RICHinNC
Contributor
try www.diveinn.com
Thinking about getting Mares Quattro's
- Thread starter Gryz
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Out of curiosity....did anyone actually have the original quattro straps break? I ask as I also have quattros and after around 130 dives they are still ok. I actually bought back up straps when I bought the fins but haven't used them yet.
I'm sure springs will last longer but so far I don't have a problem with the original design. I don't think they 'suck' at all really - maybe that's just me!
I'm sure springs will last longer but so far I don't have a problem with the original design. I don't think they 'suck' at all really - maybe that's just me!
trigfunctions
Contributor
I have a pair. They are good, powerful fins - so powerful that I would occasionally get calf cramps. I had them for two years, then both straps broke within one month. I replaced the straps with a set from another pair of fins, and 2 months later the plastic buckle broke. Not cool.
I got a pair of full foot Tusa Zooms and they are much cheaper, more comfortable and do not give me cramps. They don't have the power of the Quatros, but they are easier to maneuver.
I got a pair of full foot Tusa Zooms and they are much cheaper, more comfortable and do not give me cramps. They don't have the power of the Quatros, but they are easier to maneuver.
I'm with trigfunctions on this one... they are too powerful for me. Granted they were one of my first fins but I've settled on Jets as my favs followed by the Apollos XTs and the Force fin Excellerating as my travel fins.
Jets IMO are great as they are fairly cheap, easy to get 2nd hand, easy to sell and best of all are really durable.
SangP
Jets IMO are great as they are fairly cheap, easy to get 2nd hand, easy to sell and best of all are really durable.
SangP
scubadobadoo
Contributor
I used to pinch my fingers on those stupid mares buckles all the time and then I bought some spring straps from wayward son and now my quatros are PERFECT! The original locking strap never broke but I did feel like breaking it a few times! 
I owned the twin jets and sold them but I prefer a paddle fin so that's only MHO.
I owned the twin jets and sold them but I prefer a paddle fin so that's only MHO.
I have a pair of Quattro, and I have other fins before like Beuchat Contact Pro and others. IMO the material they have used for the plastic strap including the quick release is not optimum, comparing to the other fins I owned before.
For my case, it didn't break, just when you pull the strap to fit your feet the plastic strap is too soft. For my other fins, the pull was more crispy.
Then when you want to losen it (readjust not quick release), you need to push the button very hard in order to release the strap, like you need to do it with 2 hands and need to push the button really hard and pull back the strap. This is the worse thing about the strap design IMO.
Finally, the quick release, when I pull the quick release, I could feel that the plastic material made up for the quick release is relatively light, you know, not the expensive type of plastic.
I haven't switched the strap to spring strap yet, so I cannot compare, but my estimation is, it would make every issue I mentioned above better, this is just my estimation. Em, my other fins do not have these kinds of issues. I think the reason is, Mares has allowed cheaper material for the fins to cut cost, in my opinion, even more expansive plastic is not that expensive. So, it's a bad trade off.
Other than that, as you know, the Quattro did get very high rating, and this is the reason why I brought one.
However if you are looking for something easy to kick with, this is not one of the fins that would do it. You may need to adjust. Comparing to the Beuchat fins I owned before.
If I were you I will try the Jet fins, if you think that it's too stiff, try the split fins, bio fins, tusa xpert, atomic aqua, whatever split fins. Or even the Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex fins.
For my case, it didn't break, just when you pull the strap to fit your feet the plastic strap is too soft. For my other fins, the pull was more crispy.
Then when you want to losen it (readjust not quick release), you need to push the button very hard in order to release the strap, like you need to do it with 2 hands and need to push the button really hard and pull back the strap. This is the worse thing about the strap design IMO.
Finally, the quick release, when I pull the quick release, I could feel that the plastic material made up for the quick release is relatively light, you know, not the expensive type of plastic.
I haven't switched the strap to spring strap yet, so I cannot compare, but my estimation is, it would make every issue I mentioned above better, this is just my estimation. Em, my other fins do not have these kinds of issues. I think the reason is, Mares has allowed cheaper material for the fins to cut cost, in my opinion, even more expansive plastic is not that expensive. So, it's a bad trade off.
Other than that, as you know, the Quattro did get very high rating, and this is the reason why I brought one.
However if you are looking for something easy to kick with, this is not one of the fins that would do it. You may need to adjust. Comparing to the Beuchat fins I owned before.
If I were you I will try the Jet fins, if you think that it's too stiff, try the split fins, bio fins, tusa xpert, atomic aqua, whatever split fins. Or even the Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex fins.
DiveMaven
Contributor
Okay, just because of you guys I ordered a pair of spring straps for my husband's Quattros.
OP
Gryz
Registered
Thanks all for your help....I ended up buying the Mares, and will try them in a pool pretty soon. I will probably end up getting another pair of fins anyway just for different diving scenarios, perhaps splits.
catherine96821:
Were you looking at mine? I was in Hawaii a week or so ago. I had the volos with his straps.
And Wayward Son's spring straps are GREAT. I am going to pick up another spring for my other booties and I'll be set.
Victor
I have a pair that I have been diving for at least 5 years and my wife has a pair about the same age. We have had 1 buckle failure between us, the plastic pin in one broke. Do yourself a favor buy a complete strap assembly just in case. They are around $12 and if you break one on a dive like I did, you will be very glad you did (had one, took 1 minute to fix and return to the dive). I have since went to spring straps and LOVE them but kept the old straps as backup for me and the wife. Love the fins by the way and have yet to find a pair of splits that I liked.
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