Suggestions for Good Fins?

Hey guys-
Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.
Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.

Also- I need to upgrade my mask- and suggestions there?

Thanks again...
D

I highly recommend the Atomic Split Fins. My wife and I personally use
them. We do not use the full foot ones, as we perfer to wear booties, but I
know Atomic makes a full foot version also.

Good luck and safe diving

"AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey guys-
> Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
> great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.
> Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
> it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
> looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.
>
> Also- I need to upgrade my mask- and suggestions there?
>
> Thanks again...
> D
>

Atomic Split are very nice, my wife uses them.
What do you consider a decent price? Less that $150.00??
I still wear the Mares Avanti.
It is the policy of quite a number of dive shops
that purchased fins can be returned if only used in a pool.
Not real open water use, but you should get a good feel for them.
As far as the mask, get on that fits you. Personal favorites are
the Tusa Liberator and Cressi Sub Horizon.

--
Message posted via http://www.scubamonster.com

"AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey guys-
> Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
> great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.
> Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
> it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
> looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.

What works for me will not necessarily work for you. Go to a few shops and
try various pairs in their pool (you will notice the differences). Apart
from taking them diving with gear on and currents running, it's the best
way. Fins are important, don't simply take another person's word.

In article <1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>, AZJ
<damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote:

€ Hey guys-
€ Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
€ great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.
€ Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
€ it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
€ looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.
€

I'm not a fan of split fins. I've used Atomics and ScubaPro, and found
them more of a gimic than a real improvement. They're easier to kick,
but you don't get as much power out of them. They're also useless for
finning backwards, and I found them much harder to use for sculling and
fine movement.

If you can, I suggest renting a pair before buying them.

€ Also- I need to upgrade my mask- and suggestions there?
€

Whatever fits best.

€ Thanks again...
€ D
€

"AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey guys-
> Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
> great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.

You need to slap whoever told you that (usually the salesguy with the
shiny $200 fins in his hand).

Mares Quatrros are the best fins I've found, and it varies from person to
person.

http://www.scuba.com/shop/product.asp?category=20

Halfway down the page.

You may find them 10 bucks cheaper, or on E-bay.

Rent or borrow whatever fins you plan on buying.

I tried 6 different kinds.

Don't be fooled by fins that are "easier" to kick, you're probably moving
less water, and using more air.

You want the most -efficient- fin.

Some people like split fins, insist they are good, possibly because they
just paid $200 for snake oil.

> Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
> it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
> looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.
>
> Also- I need to upgrade my mask- and suggestions there?

Same advice.

How "good" a mask is or isn't depends on how well it fits, and each face
is different.

I like Scubapro masks, but still occaisionally use a $15 wlamart mask I
once bought.




--
One million Marines cannot seize Tarawa in a thousand years.
Admiral Keiji Shibasaki, 4 days before his death.

A split fin would slow you down when you really have to get somewhere in a
hurry, which is one of the reasons I won't use them. Just my 2 cents.

"AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Hey guys-
> Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them are
> great, and really get you going through the water with little effort.
> Can someone suggest a good brand/model (I know it also depends on how
> it fits for me) and a place to get it from for a decent price? I'm
> looking for fins for me and my girlfriend.
>
> Also- I need to upgrade my mask- and suggestions there?
>
> Thanks again...
> D
>

I am not sure about that efficiency issue. Usually I kick the fins
really slow when diving, and don't care if I need 10 kicks to travel
30ft, or 100 (well, I am not really going *that* slow). So split fins
or not does not matter. Some people get cramps when they use certain
fins, so trying out a couple different types (as suggested already) is
a good idea. But try them in a real dive situation, not just in the
pool.

The atomic split fins have a quick release that easily gets jammed by
sand or little pebbles. As a result you may not be able to open it
(sucks when you try to exit the water in heavy surf and try to get your
fins off in a hurry) or fully close it (kinda ends your dive right
there on the beach before you even enter the water). How designers can
overlook/screw up such a basic thing is beyond me. Kinda like designing
a fancy sports car with an ignition system that only works
occasionally.

Consider a bright color for the fins. You may stand out a little too
much for your liking on the beach , but under water in bad visibility
your buddy will appreciate.






Douglas W. Popeye Frederick wrote:
> "AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> > Hey guys-
> > Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them
are
> > great, and really get you going through the water with little
effort.
>
> You need to slap whoever told you that (usually the salesguy with
the
> shiny $200 fins in his hand).
>
> Mares Quatrros are the best fins I've found, and it varies from
person to
> person.
>
>

"frankmzd" <frankmzd@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1113419957.973800.238780@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> I am not sure about that efficiency issue. Usually I kick the fins
> really slow when diving, and don't care if I need 10 kicks to travel
> 30ft, or 100 (well, I am not really going *that* slow). So split fins
> or not does not matter.

Perfectly true for you, but a -very- narrow viewpoint.

More kicks to travel is more air consumed, and a shorter dive.

If you take nice leisurely dives all the time, fair enough.

But fighting too hard to make an anchorline in current is a risk of
excessive air consumption, CO2 problems, and an open ocean boat chase for
some of us.

I took fins to the community center pool, and made notes on times to cover
a distance underwater, and leg cramping.

Jetfins, for instance, were as efficient as Quats, but felt like
cinderblocks on my feet and caused cramping.

Twinjets weren't even close.

YMMY, George Horn, one of the most experience divers I know, swears by
Force Fins, which I don't think are worth carrying to the dumpster.

> Some people get cramps when they use certain
> fins, so trying out a couple different types (as suggested already) is
> a good idea. But try them in a real dive situation, not just in the
> pool.
>
> The atomic split fins have a quick release that easily gets jammed by
> sand or little pebbles. As a result you may not be able to open it
> (sucks when you try to exit the water in heavy surf and try to get your
> fins off in a hurry) or fully close it (kinda ends your dive right
> there on the beach before you even enter the water). How designers can
> overlook/screw up such a basic thing is beyond me. Kinda like designing
> a fancy sports car with an ignition system that only works
> occasionally.
>
> Consider a bright color for the fins. You may stand out a little too
> much for your liking on the beach , but under water in bad visibility
> your buddy will appreciate.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Douglas W. Popeye Frederick wrote:
> > "AZJ" <damon.smyers@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1113409747.721871.189570@f14g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Hey guys-
> > > Time to upgrade my fins- I hear the kind with the 'split' in them
> are
> > > great, and really get you going through the water with little
> effort.
> >
> > You need to slap whoever told you that (usually the salesguy with
> the
> > shiny $200 fins in his hand).
> >
> > Mares Quatrros are the best fins I've found, and it varies from
> person to
> > person.



--
One million Marines cannot seize Tarawa in a thousand years.
Admiral Keiji Shibasaki, 4 days before his death.

Douglas W. "Popeye" Frederick wrote:

> YMMY, George Horn, one of the most experience divers I know, swears by
> Force Fins, which I don't think are worth carrying to the dumpster.

There are a few up here (NY) that dive with them also. They seem to get
around pretty good. Me, I have had Blades since "day 1" and really don't
see the need for change. I still would like to try one of the split fins
though. Just to see what all the "talk" (both negative and positive) are
about.