Tusa X pert z3/sf-18 VS Hollis F-1 jet fins

My Mares volo power fins are wore out and I'm looking for new fins. I'm looking at these two mentioned in the title. I dive recretional 200 + dives mostly shallow but sometimes deeper like in Fl. Keys. no caves or deep penatration dives. Mostly look around and take pictures sometimes. Anyone have experience and opinions on this I would appreciate information. Thanks

I own and used the Tusa X pert z3 fins. They worked well, However my Bio fins work way better. Before buying new fins I checked around
and found that lots of divers give the Bio fins top ranking for rec diving.

are the z3's the splits or are they paddles? I have the Xpert zoom 3, which are splits. They work well, but they are heavy and negatively buoyant. Significantly moreso than my sakodive full foot paddles. I think a little bit more negative than the mares quattros we have. I haven't tried the hollis fins but they get a lot of good comments here on scubaboard.

Out of the two choices, Hollis F1 will probably act more like your Mare's Volo. Although the amount of tension you feel on your kicks may be different. I've never used either of the specific models of the fins you listed.

Keep in mind the difference between split and paddle fins. Split fins tend to flare out and hinder leg movement when you're slicing sideways through the water. Because of this if you use specialty kicks such as frog, helicopter turns, back kicks you will make little to no progress with split fins. Helicopter turns and frog kicks are still possible in splits, however there is a huge strain on your legs and little progress in movement. Back kicks with any progress in movement are just impossible.
IMO splits are only good for flutter/dolphin kicking, highly specialized for only up-down forward moving kicks and that's it. During a hover they alone lack the ability to give you precision movements on an axis.

g1138 has apparently been drinking too much Koolaide! Apollo Biofins are the best fins I own. Work well with Flutter, Sissors, or Frog kicks and in current (Coz) or just sculling around. They are heavy, made of solid thick rubber. The only issues, heavy, and my Tech buddies give me odd looks! :shocked2:

My next favorite is Mares Avanti Quattro Fins. They are a lightweight, durable, full paddle fin. They have very comfortable foot pockets, and are very stable regardless of how one kicks. They can be tiring compared to splits. One reason people do not feel splits work, there is less resistance and you don't feel like they are doing much.

I also own/dive Force Fins. They are not the Super Duper fin that the manufacture would have one believe. However they are light and work very well once you get used to them. I also have a pair of Manta Rays. Another lightweight paddle fin. None of my paddle fins can out perform my Biofins, they are simply the best I have used, and I have used a lot and mostly paddle style.

I put spring straps on all my fins which the exception of the Force fins which will not work with other straps.

Find fins that are comfortable (comfortable foot pockets) and meet your weight requirements. Some do not like heavy fins. I love Biofins but wish they were a bit lighter for travel. This is the main reason I have been seeking alternatives, but I always go back to the Biofins! For used the Mares are hard to beat as $20 on Ebay is common, but $50-70 is likely the Average used price.

Apollo bio's do seem the be the exception from what I've heard. I wish I knew someone around my area who wore them in my size.

Okay, thanks for the feed back. I'll look at the Bio fins then decide. Thanks again!

I haven't found any issues doing frog kicks in my splits. I haven't mastered helicopter turns yet, but I'll say I can do them in splits as well as I can in paddles right now. I also haven't noticed much benefit to using splits doing flutter kicks or dolphin kicks either. Maybe slightly less strain but it's hard to tell because my full foot paddles are significantly smaller than the splits so overall I think I break out fairly even no matter which pair I'm using.

I have the Tusa SF-8's, they are great fins and are very powerful to me. Definitely worth taking a look at and I like that they are negatively buoyant.

Can't speak to the specific fins you mentioned, but I have used the Volo's. I prefer the fins I currently dive, SP twinjets-split fins- and can fin backward, frog, helicopter etc.. Like any other fin, it's what you get used to. Every fin that stays on the market has someone who thinks they are the best.