Split Fins in Reverse

[Uncle Pug]

I received a pair of Apollo split fins from Mike Ferrara last week and have been putting off using them.

Today I decided to sacrifice a dive and use them to see if I could indeed Frog, Helicopter and Reverse with them.

The short story is that I could do the Frog kick~n~glide with marginal efficiency. I could helicopter turn but not with the precision and as quickly as with the Turtles. And much to my surprise I could back up with them, albeit not as easily as with the Turtles... however I could make approx. 2' per stroke.

I also checked behind myself frequently to see if I was leaving a silt trail which I did not.

The biggest thing I missed was the instant traction afforded by the Turtles. With the split fins it seemed as if it took a bit to get things going... as well as to stop or turn.

 

[boomx5]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
And much to my surprise I could back up with them, albeit not as easily as with the Turtles... however I could make approx. 2' per stroke.

You meant 2' and not 2" right?

 

[GeekDiver]

UP,

Congrats on admiting that you tried and could dive with the splits. If they didn't work as well as the turtles for you then that at least that is better (or more honest) than most who claim that they couldn't dive them at all. I think the person diving the fins is more important that the type of fins used. Skill always has more value than gear. A diver with expensive fancy gear is just that a diver in expensive fancy gear. All the gear in the world won't make a bad diver a good diver.

 

[Uncle Pug]

boomx5 once bubbled...
You meant 2' and not 2" right?

I was able to back up 10' with five kick/glide cycles.

I am going to dive them some more to give them a fair shake out. Though I really do prefer my Turtles I was definitely able to get the Apollo splits to work using the same mechanics.

Perhaps with more practice and slightly different technique I will be able to squeeze a little more performance out of them... but I seriously doubt that they will ever be able to match the performance of a paddle fin.

 

[ronrosa]

I had similiar exeriences with Tusa Reef Diver (flexible full foot snorkel fins) vs. Aqua Lung Stratos (typical full foot scuba fins).

The flexibility of the snorkel fin made them difficult for fine tuned manuvers. I had problems going backwards, frog kicking, and minute positioning that I need when I shoot video.

IMHO, this is totally related to the flexibility of the blade. The flexible snorkel fins are much faster and I expend less energy compared to my scuba fins. I don't always shoot video, so I use the Aqua Lungs when shooting video, the Tusa when I don't shoot video.

BTW the Tusa's cost $25 and both full foot fins kicked a** on my open heel Aqua Lung Blades.

 

[chrpai]

I appreciate your honest Pugs. I've been diving splits for 2 years and I really do like them. They are different from a paddle fin no doubt, but you really do get to like them after awhile.

 

[DivePartner1]

I've been diving splits for several years. I frog kick almost exclusively without a problem. Also, I think I mentioned that I can back up in them on one of the many "split-fins suck" threads here, but no one believed it.

That being said, they're not perfect. Force fins or traditional fins are much better at backing up. Also, anything shorter than my long Atomics is better close to reefs or in wrecks. I use a USDiver fin with springs straps with my dry suit, in wrecks, and for close camera work. But the splits are still great for cruising in the Carib. The firm battens and length of the Atomics make them a luxurious and efficient cruising fin.

ON the other hand, (as I found out when I returned to the dune covered tundra of the Dulles Airport parking lot last year) split fins make very lousy snow shovels.

 

[Uncle Pug]

When the Apollo split fins first came out I tried a pair and found that I liked my Jets much better... and yes, I knew how to kick them with the rapid flutter.

I also bought a pair of SP Twin Jets when they first came out and found they were even floppier and liked them less than the Apollos.

This report was my first time trying splits specifically with alternate fin kicks and I can make them work for that though no where near as efficiently as with my Turtles (similar to Jet fins.)

Since we have a ladder on the back of the boat now we no longer have to fin ourselves up and out of the water onto a high transom step. That was the death nell of the splits for me... it was almost impossible to get enough thrust to get back on the boat with them yet with blades I could easily do it.

Yesterday I tried again to see how high I could *spy hop* with the splits.... not very high.

So... I don't want this thread to be construed as an endorsement of split fins.

 

[chrpai]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
So... I don't want this thread to be construed as an endorsement of split fins.

Too late, Endorsement Recorded!!!

hehehehe


Seriously, I didn't consider it to be an endorsement. I understand the difference between the two, the pro's and con's of each.

It was just nice to hear someone from the other side admit that certain things could be done which have so strongly been denied in the past.

So often I've heard crap like "anyone wearing splits will silt up the bottom." or "you can't do a frog kick in splits" or "you cant turn yourself around in splits"

 

[wb416]

chrpai once bubbled...


Too late, Endorsement Recorded!!!

hehehehe


Seriously, I didn't consider it to be an endorsement. I understand the difference between the two, the pro's and con's of each.

It was just nice to hear someone from the other side admit that certain things could be done which have so strongly been denied in the past.

So often I've heard crap like "anyone wearing splits will silt up the bottom." or "you can't do a frog kick in splits" or "you cant turn yourself around in splits"

Unfortunately, people get hung up repeating what they've heard, without the necessary experience to back it up. Some instructor probably began at some point saying that "splits" were less efficient than paddles for these selected kicks, then as the re-telling continued, the next thing you know it becomes an "absolute". The internet community is small and incestuous when it comes to information propagation ....too much in-breeding with the info makes it twisted and half-useless after a while.