mares fins

[PurduEE]

Mares "Volo" $124.95

Dacor Tiger $114.95 the dacor are like the mares right.....after all mares owns dacor.

Mares Avanti Quatro $84.95

Mares Plana Avanti ABS $48.95

Mares Plana Avanti X3 $54.95

just some other prices....maybe save you a few bucks

The Dacor black tigers are different than the Volo/Tigers. They are stiffer and provide some more thrust. Some places don't differentiate the black tigers, but all tigers that are black are the black tigers (hoepfully that comes out in a meaningful way). Check them out at an LDS to see what I mean.

 

[mattengstrom]

I've got the X3s, and I like them. Usually, I wind up regretting it when I buy something that's cheaper just to save the money, but that hasn't been the case with these.

Conventional wisdom around here seems to be that the Quattros may "feel" a little different from the X3s, but there isn't really any bottom-line performance difference.

 

[bcsean]

I've got the Mares Volo's and love them. I busted my kneecap in half and it never quite healed right, so my knee is pretty much screwed. I can still dive comfortably (well for the most part) with these fins. They're a life saver.

Oh, and I'm the biggest guy out there normally at 6'-3" 240lbs and have no problems keeping up. They're a bit flimsy for top speed though.

 

[5615mike]

I've got the Mares Volo's and love them. I busted my kneecap in half and it never quite healed right, so my knee is pretty much screwed. I can still dive comfortably (well for the most part) with these fins. They're a life saver.

Oh, and I'm the biggest guy out there normally at 6'-3" 240lbs and have no problems keeping up. They're a bit flimsy for top speed though.

How are they in the turns....mine push. There great for in and out of the pits though

 

[Scubaguy62]

I have all three; a pair of volos, a pair of quattros, and a pair of the old avanti design. I find use for all three of them; I use my volos when I'm shore diving, or when I'm drift diving, my quattros on deep dives and dives where I will have to swim against a current (such as the Spiegel Grove), and my avantis when assisting in the pool, and as a spare. I even have a pair of full foot caribes for snorkeling. Guess you can see I'm not the type to put all his eggs in one basket!!

 

[bcsean]

no problems in turns, what do you mean they push? Isn't that what a fin is supposed to do? I was actually surprised how well they worked at maneuvering. Being as soft as they are (nature of design) I figured they'd be hard to maneuver. I often don't even realize I'm kicking, little to no effort involved.

This is currently my only pair of fins, as I'm a fairly new diver. I'm extremely happy with them, and will have to do more research before I pick up another set of fins.

 

[tigercrane]

anyone else with the plana avantis?

 

[DementialFaith]

::raise hand::
Plana Avanti is a great fin, but unless ur using the quattro, u might need to stay in shape or it can cramp u during dives.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I own a pair of XL Jet fins, a set of Aqualung Blades and a set of Plana Avanti fins. I prefer the Plana Avanti fins in most situations. They offer a lot of power if you have the legs for it, they work very well with various frog kicks and feel very stable in the water. Genesis also sells the Plana Avanti under a different name and it can often be had for even less money.

I have used my brother's Quattros on a couple dives and they do feel different - slightly softer, and you get a distinct feel of the fin flexing more, but I did not notice any real performance difference. They may offer an advantage for the average diver with average leg muscles by taking some of the strain out of aggressive fin strokes.

The Aqualung Blades are also very efficient fins but do not track as well through the water as the Plana Avanti and do not feel as stable in a frog kick.

The more barnacle encrusted divers here may remember the original Power Plana and Power Plana Graphite fins. They were very stiff but also real rockets if you had the leg strenght to move them efficently. The Plana Avanti captures much of that feel and performance without being as demanding on the legs.

In short, I would select the fin based on your own level of strenght and conditioning starting with the Avanti and working down in stiffness to the Quattro. Renting or borrowing pairs of all three Planas would be ideal before you make a decision.

 

[fdog]

My Graphites have a lot of mileage. When I switched to them (eons ago) they had more snap and thrust than Jets, what I used then.

My wife got me a pair of Quattros for X-mas, which replaced my Graphites. She swears getting them for me was a mistake...and is always pestering me to slow down. I honestly am putting less work into them (than the Graphites)on average rec dives with her.

The flip side is that my Graphites are much better at a frog kick, and give much more pinpoint control of manuverability. They also have more "top end" in pure thrust. Too bad they aren't made anymore.

For general open-water diving, I wear the Quattros for the efficency. Anything confined, back to the Graphites.

All the best, James