Dacor Tiger vs Mares Volo with its 4 channel thrust technology

[DazedAndConfuzed]

The Mares Volo and Dacor Tiger seem to be pretty similar as far as their OPB, but the Volo has the 4 channels to direct water while the Dacor uses more or less flat paddles. Does that added feature on the Volo make it much better than the Tiger?

Looking at the performance of a flat paddle fin versus the Mares Quattro, there is quite a bit of difference. I am just wondering if OPB + channel thrust is as just a big a jump over just plain OPB.

 

[leadweight]

Check out this link:

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/grier/fins.html

The author participated in Rodale's last fin test and has been doing some testing on his own. The Volo's did slightly better than the Tigers, but both were near the bottom of the pack. If you want the low effort kick of the new fin designs, and are unable to use full foot fins, get the Apollo Bio-fins. They have consistently placed at the top of the pack in every test of air consumption, speed and static thrust in Rodale's, Diver Magazine and the above test.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

From that report, the Mares Quattro is one of the worst fin there is, even worse than the Tiger or Volo in every respect save for static thrust.

I heard the split fins were not good for photography or any other type of kicks, and the volo or tiger might be better at those things.

 

[wetlettuce]

Hi

I used to have the Mares Volo fins. Diving in the UK North Sea we tend to have strong tides sometimes during a dive. I also tend to use the frog kick (or breastroke) kick for diving and I found the Volos to be too 'floppy'. I gave them to my girlfriend who liked the design and doesn't care about the technical finning stuff or diving in less than tropical climates and I bought some Mares Avanti Quattro.

Much better than Volos in tides and easier to frog kick with. After diving with buddies who have split fins I can also say that in a tidal situation they struggle more than I but as I haven't tried them I don't know.

The Volos are shorter fins and more 'floppy' and the mares quattro are longer and stiffer. I prefer the Quattros

 

[Edge]

In a properly executed Frog kick, I've felt and seen the Quattros which are stiff and long flopping and fluttering about like a vibrating fin and that is just in mild or no current waters.

 

[wetlettuce]

Hi

Properly executed frogkick?

I usually keep fins flat on out stroke, turn feet and use hamstring/inner thigh on in stroke.

Is that a properly executed one?

Doing it this method I don't get Vibrating fins ?!
I also don't fin very fast as I dive to chill out so I don't know if it depends on speed. Perhaps I'll experiment on next dive.

Still prefer them to the Volos though

 

[jplacson]

Ok... so what's the real deal on the Volo vs the Quattro?

I know the Volos are a lot softer... but this doesn't mean that they are 'slower' or weaker... does it?

I've never owned a pair of Quattros so I can't really compare. :s

I'm pretty happy with my Volos but if the Quattros are much faster/efficient, I might switch.

A DM friend had the Mares Avanti Tres, and I convinced him to switch to the Volos... he claims the Volos are stiffer than the Tres... and here I thought they felt very soft.

Wetlettuce, I'm curious if you tried finning against someone with Volos..someone in similar physical shape as you. I know the Volos can 'feel' light... but I was wondering if you were able to compare yourself to someone else with Quattros... I'm thinking that feeling of being 'soft & light' may be the 'efficiency' that Mares claims it has, even over their own Quattros. I'm just guessing here.

Edge... have you seen or tried the Volos in a frog-kick? How do they fare against the Quattros?