Best fins for those new to diving?

[tyesai]

I recently started using apnea fins. Cressi Gara LD to be specific. They push a lot of water which is useful as there is almost always moderate current where I dive locally although I can only get a pair of 2mm booties on which makes for some cold feet in 55-57 degree water but it is well worth it...

Like someone said, try out as many as you can. I've found my buddies are always eager to swap fins, flashlights, and even BCD's and then there is always Craigslist and Ebay if you are patient enough you can find good deals...

 

[Scuba.com]

Like most dive gear, it is a matter of preference. What works the best for you. But to get you started, here is a list of a few of our best sellers... Hope this helps:

1. Atomic Smoke on the Water Adjustable Spring Strap Fins - Received Scuba Lab Testers Choice
2. ScubaPro Seawing Nova Adjustable Strap Fins - Also received Scuba Lab Testers Choice
3. Oceanic Vortex V-16 Fins w/ Spring Straps
4. ScubaPro Jet Fins - I would recommend upgrading to the spring straps
5. Mares X-Stream Adjustable Fins

I also like the Aqua Lung Slingshot fins. I like how the fin blade is attached to the middle of your foot instead of just at the toe. It gives you a more powerful kick. Their Express fins (both full foot and adjustable) do the same thing.

You can get more details on all of these and read some reviews here: Scuba diving gear Fins Adjustable Strap at Scuba.com

 

[RJP]

I also like the Aqua Lung Slingshot fins. I like how the fin blade is attached to the middle of your foot instead of just at the toe. It gives you a more powerful kick. Their Express fins (both full foot and adjustable) do the same thing.

I'd be interested in hearing more about how the Slingshot "gives you a more powerful kick" if you can expand on that. I was under the impression that the diver does the kicking, not the fin. What is the Slingshot's source of power?

 

[kaerius]

I'd be interested in hearing more about how the Slingshot "gives you a more powerful kick" if you can expand on that. I was under the impression that the diver does the kicking, not the fin. What is the Slingshot's source of power?

Gives you a better fulcrum to transfer the power. Similarly to how an elbow strike is better for transfering power than a punch is. Also you doesn't strain your feet muscles, so it's less likely to make you cramp.

Also it stores some power which is released on the return kick. (This is where the slingshot name comes from).

If I was a flutter kick swimmer, I'd definitely consider them, but I'm a frog kicker, and prefer the control jetfin style fins give.

 

[RJP]

Gives you a better fulcrum to transfer the power. Similarly to how an elbow strike is better for transfering power than a punch is. Also you doesn't strain your feet muscles, so it's less likely to make you cramp.

Also it stores some power which is released on the return kick. (This is where the slingshot name comes from).
.

Damn, wish I hadn't wasted all that time (and money) taking physics classes in college... apparently the laws of energy have been updated since then.

 

[LowDrag]

One thing to keep in mind about Craigslist. BUYER BEWARE!!! I recently bought a set of ScubaPro jet fin fins for $40.00. Good deal right? Not so much. The fins looked like they were in good shape up until a week ago when I was doing some training in the pool and the side split out on one of the fins. Something I did not notice when I bought them was the dry rotted rubber on the side of the fin. I should have caught that but I missed it. So if you do buy from Craigslist make sure you look over whatever you are buying very thoroughly to make sure someone is not just getting rid of old gear that is in bad shape.

 

[kaerius]

Damn, wish I hadn't wasted all that time (and money) taking physics classes in college... apparently the laws of energy have been updated since then.

Damn, I wish I could snark without thinking.

There's not more energy available, it's just used more efficiently. Try lifting a bag with your bicep, put it down, now lift it with your wrist. Which action if repeated is going to tire you out faster? Same thing here.
I've taken physics classes too, but for this, martial arts classes give better insight. You can exert more power, effortlessly, the closer to your center your point of transfer is. A strike with a knee or elbow can transfer power more effectively than a hand or a foot. Or more to the point in this case: a your heel can transfer power better than your toes.

It's the same principle as why you should swim with your legs and not your arms when diving, your legs are stronger and more efficient.

 

[RJP]

Damn, I wish I could snark without thinking.

There's not more energy available, it's just used more efficiently. Try lifting a bag with your bicep, put it down, now lift it with your wrist. Which action if repeated is going to tire you out faster? Same thing here.
I've taken physics classes too, but for this, martial arts classes give better insight. You can exert more power, effortlessly, the closer to your center your point of transfer is. A strike with a knee or elbow can transfer power more effectively than a hand or a foot. Or more to the point in this case: a your heel can transfer power better than your toes.

It's the same principle as why you should swim with your legs and not your arms when diving, your legs are stronger and more efficient.

That's simple leverage. I'm talking about the idea that the fin "stores and releases" power In some useful way. The reason that potential energy is stored in the rubber is that it is deformed during the kick, which means that energy that could go into propelling you is instead diverted into bending the rubber. This causes the kick to be far less efficient than if the energy just went into propelling you in the first place. It also provides the illusory benefit of being "easier" to kick... sort of like peddling a bike in way too tall a gear. Sure it's easy to turn the pedals, but a highly inefficient way to propel yourself forward.

 

[kaerius]

That's simple leverage. I'm talking about the idea that the fin "stores and releases" power In some useful way. The reason that potential energy is stored in the rubber is that it is deformed during the kick, which means that energy that could go into propelling you is instead diverted into bending the rubber. This causes the kick to be far less efficient than if the energy just went into propelling you in the first place. It also provides the illusory benefit of being "easier" to kick... sort of like peddling a bike in way too tall a gear. Sure it's easy to turn the pedals, but a highly inefficient way to propel yourself forward.

In this case, this energy isn't lost, because unlike ordinary bendy fins, the power stays in the springs on the sides and is released on the return kick. It may be gimmicky, but it's not less efficient. They're also adjustable for different levels of power vs ease, this can be modified during the dive, sort of like the gears on a bike, to borrow your analogy.

 

[RJP]

In this case, this energy isn't lost, because unlike ordinary bendy fins, the power stays in the springs on the sides and is released on the return kick. It may be gimmicky, but it's not less efficient. They're also adjustable for different levels of power vs ease, this can be modified during the dive, sort of like the gears on a bike, to borrow your analogy.

Some of the energy must be lost if the spring is stretched, unless AL has invented some magical rubber compound that defies the laws of physics. Either way it begs the question as to why not just let the fin transfer the energy right to propulsion in the first place, rather than bending a piece of rubber so that it can be "released on the return kick" whatever that means.