Why the hate/ridicule for split fins?
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richmonddiver
Contributor
I have a pair of split fins (Apollo Biofins with spring straps) that I think are a fantastic fin, except that they are heavy. Very heavy. I don't use them anymore for solely that reason. My legs like to sink. If they were more buoyant, I'd still be diving them.
I have a pair of Jetfins that I use in the pool for exercise. They are fairly compact, compared to other fins, so they fit in my gym locker. They are also fine fins. Some say they are hard on the legs. I don't think they deserve that reputation. I don't use them for scuba, for the same reason I don't use the Biofins. They are heavy and my legs like to sink. I can understand why people use them. They get the job done, and take up little space I doing so.
I have found the fins that work best for me are a 30ish year old pair of vented US divers Monaco blades . They are rebranded Technisub NASA fins, if you are old enough to remember that brand. I was determined to replace them. I tried my best. I couldn't find anything that works better for me. They are positively buoyant. That helps with my heavy feet. This also made my DM happy when she had to retrieve my gear during rescue training
My point is that fins are just personal. They are specific to one's personal diving needs, as other posters have said. I've tried many. There are good fins, both split and blade. I dive in quarries. I don't worry about currents, silting out and entanglements. I can understand why someone who has those concerns would not like split fins.
Find the fins that let you enjoy the dive, then enjoy the dive.
I have a pair of Jetfins that I use in the pool for exercise. They are fairly compact, compared to other fins, so they fit in my gym locker. They are also fine fins. Some say they are hard on the legs. I don't think they deserve that reputation. I don't use them for scuba, for the same reason I don't use the Biofins. They are heavy and my legs like to sink. I can understand why people use them. They get the job done, and take up little space I doing so.
I have found the fins that work best for me are a 30ish year old pair of vented US divers Monaco blades . They are rebranded Technisub NASA fins, if you are old enough to remember that brand. I was determined to replace them. I tried my best. I couldn't find anything that works better for me. They are positively buoyant. That helps with my heavy feet. This also made my DM happy when she had to retrieve my gear during rescue training
My point is that fins are just personal. They are specific to one's personal diving needs, as other posters have said. I've tried many. There are good fins, both split and blade. I dive in quarries. I don't worry about currents, silting out and entanglements. I can understand why someone who has those concerns would not like split fins.
Find the fins that let you enjoy the dive, then enjoy the dive.
A ScubaBoard Staff Message...
Ayisha
Contributor
Not all paddle fins need muscle strength and stamina. I'm petite and don't have a lot of muscle strength and it was a matter of finding the right paddle fins for me: fins that fit well, are stiff and not too heavy.
I started with Mares Avanti Quattro's which were slightly big, gave me shin pain, and I hated them. Then I went to Tusa split fins which I loved except for the length. Then someone gave me jet fins which gave me shin pain and I hated them. Then 4 years ago I found the ideal fin for me: UTD Precision Neutral/Positive Fins. I absolutely love them. They fit perfectly, have a comfortable, deep foot pocket so that the fin doesn't wobble and I don't get any foot pain or cramps, and they're not too heavy. They are the same size and shape as the jet fins but lighter.
So the moral of the story is that it doesn't matter how much muscle strength or stamina you have. You just need to find the right fins for you. If you're going the DIR route, you'll need stiff paddle fins, but you won't find them any less comfortable if they're a good choice for you and the rest of your gear.
It's a light color, ... out of opaque colors probably the lightest of them all. You were lucky they did not drag you, feet first, right to the surface...
John Bantin
Contributor
To me, comfort trumps speed. Speed is least of my problems. I don’t dive to go fast.
John Bantin
Contributor
During my first visit to Mikes Point in Raja Ampat, two fit young Germans admired the way I was able to make headway into the current, saying afterwards that I must be extremely fit, I am not. I was about 60 at the time. I just had a decent pair of fins (Quattros) and the knowledge/experience to progress against the flow!
Please Remember...
- Dodge
- Duck
- Dip
- Dive, and
- Dodge
Learn how to read currents and avoid them whenever possible using those five rules!
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