crap instructors and DMs out there, but the majority I've had the pleasure to dive with are excellent divers with superb buoyancy and control. And they aren't all in benign environments – I am not just talking fluffy Caribbean, I am talking about rip-arse currents in the Far East, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, and I am also talking about the UK, where we can have ****ty vis, bad currents and well-silted-out wrecks. You want challenging dives, try some of the deeper wrecks in the English Channel.

Mark

 

[*Floater*]

I see all these posts about how great Jet Fins are - the best fins for this, the best fins for that, the best all-round fin, etc, etc.

However, it is interesting to note that in all my years of travelling all over the world on assignment, I have never, ever seen a dive guide/instructor/dive centre owner wearing them on a dive. I would say that 95% or more of them are wearing Mares Avanti Quattros, and the remainder are wearing a selection of Scubapro, Aqualung, Cressi, etc, etc. But no Jet Fins.

Now I am not doubting that they offer plenty of thrust, control, etc, but I just find it interesting that these guys - who are often racking up 600 plus dives a year in some extremely demanding conditions (strong currents and swell, having to race after errant students, etc, etc) - mainly choose the Quattros.

Mark

I meant considered best for DIR stuff (ease of alternate kicks, efficiency of frog kick (SAC rate), tech diving) in DIR circles. Of course all DIR divers tend to buy a pair since that's what's recommended, but they are also as curious as everyone and will probably try (and have tried) other fins every now and then. I just bought a cheap pair of used IDI frog foot fins myself off ebay to test them out. The shape looks like it would be better suited for the frog than jets, but time will tell.

 

[Soggy]

I'm sorry that in your period of diving that you've had such experiences with instructors and DMs, but don't you think you are making a bit of a generalisation?

Yes, I am making a generalization which I realize does not apply across the board, but is representative of much of what I have seen and not just in warm water areas.

 

[Soggy]

I just bought a cheap pair of used IDI frog foot fins myself off ebay to test them out. The shape looks like it would be better suited for the frog than jets, but time will tell.

I had a bad experience with the IDI fins, which may or may not be representative of the product itself, but I'll share it nevertheless.

I was diving with a buddy of mine who had the IDI fins on a turtled wreck in SC with a nice current going over the keel. We were side-by-side. I looked away for 5 seconds, and looked back and he was gone...disappeared. I started swimming in the direction that the current was flowing when I see him peeking over the keel with his fin in his hand. I swam over to him and we got down and held onto the wreck while we assessed the situation.

The rubber had flexed so much under strain that the clamp that holds the fin strap on had come loose. We tried for 5 minutes or so to fix it, but were unsuccessful, so he climbed his way back to the anchor line.

When we got to the anchor line, it was broken and no longer attached to the boat that was supposed to be above us. We ascended along the line as long as we could, but eventually ran out of line and did a free ascent the remaining 50 ft or so. Thankfully, the boat crew was on top of things and had been tracking our bubbles as we were > 20 miles off shore. They positioned themselves near us so we could get on board, but I had to drag my buddy (who is now dolphin kicking with his one fin) up to the ladder for him to climb.

I bought a surface marker when I got home

This problem probably could have been avoided with a pre-dive inspection of the fin, but it was the darndest thing I've ever seen.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

I had a bad experience with the IDI fins, which may or may not be representative of the product itself, but I'll share it nevertheless.

I was diving with a buddy of mine who had the IDI fins on a turtled wreck in SC with a nice current going over the keel. We were side-by-side. I looked away for 5 seconds, and looked back and he was gone...disappeared. I started swimming in the direction that the current was flowing when I see him peeking over the keel with his fin in his hand. I swam over to him and we got down and held onto the wreck while we assessed the situation.

The rubber had flexed so much under strain that the clamp that holds the fin strap on had come loose. We tried for 5 minutes or so to fix it, but were unsuccessful, so he climbed his way back to the anchor line.

When we got to the anchor line, it was broken and no longer attached to the boat that was supposed to be above us. We ascended along the line as long as we could, but eventually ran out of line and did a free ascent the remaining 50 ft or so. Thankfully, the boat crew was on top of things and had been tracking our bubbles as we were > 20 miles off shore. They positioned themselves near us so we could get on board, but I had to drag my buddy (who is now dolphin kicking with his one fin) up to the ladder for him to climb.

I bought a surface marker when I got home

This problem probably could have been avoided with a pre-dive inspection of the fin, but it was the darndest thing I've ever seen.

Dam.. that's just a bad day :11:

I really like my Jets, but I also want to try the OMS version. I find that the Scubapros flex a little too much for my taste, and I believe that the OMS fins are slightly stiffer. But the biggest problem, is the lack of suitable sizes. The jump from XL to XXL is like going from a VW bug to an Escalade! I have a size 12 boot, and even with my drysuit on, the XXL are HUGE!!! while the XL's need me to spray silicone in my foot pocket, step in the water, compess my boot, then shimmy it in the dam fin.

1 good thing, is that it just about takes an act of god to remove them.

anyway Scubapro if you're listening... MAKE AN IN BETWEEN SIZE BETWEEN XL AND XXL!!!! :007:

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Thalassamania]

They aren't cool and shiny and most DMs/Instructors/Divers that I've seen couldn't kick their way out of a mud-puddle and only use the flutter. If they need to back up, they wave their hands....They are also often diving in incredibly benign environments (warm, clear water, no silt). It's sad, but generally speaking when I see "DM" or "Instructor" next to someone's name in the recreational diving world, my default reaction is "incompetent." Thankfully, I am sometimes proven wrong, but most of the time my gut reaction is on the money.

Yes.

What I find is the typical recreational diver buys all their stuff at the dive shop because the big-bad instructor or owner told them it was good stuff. If they can sell you a $200 fin over a $100 fin, they will.

That's true.

When you need the control to turn, back kick, prevent silting by frog kicking, etc, Jets are the shizzle. I'm sure there are other fins out there that would work, but none of the ones I've seen have the right stiffness and shape to be able to shove the fins backwards at the beginning of the back-kick and helicopter turn.

Yes.

Come to New England or go to Cave Country and you'll find most people doing any sort of technical diving are using Jet fins.

But is that a recomendation, a kill, or a cultural artifact?

If they work in the most demanding environments, they'll certainly work well in the easy Carribean open water environment.

If all you're gonna do is fin in a basically straight line there are likely better fins (e.g., Duck Feet for a fast dash).

 

[cerich]

IMHO there is no better carib DM fin that Mares Quattro Powers or the old Quattro L.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

IMHO there is no better carib DM fin that Mares Quattro Powers or the old Quattro L.

I really like my quattros when I'm teaching open water, and I might have to go to those when I cave dive with my Dry suit, since the pocket fits snug as a bug in a rug.

Cheers.

Mike

 

[CompuDude]

FWIW, two of the three DMs I dove with in Jamaica last month wore Jets. Can't recall what the other one wore, but I definitely noted the Jets. At Sandals, of all places... DIR is not a term they've ever heard.

 

[Soggy]

Dam.. that's just a bad day :11:

Yeah, I learned a lot from that one little 70ft dive! We did see a dozen Barracuda feeding on a school of fish over the wreck, though. It was a pretty good dive until we lost a fin and the boat.

My request to ScubaPro would be to make the foot pocket similar to the one on the Twin Jets.