Tech fin options - neutral buoyancy?

[mdb]

@Diving Dubai Dive Rite has been brilliant with these fins. They aren't as durable as the jet fins because they aren't a 5lb brick of rubber and due to the cost of redesigning the molds. Anytime I have heard of any issue with the fins, Dive Rite goes ahead and has replaced them. Doesn't happen that often, with most being the tips splitting before they went back to the original monoprene blend, but the customer service is brilliant.
I don't expect to see any issues with the Deep6 fins despite any of our best efforts, but I'm sure if someone finds an issue, Chris will take care of them as well

Both Lamar Hires at Dive Rite and Chris Richardson @ Deep6 are the real deal.

They are out diving their products and keeping a close watch on new designs and customer service.

I do not think a diver seeking a new pair of fins could go wrong with either company.

 

[decompression]

I saw the Poseidon on the DGX website and thought it looked very similar the HOG, UTD, OMS, Apeks, Deep6, and XS Scuba. They all look like Jet clones, just possibly with a different foot pocket and possibly different rubber and/or buoyancy. If my shop has some Jets and some Jet clones I can try, I will do that, too.

But, I have the impression now that the DR XTs will give me more outright thrust (forwards or backwards) than those. If they do, and they're comfy, then that's probably what I'll go with.

While they are similar to each other they are much more flexible than jets or slipstream, this is a compromise of precision and control over brute force. Certainly the XT's are light and powerful, for us up here they are $$$......so as there are others that compare for less....XT's aren't very popular.

 

[cerich]

@Diving Dubai Dive Rite has been brilliant with these fins. They aren't as durable as the jet fins because they aren't a 5lb brick of rubber and due to the cost of redesigning the molds. Anytime I have heard of any issue with the fins, Dive Rite goes ahead and has replaced them. Doesn't happen that often, with most being the tips splitting before they went back to the original monoprene blend, but the customer service is brilliant.
I don't expect to see any issues with the Deep6 fins despite any of our best efforts, but I'm sure if someone finds an issue, Chris will take care of them as well

we haven't had a single manuf defect return yet, I actually can't wait to see one because so far we haven't even been able to break one other than the spring with a few hundred lbs of pressure...

 

[cerich]

Both Lamar Hires at Dive Rite and Chris Richardson @ Deep6 are the real deal.

They are out diving their products and keeping a close watch on new designs and customer service.

I do not think a diver seeking a new pair of fins could go wrong with either company.

The Dr and the Deep 6 fins are a different type of feel in the water and both work very, very well. They are also both lightweight and great for sidemount/ccr or somebody that has "sinky" feet. If you need a heavy fin, get some other type.

Fins are personal, what I love, another may hate. I generally tell folks that if they want a lite more comfortable version of the "jet" type, we (Deep 6) have the solution, if they prefer the feel of a longer more flexible blade, get the DR . I know the folks at DR will make sure that a consumer is taken care of..

 

[tursiops]

I want/need to stick to fins that I can buy through my shop.

Why? Is this just a dollars issue.....looking for the cheapest buy? In that case, the Deep6 fins are not much different than cost + 10% (or whatever your staff price is), especially if you get two and find a way to get the commission.

I dive the Deep6 fins and the DR XT fins, wet, except when diving in the Aquarium (then I use Hollis F2's). I find the Deep6 more comfortable and they give me fewer cramps; I find the XT give me more power. For travel, the Deep6 are great....not too long, and not too heavy.

 

[stuartv]

Why? Is this just a dollars issue.....looking for the cheapest buy? In that case, the Deep6 fins are not much different than cost + 10% (or whatever your staff price is), especially if you get two and find a way to get the commission.

I dive the Deep6 fins and the DR XT fins, wet, except when diving in the Aquarium (then I use Hollis F2's). I find the Deep6 more comfortable and they give me fewer cramps; I find the XT give me more power. For travel, the Deep6 are great....not too long, and not too heavy.

It's just a "supporting my local shop" thing. Which is even more important (to me) now that I'm staff. I would generally pay a little more from my local shop than I would for online, even before I was staff. I definitely don't mind paying a little extra to buy XTs from the shop versus what Deep6 fins would cost. Especially if they'll give me more power and especially if that includes more power for back finning.

I feel like there is a consensus that the Eddy and XT fins are pretty equal, with each one having different pros and cons. If the Eddy was a clear favorite, then I would buy that, regardless of my general desire to support the shop.

 

[cerich]

It's just a "supporting my local shop" thing. Which is even more important (to me) now that I'm staff. I would generally pay a little more from my local shop than I would for online, even before I was staff. I definitely don't mind paying a little extra to buy XTs from the shop versus what Deep6 fins would cost. Especially if they'll give me more power and especially if that includes more power for back finning.

I feel like there is a consensus that the Eddy and XT fins are pretty equal, with each one having different pros and cons. If the Eddy was a clear favorite, then I would buy that, regardless of my general desire to support the shop.

a pair of fins is NOT worth ruining a relationship with a shop you work at.

 

[stuartv]

a pair of fins is NOT worth ruining a relationship with a shop you work at.

I appreciate you saying that, but my shop isn't really like that. If I bought something elsewhere because I thought it had a clear advantage to anything they offered, they wouldn't have any problem with it. If I bought fins elsewhere just to save $5 or 10, then they might give me the sideeye.... And if they weren't really any better AND they weren't any cheaper, they would really give me crap.

 

[Frod]

Have you actually used the RK3 and the Deep6? How much difference do you notice on things like back finning?

yes. i did dive on both of them on the same day. Dive1 was RK3, Dive2 was Eddy.

in term of buoyancy did not feel any difference. i was diving sidemount with two AL80 tanks in 3mm wet suit.

for back finning.... hmm, hard to say, as i did not test them this way too much, but maybe RK3 is a little bit easier to do back finning cuz of profile and hardness. Eddy is definitely much better in current tho.

 

[victorzamora]

I really just meant to say that all those fins have a similar Jet-like shape and size to the blade part (or so it appears to the unwashed mass). I realize the foot pockets could be totally different, and the materials could result in totally different flex and performance.

I guess what I'm saying is that to the non-fin expert, the LOOK of all those fins are very similar. Not identical. But, they all look a lot more like each other than any of them look like, say, an Atomic Blade.

The more of these you use, the more you'll spot the differences. The RK3/Hog/Poseidon/UTD fins are much shorter than the F1, Deep6, XT, etc fins.

Having dove the Hog fins and the Deep6 fins, I'll assure you that they're incredibly different and it's not Chris being biased regarding his new product. They feel instantly different when you dive them.

I've been diving the OMS Slipstreams since January 2013 and have been pleased as punch. In fact, I lost one in a river cave through NO fault of my own (shut it, Tom) and had to source another pair while they were discontinued. I was distraught, but finally found one. If the Deep 6 fins are out, I can't recommend them enough.

Now, I don't really like the Hog fins. They're fine, but way too short for me to kick with any real power. I like the Hollis F1 fins a LOT but haven't ever dove the LTs. The Dive Rite XTs aren't my favorite, but I feel that's a technique thing more than a problem with the fin itself.