Fin Fight!!! (Help me sort out these 4 options and choose 2)

[filmguy123]

Ok, fins, fins, fins. Everyone's got a preference. But here is what I am hearing the most about and debating between...

• ForceFin Pro ($150 used on ebay)
• Hollis F1
• ScubaPro Jet Fins
• ScubaPro Seawing Gorilla

Which two should I choose for my needs as listed here? (Or ONE if I can get by with one)

FIN A: I want a fin ideal for PNW cold water, where I will be doing local diving. Also Alaska, and perhaps Antartica someday.

FIN B: I want a fin ideal for tropic water and vacation. Caribbean, Hawaii, South Pacific.


Most importantly - Why? Help me understand the difference between these options and how they might compare, where they may excel, and where they may lack.

I am assuming that I can't get by ideally with just one fin for tropic travel (3mm, AL80) AND coldwater PNW diving (HP117, drysuit)... but seeing as how fins aren't that much in the grand scheme if I go used, I am ok with picking up two pairs if I ought to. But hey, one will do if one will do well for both!

 

[RainPilot]

For puttering about with my wife on the reef I won't change my Force Fins for anything. For when Im doing tech-type stuff and foresee the need to back-kick and manoeuvre precisely I use my UTD neutral buoyant fins.

A lot of people can back kick very nicely in FF but I haven't got it down yet, getting there. Frog and helicopter turns are fine, once Ive got the back kick sorted Ill probably use my FF exclusively.

As far as the other fins go, I believe that most of the tech fins are comparable, it really comes down to buoyancy and cost as far as I can make out.

You'll want a heavier fin to help with trim in a drysuit and a lighter fin for warm water diving. Depends how leg heavy you are, I believe you are still busy with your course so you will still need to get a feel for your trim and balance points.

 

[NAM001]

being in real warm water,,,, the jets are heavy with out the full suit to counter them. Cant comment on the others I use quatros to lighten the legs with a shorty on in fw.

\
] my vote is jets in cold water.

 

[wgmontgomery]

I'd get a pair of Jetfins for sure; there's a reason that divers of all levels (rec, wreck/tech etc.) use them.
As for the 2nd pair...?

 

[PatW]

I have used the Sea Wing Gorilla. Very nice fins. I found maneuvering, stopping and back finning easy with them. I broke them, but I am a very strong swimmer and the circumstances were unusual. I also broke two pair of the nova wings. These fins are easy to use and I would recommend them highly.

I use the pro force fins now. There is a learning curve with them. Their small size is a big advantage. I like under water photography so maneuvering in tight spaces is important. I also have very large feet. For some reason, most fin manufacterer's make fins for large feet enormous. I still don't have back finning down as well as I would like. I think these are superior to the Sea Wings but they do have a big learning curve.

 

[tbone1004]

Of that list you only really need either the Hollis F1's or the Jet Fins. I think the F1's give a bit more thrust since they're a bit stiffer, but that's just me. I would have no hesitation using them travelling, but if you are checking them, you may want a lighter set of fins for travel weight and in that case I'd get either a pair of OMS Slipstreams or the Deep6 Fins.

 

[USdiver1]

Jet fins and Force fins. You'll have pretty much any scenario covered, although I also recommend a full foot, warm water (including pool) fin like the Mares Avanti.

 

[Rooster59]

Buy the jets, lifetime warranty is a plus. My warm fins are an old pair of TUSA Imprex fins I got at goodwill for $5. Tough as nails and have neutral buoyancy. They are also my distance swim fins and have been in the water 400+ times and other than cosmetic marks are like new.

 

[stuartv]

You would need more than one pair of fins for these reasons:

- shorter, for swimming in confined spaces
- different size. One pair for wearing with thin neoprene socks. A bigger pair for wearing with rock boots.
- different buoyancy. A neutral pair for diving in a thin wetsuit. A negative pair for diving in a dry suit.

I'd say to buy one pair that will work for what you're currently doing. Buy a second pair when you need something different.

I have 3 pairs of fins:

- freediving fins for anything except:
- neutral blade fins for dives in a wetsuit where I may do swimthroughs on a wreck (and thus, want shorter fins than the freedivers)
- very negative fins for dives in my dry suit. Without them, my feet get very light and want to float up. IIRC, these fins are also XL, to fit over my dry suit boots, where my other fins are size L.

Buying 2 sets of fins just to have 2 sets seems kind of silly. If you're going to dive dry in the PNW, then it would make sense to get a set to work with your dry suit - which might be both bigger than your warm water fins, and more negative - and a different set to use in warm water. Buy what you need now. Wait to buy stuff you don't need yet.

 

[filmguy123]

I use the pro force fins now. I think these are superior to the Sea Wings but they do have a big learning curve.

is the learning curve that big if I've never used scuba fins?