How are Scubapro Jet Fins made in Taiwan different?

[Bob Evans]

Force Fin, never left American Production. At one point Jet Fins (I used for over 20 years, got my first pair at Dive N. Surf from Big Jim Christen, (1967) Scubapro) At one point they were made in Mexico, where I had a chance to watch production. Rubber production takes time and labor. (why cheap labor is need, from places like China / Taiwan) When I view Mares Production in Italy it was all done by robots with fins just dropping into a open box. My jaw dropped watching a one minute per fin injection machine. Each pair finished in a box cost at this time (2000) $ 7.50. With a 400% profit margin. Our Production is maybe the hardest way to make a fin. But we end up with the highest quality in the market. After looking around the World to reduce cost, we finally realized the best location was here in Pennsylvania. Our hand casting of Poly Urethane can only be done in a few plants, luckily they are located here in America.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Some things are not that thing unless they are in fact that thing and to be that thing they have to be the original thing and not some facsimile of that thing. Jet Fins are made in the USA. If they are not, then they are not regardless of what they say on them. Harley Davidson for example cannot be a Harley if they are made in China.

Corporations think they can stick a brand on something or that they can purchase a brand and then make it anywhere they can find cheap labor, and we consumers do not know the difference. Well, I do.

N

???
Jetfins were originally made by Beuchat, in France and in Italy.
The Italian version by Beuchat was smelling badly...
When Scubapro did get the license from Beuchat for the US market, they started to manufacture them in the US.
For correcting the bad smell problem, they added some vanilla flavour to the rubber. I did own the original Beuchat version, and I did replace them with the Scubapro version (obtained through illegal import, as Scubapro initially was not allowed to sell them in Europe) for solving the smell problem.
However, in terms of elasticity and efficiency, the Beuchat version was better.

 

[Bearded Diver]

Force Fin, never left American Production. At one point Jet Fins (I used for over 20 years, got my first pair at Dive N. Surf from Big Jim Christen, (1967) Scubapro) At one point they were made in Mexico, where I had a chance to watch production. Rubber production takes time and labor. (why cheap labor is need, from places like China / Taiwan) When I view Mares Production in Italy it was all done by robots with fins just dropping into a open box. My jaw dropped watching a one minute per fin injection machine. Each pair finished in a box cost at this time (2000) $ 7.50. With a 400% profit margin. Our Production is maybe the hardest way to make a fin. But we end up with the highest quality in the market. After looking around the World to reduce cost, we finally realized the best location was here in Pennsylvania. Our hand casting of Poly Urethane can only be done in a few plants, luckily they are located here in America. View attachment 690086

so friggin cool

 

[Bearded Diver]

???
Jetfins were originally made by Beuchat, in France and in Italy.
The Italian version by Beuchat was smelling badly...
When Scubapro did get the license from Beuchat for the US market, they started to manufacture them in the US.
For correcting the bad smell problem, they added some vanilla flavour to the rubber. I did own the original Beuchat version, and I did replace them with the Scubapro version (obtained through illegal import, as Scubapro initially was not allowed to sell them in Europe) for solving the smell problem.
However, in terms of elasticity and efficiency, the Beuchat version was better.

I saw a pair for sale, the old Beuchat, ones. might need to snag them since they look badass hanging on a wall in my diver cave. Lol

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

I know that this is an old thread.....but I just bought a new pair of the bright yellow SP split jets and so thought I'd report that they are most definitely made in the US....