Mares Power Plana - Hollis F1 - Scuba Pro Jet - Aqualung Rocket

[buddhasummer]

Hi all, I'll jump in here. I currently use borrowed SP Jet Fin Revos for diving with twins in tropical SE Asia (wet). The Revos are a bit small for me. I have narrow size 9 feet and use 3mm booties. These fins are expensive and only available in Japan.

Would the Mares Turbo Planas have enough punch and propulsion with currents using twins. Or enough punch with different finning techniques? These fins seem to be a bit lighter and less negaitve than SP Jet fins, an advantage for me. Is this correct?

Buddhasummer - How can I find out about the country of origin. No one in Singapore has any idea if the fins are made in Malaysia or Taiwan? Are there differences in stiffness with color? As a guide and scientist, it would be great to use a fin that is not black.

TS&M - for clarity, are you referring to Turbo Plana or Power Plana fins? Both are available in Signapore. I wonder how they compare?

Lastly, are the bungee straps durable and easy to use, at least compared to spring straps?

Thanks, Charlie

The Tawanese Turbo Planas are very similar in stiffness to the Revos. All currentky sold Turbo Planas are manufactured in Taiwan and have been for the last 2 or 3 years. If anyone has the Malayasian Turbo Planas then they have very old stock. I spent weeks contacting numerous dealers all over Asia trying to find some Malaysaisn Turbo a Planas in large but had no luck. Written on the back of the foot pocket is country of origin. The rubber on the Malaysian ones is uniform but the Taiwanese has two different shades.

The Tawiwan version is softer. I much prefer the Malaysian ones.

I have bungee straps Mares style on three sets of find and real scuba pro bungees straps and have never had a problem.

---------- Post added February 15th, 2015 at 07:44 AM ----------

The Turbo Planars is only available in Asia!!!!

Yes, and both Mitch and myself live in Asia.

 

[Centrals]

Yes, and both Mitch and myself live in Asia.

I am aware of that!
I just wonder why only available in Asia, there must be some good reasons?

 

[buddhasummer]

I am aware of that!
I just wonder why only available in Asia, there must be some good reasons?

I've asked the same question myself but the Mares distributor over here didn't know. I was told they were originally designed for women divers and that there are more women divers in Asia, I don't know how much truth there is to that.

 

[Centrals]

I've asked the same question myself but the Mares distributor over here didn't know. I was told they were originally designed for women divers and that there are more women divers in Asia, I don't know how much truth there is to that.

I am not convinced that there are more female divers in Asia.
I rather have anything made in Republic of China than commie china. But I won't be at all surprised if there is copy made across the BORDER from HK.

 

[Remy B.]

Mares Power Plana it will be, Thanks for your inputs guys, keep posting, other self experiences are welcome.

I do have small feet, #9, I'm as well afraid of the size of the pocket in the fin, I don't know what it feels like swiming with a lose fin on your foot but seems that it sucks, I do use Mares Flexa 5mm boots don't know how it will fill in the Power plana, what do you advise Small or Regular ???

 

[buddhasummer]

Mares Power Plana it will be, Thanks for your inputs guys, keep posting, other self experiences are welcome.

I do have small feet, #9, I'm as well afraid of the size of the pocket in the fin, I don't know what it feels like swiming with a lose fin on your foot but seems that it sucks, I do use Mares Flexa 5mm boots don't know how it will fill in the Power plana, what do you advise Small or Regular ???

They don't come in small, medium/regular is the smallest. You're most likely a medium/regular.

In a 2.5mm size 8 boot wearing two pairs of socks the I had slight lateral movement in the medium/regular. I'm a size 6.5 so the size 8 boot was probably more like a 7-7.5. Good luck.

 

[RJP]

If you want a heavy, solid fin then the SP jets are the ones.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[buddhasummer]

Update re Power Planas for anyone who's interested. Last year I tried on the smallest Power Planas, regular, and they were a tad too wide. After chatting with another member, thanks Lynne, decided to give them a try with fin keepers to take up some space. Ordered the fins arrived today and to my surprise not only are they marked "Small" but they also fit. I did a quick check on the Mares site and they now list sizes as small, regular, XL and XXL. I can only assume the introduction of the small size is recent as far as I was aware no such size was listed or available last year. Thanks Mares. For anyone with small feet (I'm a 6.5) considering these fins, I wear a 2.5mm santi flex sole boot in medium (8) in two pair of thickish socks the small power Planas fit well. I'll be diving them Saturday so will post back. Nice.

---------- Post added February 24th, 2015 at 02:13 AM ----------

I orderd the smallest so was expecting Regular, hence my surprise.

 

[ams511]

I think they have been around before 1965 as they were a Beuchat product. However I totally agree that they are over-hyped. I much preferred my 90s vintage Ocean Pros which had spring straps standard.

 

[Remy B.]

Update re Power Planas for anyone who's interested. Last year I tried on the smallest Power Planas, regular, and they were a tad too wide. After chatting with another member, thanks Lynne, decided to give them a try with fin keepers to take up some space. Ordered the fins arrived today and to my surprise not only are they marked "Small" but they also fit. I did a quick check on the Mares site and they now list sizes as small, regular, XL and XXL. I can only assume the introduction of the small size is recent as far as I was aware no such size was listed or available last year. Thanks Mares. For anyone with small feet (I'm a 6.5) considering these fins, I wear a 2.5mm santi flex sole boot in medium (8) in two pair of thickish socks the small power Planas fit well. I'll be diving them Saturday so will post back. Nice.

---------- Post added February 24th, 2015 at 02:13 AM ----------

I orderd the smallest so was expecting Regular, hence my surprise.

Please let us know

I didn't say nothing when you told me that they were not offered in small, I just had seen them in Leisurepro and they were offering the small size, but I was thinking it was a typo mistake on their web site after you told me that it was not offered in that size, great that you confirmed they exist, let us know what you think, after your test dive.