Why we don't always use freediving fins in scuba?

[Miyaru]

When I was last in Florida, I witnessed two incidences of broken free-diving fins -- in one case, a fancy-schmancy SEAC carbon fiber one -- while preparing to dive, off of a crowded dive boat.

Apparently, it was clumsily stepped upon, presumably do to its large-and-in-charge, ungainly size, while the prospective diver was turning; twisting; or what-have-you, on board. Of the second case, I only saw its broken result, on my return, and an unhappy diver, packing up his gear.

Much swearing ensued . . .

So....that's a freediving-split-fin?

 

[Ana]

The posts above are accurate about the reasons for not using them.

I use them because I don't dive wrecks, or do any confined spaces anymore.
After several years using them I have pretty good control on my local reefs.
We do backroll from our boat and take them out before coming back on board.
They work for my husband and I.

I'm sure it would get old if I had to carry them around from car to one boat and another. I made a very long pocket for storage in the boat to avoid the chance of anything falling on top of them.

 

[scubadada]

I don't think the freedive fins folks frog kick. I do, most of the time. I'm not in a hurry. But, I can hold position in a very brisk current with a big flutter, or move pretty quickly if I need to. I've been diving Dive Rite XTs for many years now.

 

[Shasta_man]

I think the primary reasons are that most people can't maneuver as easily with them and particularly important, they take a lot of strength to use. They are great to have to get somewhere quickly but a whole dive with them takes a lot of strength and endurance. If you were not used to using them, and went for a week long trip with them, you'd first find the immediate pain from using them, then what gets sore from altering your kicking to avoid the pain so now your lower back hurts, for example.

You see here that some people have adapted and like the advantages they get but I don't think everyone could pump them around the whole dive, so that is why I don't think everyone could generally switch to those. If people spent more time in the full body resistance environment that is the ocean, many of us, myself included, would be stronger. I even use split fins (gasp!) because I like the lower effort required to move with them and don't feel like, for the majority of the time, that they are holding me back..

 

[boulderjohn]

I am sure freediving fins get you where you are going in a real hurry. I'm not in a real hurry very often. When Dan Volker (See! You can use his name Tridacna! It is only when you use it 3 times that you have trouble.) used to champion them, he would talk about the speed and efficiency of getting from one place to another during a dive, as you would want to do in spearfishing. I don't do that stuff.

When I was diving in Palau, when we did wall dives, I would be slogging along peacefully, checking out the nooks and crannies in the coral, picking out those hard-to-spot critters. Every now and then I would look up and see how far ahead of me everyone had gotten as they raced to stay with the DM with his freediving fins. "Criminy!" I'd think. "Stop and smell the roses!" I would kick hard for a while, catch up so they wouldn't get mad at me, and then slow down to see what they had missed while streaking past. I shudder to think what it would have been like if they had all been using freediving fins, too.

 

[Sbiriguda]

Well i got many good explanations both on why they are not used and why some people use them in scuba as well

 

[Ana]

I don't think the freedive fins folks frog kick. I do, most of the time. I'm not in a hurry. But, I can hold position in a very brisk current with a big flutter, or move pretty quickly if I need to. I've been diving Dive Rite XTs for many years now.

You are probably right. I never cared for the frog kick.
I realize I need to be farther up in the water column when I flutter, so not to disturb the reef but feels great to kick and feel the propulsion.
I can go very slow too, but when there's current and I suddenly think there was something back there, I can just kick and see what I want to see.
True I probably can't do a helicopter turn, but I never did when I used short fins anyways.

I forgot about Volker saying he can go against whatever many knots. I think we all greatly overstimate currents. After working with oceanographic equipment I've learn that 1 knot current carries quite a great deal of energy, his claims were certainly amusing.

 

[CuzzA]

I pretty much exclusively use freediving fins even when I'm not fishing. About the only time I don't would be silty freshwater.

I find I have just as much fine control, if not more with long fins. Of course I think if you're on a delicate reef they would be a poor choice as there's a greater chance to clip coral.

Here's an example a week or so ago at the Circle of Heroes in Dunedin. First time I dove it. Of course I wasn't trying to show off any impressive fin control. I did feel compelled to clean up the Fallen Soldiers Cross so it wasn't just a float along the reef dive.

 

[boulderjohn]

I can go very slow too, but when there's current and I suddenly think there was something back there, I can just kick and see what I want to see.
True I probably can't do a helicopter turn, but I never did when I used short fins anyways.

Knowing the reefs Ana dives, I can see a good case for freediving fins for everyday diving there. There is no real maneuvering required anywhere. If there is a light current, you can just let it take you without kicking at all, and then if you want to go, you can do it.

 

[scubadada]

You are probably right. I never cared for the frog kick.
I realize I need to be farther up in the water column when I flutter, so not to disturb the reef but feels great to kick and feel the propulsion.
I can go very slow too, but when there's current and I suddenly think there was something back there, I can just kick and see what I want to see.
True I probably can't do a helicopter turn, but I never did when I used short fins anyways.

I forgot about Volker saying he can go against whatever many knots. I think we all greatly overstimate currents. After working with oceanographic equipment I've learn that 1 knot current carries quite a great deal of energy, his claims were certainly amusing.

We frequently swim in currents that we can not really swim against. You may be able to hold station for a short period of time, but you really can't gain much ground. This is where a reef hook on your flag can be advantageous. It may allow you to hold your ground for a while, maybe even swim around a little. If you have good fins, not sure it really makes a lot of difference, for very long. I've not swum with anyone who had a sustained advantage against me. Sometimes the most exhausting swim can be staying on the reef, particularly when the current and wind are pulling you off it. I always have the flag