Fins dilemma ...

[JohnnyC]

We don't all dive for work or in a hurry to get somewhere.

The OP specifically mentioned swimming in current in her original post. If fins are underpowered even within normal swimming conditions, they're even less so when you're requiring those fins to perform in hard use situations. Crappy fins in no current don't magically get uncrappy in current. The RK3's are floppy fins. They lack power. They made the HD's specifically to address this. The original RK3's are contradictory of the goals of the OP. They offer no performance gains over other fins on the market, hence the other fins I, and others, have suggested.

 

[Angelo Farina]

First of all, everyone's legs are different, hence it is very hard to give advice based on personal experience, as what's good for me not necessarily is good for others.
Then it comes the usage scenarios, which are also different.
For deep penetration in caves or wrecks you need agility in small spaces, and the capability of using the fins in different ways, even finning backwards. In these conditions the fins should not be very long, and should be quite rigid. But such kind of fins will inevitably have little efficiency, and not allow to reach high speed for swimming in strong currents, nor allow for very long distances wiyhout causing cramps.
When I was working at Maldives, where currents can be incredibly strong, I did learn the hard way that you cannot make compromises: in those extreme conditions you need very powerful fins, of significant length, and with exactly the proper flexibility and the proper angle between blade and the base of your feet.
Such an optimization is rarely encountered with standard single-piece fins. You get optimal performances only using separate shoes and blades. You choose the shoes providing the proper angle between the blade and the feet base matching the ankle angle, and then you mount the blades of the proper length and flexibility.
Choosing the best ones requires a number of tests.
And such long, powerful and very flexible fins can only be used with a specific kick method for providing high efficiency, hence they are good for strong currents, but do not work for the other requirements of the OP, that is caves and wrecks.
So I do not see how a single pair of fins can satisfy simultanously the requirements for being suitable for cave/wreck and strong currents.

 

[JohnnyC]

First of all, everyone's legs are different, hence it is very hard to give advice based on personal experience, as what's good for me not necessarily is good for others.
Then it comes the usage scenarios, which are also different.
For deep penetration in caves or wrecks you need agility in small spaces, and the capability of using the fins in different ways, even finning backwards. In these conditions the fins should not be very long, and should be quite rigid. But such kind of fins will inevitably have little efficiency, and not allow to reach high speed for swimming in strong currents, nor allow for very long distances wiyhout causing cramps.
When I was working at Maldives, where currents can be incredibly strong, I did learn the hard way that you cannot make compromises: in those extreme conditions you need very powerful fins, of significant length, and with exactly the proper flexibility and the proper angle between blade and the base of your feet.
Such an optimization is rarely encountered with standard single-piece fins. You get optimal performances only using separate shoes and blades. You choose the shoes providing the proper angle between the blade and the feet base matching the ankle angle, and then you mount the blades of the proper length and flexibility.
Choosing the best ones requires a number of tests.
And such long, powerful and very flexible fins can only be used with a specific kick method for providing high efficiency, hence they are good for strong currents, but do not work for the other requirements of the OP, that is caves and wrecks.
So I do not see how a single pair of fins can satisfy simultanously the requirements for being suitable for cave/wreck and strong currents.

I take it you've never dove Florida caves then.....

F1's, Jets (and similar clones), XT's are all excellent fins that provide both power in fast-moving water, and precise control. There's a reason that they're so popular in both open water, wrecks, high and low flow caves, etc.

 

[AustinV]

If your feet arent huge Dive Gear Express has the Dive Rite XT fins in some sizes in their Bargain Annex section right now for 119, I wear a size 9 bootie and wear a Medium fin in the XT when diving wet.

 

[Sparklemuffin]

Consider the OMS Slipstreams. Lighter than the Scubapro Jets but with about the same flex. I like them a lot.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

"Sparklemuffin"?

Dear lord, I think I just fell in love with a My Little Pony.

 

[Sparklemuffin]

"Sparklemuffin"?

Dear lord, I think I just fell in love with a My Little Pony.

Bahaha, the alias is working as intended then.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

The RK3's are floppy. I had to use them for work and they're trash. Total lack of power, they felt like they were folding in half on my feet and I was going nowhere, not good when you need to move fast underwater. .

Nice to see someone else feels the way I do about these fins. I swapped with another instructor and took them off five minutes into the dive. The "folding in half" is exactly what I experienced and drove me crazy. That also led to less precision control.

I may still be crazy but at least I am not the only one.

I use both the UTD neutral fins and the Deep 6 fins. No reason why I switch back and forth other than I like them both. The Deep 6 are more comfortable as far as the foot pocket is concerned but I get a tiny bit more precision out of small movements with the UTD fins. Not enough to really matter so I chop and change as my heart desires.

 

[vovanx]

maybe this will help: VID_20190207_170524 - Streamable

the list of the fins in this video: Deep6 Eddy (size L), OMS Slipstream, Hollis F1, Scubapro Jet Fins, Saekodive Jet Fins. you can actually see that Eddys are extremely stiff compared to the other fins, and look quite plastic.

VID_20190207_171233 - Streamable (this video has a bit different order: Deep6, OMS, Scubapro, Hollis, Saekodive)

the resulting stiffness order is: Deep6, Hollis, Scubapro, OMS, Saekodive (these fins feel like made of silicone, and they act accordingly under the water).
note that Deep6 size L and above is more stiff than size M and below.

there is no Apeks RK3 in this video but they should be similar to OMS.