why Jet Fins?

[pilot fish]

Learn to kick correctly. You've been talking about changing your style of kicking for awhile now. Get in the pool and practice your kicks.

It isn't your fin that was the problem. I use blue twins and have zero problems.

I kick correctly, but my kick style is for a single paddle fin. Yes, I need to correct my split fin kick before I make a decision on replacing my fins. As I recall you said you were a tad heavy? You still have no problmes against current with the blue twin jets?

 

[Soggy]

Try compression molding for three/four hours with pure natural rubber and the proper side rails etc. Our cost is 3/4 times the cost of the injection molded plastic fins. You get what you pay for-or, sometimes, you just get taken. The jets work, and if you like them, good for you.

I realize the manufacturing process is not "mold a fin, cut it with a knife." But can you explain how your retail price is 3 times that of a jet fin, which is also made with rubber and compression molded? Someone is bending over, and I'm sure it isn't the manufacturers.

Anyone who has ever tried to do any kick other than a flutter or a poorly executed frog kick knows that splits ain't all that. For Joe Reef Diver, they are fine, but for any sort of serious diving where precision and maneuverability is required, they just don't cut it. The proof can be clearly seen when you video the same diver using both types of fins. When you see someone try to back up in a set of splits, the 4 prongs just flail about and the diver goes virtually nowhere. When you try to frog kick in them, the same thing happens on the recovery stroke...the blades go in all sorts of directions providing resistence and slowing the diver. Additionally, the power stroke of the frog has no oomph behind it because you just aren't moving enough water.

 

[mdb]

I realize the manufacturing process is not "mold a fin, cut it with a knife." But can you explain how your retail price is 3 times that of a jet fin, which is also made with rubber and compression molded?

Not so. The jet fin is not compression molded. It has some rubber, some clay, some other etc., not a bad old style fin. I have two pairs. The Apollo bio-fin is pure natural rubber molded in compression and the only one of its kind.
Many manufacturers are pricing against us, because they can, their cost is way less, cheaper material, way less expensive production, gullible divers. If you like your jets that is a good thing. Keep diving.

 

[Soggy]

Not so. The jet fin is not compression molded. It has some rubber, some clay, some other etc., not a bad old style fin. I have two pairs. The Apollo bio-fin is pure natural rubber molded in compression and the only one of its kind.
Many manufacturers are pricing against us, because they can, their cost is way less, cheaper material, way less expensive production, gullible divers. If you like your jets that is a good thing. Keep diving.

What is the benefit to being compression molded?

 

[mdb]

What is the benefit to being compression molded?

100% natural rubber requires the fin to be molded using compression which is a more complex process that requires hours rather than minutes per fin. The end result is a soft comfortable foot pocket, a fin with the proper rebound and snap, and a very long lasting and durable product.

Definition: A method of molding in which the molding material, generally preheated, is first placed in an open, heated mold cavity. The mold is closed with a top force or plug member, pressure is applied to force the material into contact with all mold areas, and heat and pressure are maintained until the molding material has cured. The process employs thermosetting resins in a partially cured stage, either in the form of granules, putty-like masses, or preforms. The advantage of compression molding is its ability to mold large, fairly intricate parts. Compression molding produces fewer knit lines and less fiber-length degradation than injection molding

 

[menemsha43]

Helicopter kick....What the he** is a helicopter kick and why on earth would i ever want to do one!?!?!? Soooooo many people on this board talk about it alll the freakin time..........

BUT! Seems this is the holy grail of zillions of people on SB, "Look Ma!! I can do a helicopter kick!!!!" Woo Hoo!!!!

SO! I will ask again.. What is the point of a helicopter kick?

Lol! Good question Mike. This is diving, not synchronized swimming....lol

I can understand cave divers needing these and other strange things - like diving into the caves for goodness sake. God bless those folks.

 

[Soggy]

Lol! Good question Mike. This is diving, not synchronized swimming....lol

I can understand cave divers needing these and other strange things - like diving into the caves for goodness sake. God bless those folks.

You've never wanted to turn around without swimming around in a big circle? You've never wanted to back away from something without pushing off of it? Seems pretty applicable to every day diving. Not a dive goes by where I don't use every one of frog, flutter, helicopter, modified flutter, modified frog, and back kicks.

I am not a cave diver (yet) and I only do limited wreck penetration. I do like to be able to turn around to communicate with my buddies without swimming in a circle around them and I do like to back away from fishing nets without touching them.

 

[Xanthro]

Lol! Good question Mike. This is diving, not synchronized swimming....lol

I can understand cave divers needing these and other strange things - like diving into the caves for goodness sake. God bless those folks.

I thought myself to do helocopter turns and back kicks before I'd even heard of them.

It's much easier to follow a creature if you just turn in place and can backup without using your hands.

I can also change my pitch by kicking and turn in a circle that way. There's no telling where your subject is going to go.

Anyone watching underwater animals and especially photographers and videographers can greatly benefit from helocopter turns and back kicks.

I only ever flutter kick to get someplace, once there another kick is always used.

 

[mdb]

I thought myself to do helocopter turns and back kicks before I'd even heard of them.

It's much easier to follow a creature if you just turn in place and can backup without using your hands.

I can also change my pitch by kicking and turn in a circle that way. There's no telling where your subject is going to go.

Anyone watching underwater animals and especially photographers and videographers can greatly benefit from helocopter turns and back kicks.

I only ever flutter kick to get someplace, once there another kick is always used.

Xanthro: This is a very good post. There are lots of times when a diver would use another kick style other than the flutter kick. Verical hold, back-up, dolphin, frog, and
others all have a place. Split fins, with the proper design, will do all these kicks and still provide the thrust and efficency that the new design allows. We designed our XT fin to allow for wide kicks, alternate kicks, etc.

Adding synthetic material is a quick and inexpensive method for stiffening a fin. We chose to produce the XT in 100% rubber. Tests have proven that rubber will outperform any synthetic option.

"Increasing the durometer to 75° rather than changing base material creates a stiffer blade that retains a high degree of the comfort and performance of our original bio-fin pro. Higher durometer rubber provides the feel and weight of a more traditional fin.
Works as well or better than paddle fins with any choice of kicking style.
Split fin design allows for increased maximum speed and reduced fatigue.Consistently rated as the fastest fin in the water. Instant turning and pivoting on a dime. Increased control and added leverage for technical divers. Reduced air consumption
Increased bottom time."

Scuba-Pro and Atomic also have introduced different versions for the same reason. More and more divers are using different kick styles and that is a good thing. Backing up, rather than mashing coral heads, frog kick for caving and wreck diving and just kick and glide diving, all makes sense.

 

[DCDivenut]

Would you use a ball peen hammer for demolition?
Would you use a sledge hammer to drive a finishing nail?

I own both Atomic Splits and Jet Fins. They are different products for different uses. I think that we often get caught up in a "one size fits all" mentality and while there is some validity to this school of thought, it does not hold true in every case. Conversely, the push of companies to always sell the "latest and greatest" leads to an over-abundance of useless products that are designed to improve bottom lines more than bottom times!

Somewhere is the happy middle, although it is virtually impossible to find in an online discussion forum

Personally, I own and use both since I have the resources to do so, and use them where I find them to be most appropriate. I don't cave dive, but when I am diving on a wreck or photographing I use my Jets for fine tuned control. When I am "easy diving" on a reef or just tooling along I use my splits. If you can't or don't want to do this then pick the "tool" that is best suited for the "job" you are going to do the most!