What are the top 3 requirements for a great swim fin?


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    77

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I'd probably support a crowdfunding campaign at that price point. I can't find a link to it on your site, though

There is not currently a crowdfunding campaign going on. If you study crowdfunding at all you will quickly find out that those huge success stories are not an accident. They are carefully planned and preceded by an extensive social media and regular media campaign. Those instant successes took months if not years to prepare. If there is not at least a 30% buy in in the first week you can kiss it goodbye. I am not big on failing so to get this right we need to get about 1500 interested divers on our mailing list before a crowdfunding launch. You don't have to hunt around on my website to help out all you have to do is click on the "here" in my salutation at the bottom of this message and get on the mailing list. You won't get spamed. I don't have time for that. I am not asking for money I am asking for interest.

If you want to see real fins, get everyone you know and everyone they know to add their names to the mailing list. Then I can let them know when testing opportunities arise and when crowdfunding will start.
 
Signed up - on the basis that without some support, I'll never be able to test/try these... and I can't decide/comment on something I haven't tried! Plus, I'm a firm believer in greenhousing ideas, no matter how wild, and seeing if they work. The "investment" from my side is minimal (at worst I get some spam at this stage).

One comment - no idea what my US shoe size is, so just put "9" as that's my UK size (didn't seem to like 42 :p) .

Next step - hurry up and get some to Europe. The NEC Dive Show is on next week :p

M.
 
Signed up - on the basis that without some support, I'll never be able to test/try these...
Thanks for the leap of faith.
By the way, A British 9 shoe size is a US 11. That would fit well in to my Large fin.

I am now in communication with a prominent ScubaBoard member with all the fun certifications who is not afraid to try something new. It may take a while for him to do a thorough investigation but I expect he will give you an honest review I hope you will trust. (all the previous ones have been honest too.) I will leave it to him to reveal himself if he so desires.

I will continue to connect with key players and get the information you are looking for.
 
Just out of curiosity, would you rather see my logo, the fin, or me as my avatar?
 
Just out of curiosity, would you rather see my logo, the fin, or me as my avatar?
If you're face is "trustworthy" I think that might be better.

I registered to be a tester early this morning and didn't get the confirmation email. I did it again about 20 minutes ago with the same result. I did check my spam folder.

I don't know if the opinion of a novice is very valuable, but I would be more than happy to test the fins. I too am ready to commit $200 when the time comes.

From what I can see your design is logical.
 
I should say that I love gadgets and new tech. However, I wonder what others think about this:

On the list of gear that gives me problems or that I think could be improved -- lights, drysuit, scooters -- fins do not appear. Unlike a recreational diver clamoring to see the most-colorful fish the DM has pointed out, I'm rarely in a rush to do anything; and when I am, I don't have to go far. Maybe that's because I know that I get the most enjoyment and time underwater by going slowly and taking in everything. If I want to go fast, I'll take a scooter or three.

Perhaps more important, for a number of safety reasons, I need my fins to do everything they do now. I favor mobility and precision over speed. I can reduce silt by altering my fining technique, a change I barely even think about before I execute. In other words, my fins are relatively cheap and do exactly what I want them to do. I have literally no complaints about my fins, down to the fact that they hold water that I can use to rinse dirt off my gear. I also think there's a good chance that I won't have to replace the Jet Fins I bought 14 years ago for another decades or more. Maybe I'll replace the springs before then, but not the fins. Maybe, maybe I'd prefer fins that are exactly the same but a little lighter. But I care so little about the weight that I wouldn't trade away any other feature.

Most important, my Jet Fins are completely reliable and will not break unexpectedly. There's nothing to break except the metal spring, and that will only distend.

My point is that the latest and greatest fins that supposedly deliver enhanced power are very important to new divers and recreational divers and not at all important to tech or cave divers. So maybe that's a better market to target.

Of course, I understand that just as one of the ways to get kids interested in something is to tell them that it's really for adults, maybe the way to get recreational divers interested in something is to tell them that it was designed for tech divers. But that may require some non-public arm-twisting or glad-handing. This thread smacks not of demonstration but of experimentation. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if I were sure that my fins would work great for tech divers, I'd go diving and set up a camera and make a quick video, showing that the fins do everything I say they do. And if I couldn't do that, on what basis could I possibly claim to be speaking truthfully?
 
I should say that I love gadgets and new tech. However, I wonder what others think about this:

On the list of gear that gives me problems or that I think could be improved -- lights, drysuit, scooters -- fins do not appear. Unlike a recreational diver clamoring to see the most-colorful fish the DM has pointed out, I'm rarely in a rush to do anything; and when I am, I don't have to go far. Maybe that's because I know that I get the most enjoyment and time underwater by going slowly and taking in everything. If I want to go fast, I'll take a scooter or three.

Perhaps more important, for a number of safety reasons, I need my fins to do everything they do now. I favor mobility and precision over speed. I can reduce silt by altering my fining technique, a change I barely even think about before I execute. In other words, my fins are relatively cheap and do exactly what I want them to do. I have literally no complaints about my fins, down to the fact that they hold water that I can use to rinse dirt off my gear. I also think there's a good chance that I won't have to replace the Jet Fins I bought 14 years ago for another decades or more. Maybe I'll replace the springs before then, but not the fins. Maybe, maybe I'd prefer fins that are exactly the same but a little lighter. But I care so little about the weight that I wouldn't trade away any other feature.

Most important, my Jet Fins are completely reliable and will not break unexpectedly. There's nothing to break except the metal spring, and that will only distend.

My point is that the latest and greatest fins that supposedly deliver enhanced power are very important to new divers and recreational divers and not at all important to tech or cave divers. So maybe that's a better market to target.

Of course, I understand that just as one of the ways to get kids interested in something is to tell them that it's really for adults, maybe the way to get recreational divers interested in something is to tell them that it was designed for tech divers. But that may require some non-public arm-twisting or glad-handing. This thread smacks not of demonstration but of experimentation. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if I were sure that my fins would work great for tech divers, I'd go diving and set up a camera and make a quick video, showing that the fins do everything I say they do. And if I couldn't do that, on what basis could I possibly claim to be speaking truthfully?
You represent a very small portion of the market. Also, believe me when I say, you don't want the mass of freshly minted divers wearing jet fins if you have to be around them.

Put them in non-silting fins, then let them decide if they want to pursue more "technical" activities.
 
The question was, "What qualities are you looking for?" not What brand. Can you elaborate? Why do you like Novas?
I like the Novas because first and foremost is there Comfort level I can wear them all day without foot pain as I usually have pain on the top of my foot after wearing fins for a few hours also I usually get cramps for a few days after diving and not with the Novas. I like the way the Novas look as well although that is the least. The Nova fins also allow me to use any style kick that I want to use even the frog kick which I used the most and I do not stir up any sediment from the floor. The only drawback I see with the Nova fins is the price I would still give your fins a try anyhow.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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