Best fins for scuba spear fishing?

[Scubakevdm]

I use SP TwinJets,love to see someone be able to swim into current as fast or catch me on a long swim back to the boat wearing longblades.So far it hasn't happened,then again I'm not old or out of shape so kicking fast doesn't cramp me up.Long blades work great for freediving as they require slower movement which uses less 02 outta your bloodstream.On a small to medium boat they can really get in the way,on a bigger boat you don't have tight clearances.This could turn into a "my dad's better than your dad"quick as it is real subjective.

I own SP Twinjets, SP Jetfins and Cressi Gara 2000HFs. My experience is that the Gara's are a little bit faster than the Twins, but not much. Either fin is pretty good for covering ground, but either one takes a minute to get going.
The Jets are instantanious and powerful, and require very little movement, which I like for approaching skittish stuff. They don't go fast, but they're quick.
The Twins are pretty fast but require lots of movement. This requires lots of breathing, at least for me. They are extremely comfortable, it feels much like kicking in bare feet. It can be hard to get used to that.
The Garas are hard to manage topside, not much faster than the twins (for me anyway) and take a while to get going. To me, the feeling is similar to jumping on a trampoline, where you kinda time your bounces to build on one another until your flying 20' up in the air with each jump. Once you're going though... you cruise pretty nicely without a whole lot of effort.
There is always some kind of give and take.

 

[DennisW]

Force Fins work very well if you have a bicycle kick. If you have a good kicking technique, they do not work well at all. This answer may get flamed, but every diver I have seen using Force Fins, have a bicycle kick.

 

[pasley]

Don't listen to any of them. I have the definative word on the best fins for SCUBA and Spearfishing.

The best fins is....







The one your happy with period.

Split fins do lose some cornering ability and are not as fast out of the blocks as paddle fins. Split fins are easy fining for the long run and do build up some speed. Both have there places and fans. The best fin will vary from person to person depending on their type of diving, physical conditioning, and what they want from a fin.

Now as they say in the artillery... Shot over...

 

[flyinghuntster]

Good point pasely.....Use the ones your happy with (and I totally agree, that is why I have wasted my money yet on split fins) but his original post asked for recomendations.
From both ends of the spectrum:
My end: traditional blade type fin=quick and very powerful.

to the other end= split fins not as powerful but you can kick longer with out tiring out.
It can be kind of like the Tortoise and the Haire.....only works if the Haire doesn't have the stamina to go the distance. If you feel like you don't have strong legs or can build them up over a few months of kicking with blades then go the easy route and get the split fins and take it easy. Either way you are WET and really that is ALL that matters!!!!!!

 

[rpayne]

Good point pasely.....Use the ones your happy with (and I totally agree, that is why I have wasted my money yet on split fins) but his original post asked for recomendations.
From both ends of the spectrum:
My end: traditional blade type fin=quick and very powerful.

to the other end= split fins not as powerful but you can kick longer with out tiring out.
It can be kind of like the Tortoise and the Haire.....only works if the Haire doesn't have the stamina to go the distance. If you feel like you don't have strong legs or can build them up over a few months of kicking with blades then go the easy route and get the split fins and take it easy. Either way you are WET and really that is ALL that matters!!!!!!

These are really good suggestions. I am just starting out diving and still working on getting my basic personal gear. So far I've got my mask and am probably going to go ahead this weekend and purchase my snorkle and boots. Fins have been the one thing that I've had the worst time with picking. So far I'm really leaning towards SP twin speed fins. Here's the reason while in florida I spent about 45 min in a pool with them and didn't have that much of a problem and my legs were not killing me later. Recently I went and did my Discover Suba course at a local dive shop they gave me some full foot non splits fins and I was in the pool about the same amount of time and my legs were killing me for the next couple of days. I hear that split fins aren't good in current but what kind of current are we talking about? Feedback for me also would be apprecaited.

 

[Scubakevdm]

These are really good suggestions. I am just starting out diving and still working on getting my basic personal gear. So far I've got my mask and am probably going to go ahead this weekend and purchase my snorkle and boots. Fins have been the one thing that I've had the worst time with picking. So far I'm really leaning towards SP twin speed fins. Here's the reason while in florida I spent about 45 min in a pool with them and didn't have that much of a problem and my legs were not killing me later. Recently I went and did my Discover Suba course at a local dive shop they gave me some full foot non splits fins and I was in the pool about the same amount of time and my legs were killing me for the next couple of days. I hear that split fins aren't good in current but what kind of current are we talking about? Feedback for me also would be apprecaited.

I've never had a problem with splits in current, typically it's about 3/4 knot down here. Up current trips are certainly not their forte, but I've never been washed away or even close. The big drawback in my eyes with the splits is that they're kinda mushy,and they take a while to get moving. Their biggest selling point is that they are very very comfortable, and they do go pretty quick once you wind them up.

 

[donclaypool]

I've never had a problem with splits in current, typically it's about 3/4 knot down here. Up current trips are certainly not their forte, but I've never been washed away or even close. The big drawback in my eyes with the splits is that they're kinda mushy,and they take a while to get moving. Their biggest selling point is that they are very very comfortable, and they do go pretty quick once you wind them up.

Kevin,

Which fin would you have preferred to be wearing when you manhandled the buoy line I was struggling with in the current the other day?

I was wearing plana avanti's, engaged in a losing fight with a buoy at the surface when Kevin, in mack truck fasion, grabs the line from me and hauls it down to the wreck. Very impressive. Or maybe I'm just a wimp, but, I'm thinking of getting some jets now!

Don

Don