Fin choice

[water goose]

At my lds i hav a choice between the Mares volo power or the avanti quatro which one would u reccomend.

 

[SnorkelLA]

Both do the same thing, they move you through the water. Remember that scuba is not a race, look for durability and craftsmanship, and also comfort. The Avanti Quattro has a bit more heavy materials with a nice design behind it. Pick either one, I own a pair of Quattros for current diving as they offer great power and a bulletproof design that will withstand abuse. Volo Powers are good all around fins with thinner materials and a bit more flexibility. You'll be satisfied with either one!

Remember: don't ever deny the opportunity to purchase spring straps- more durable and make fins easy to put on with one hand and remove.

 

[g1138]

I've use the Avantis before, but never the Volos. I'll put my input in based on what I can tell about the fin by sight.

The Volo's are a ton more flexible than the stiff Avanti's. What this means is that it'll feel easier on your legs when you kick; rather than pushing through the water you're relying more on the recoil of the fin to give you power. The Avantis work more or less in the same way, but since they're stiffer you may be able to get a bigger burst of speed out of them provided you have the strength to do it.

With the Avanti's, since they're stiffer and flex less you can get more minute control. In a horizontal hover position, you will find it easier to do helicopter turns, back kicks, and frog kicks with out heavy foot tweaking. (this is assuming a good kicking technique is used though). You'll also be able to get more positive feed back when doing it. Doing these specialty kicks with flexible fins is a challenge because there's usually a delay in you kick and the movement you receive from it.

Recommendation
If you're planning on doing photography or poking your head into tight spaces where you need stationary mobility, then go with the Avantis. If you're planning on diving in wide open expanses and cruising through most of your dive (nearly non-stop swimming) then I would recommend the Volos.

I will say that the Avantis feel long on you when compared to Jet fins or flexible paddle fins. If it's your first set of fins though then you'll not notice the difference unless you switch. You can live with them and not notice or not care. I know plenty of divers who do. I'm just used to shorter fins.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I am not terribly fasmiliar with the Mares, but am with the Avanti, and have only good thoughts about the avanti.

 

[SnorkelLA]

Just to clarify they are both made by Mares guys.

 

[davetowz]

Spring straps= happiness
ask the shop if you can try them and see what fin best suits you.

 

[elmer fudd]

I'd get some Hollis F-1's instead. I haven't had the Mares, but I have had the Avantis and the problem is they have too much plastic and it gets all torn up all too quickly. After a couple of years your fins get all shaggy with gouges and little tags of plastic sticking out everywhere. Rubber fins hold up much, much better.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'd vote for Mares Avanti. They are good all-round fins in the mid-range of the market. Decent propulsion without too much exertion, some fine control that permits basic static maneouvreability and a fairly rugged construction. These (the X3 model) were my first ever fins.

I never liked the Volo fins much. I worked previously at a dive shop that had them on rental. I thought they were a bit 'gimmicky' and the price reflected gimmick, rather than performance.

Whichever fins you opt for, do seriously investigate getting some Spring Straps for them. These are the single biggest improvement you can make to any diving fin.

For the Avanti fins, you can get these 'Easy Fit' spring straps from Beaver: https://www.diverswarehouse.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/11093/cPath/626

Both do the same thing, they move you through the water.

So do bare feet