Frogkick-friendly fins for XS diver?

[MB | MN]

I've read plenty of "best fins" lists but hoping you ladies can provide some insight based on your personal experiences.

I've been diving with trusty Tusa Xpert Zoom splits for years. They work great for relaxed flutter-kicking around reefs, but aren't ideal for frog-kicks, nor for currents (thinking about Cozumel - but not with splits). My leg strength is solid but not overwhelming -- but at 4'10" and 100 lbs, it doesn't take a ton of force to move me through the water either. One issue is my size 6 feet - my fins really need to fit and I'd prefer they not be super-long. Does anybody here have experience with Mares Avanti Quattro or Scubapro Seawing Nova (I know, totally different styles) or AquaLung Shot FX? Others? Would love to try-before-I-buy but most dive ops don't rent the open-heel styles. So I'd like to narrow my choices a bit. Thanks in advance!

 

[Kimela]

I have the Mares Avanti Quattros and really like them - I do a modified frog kick. I'm also a small person.

I have the Sea Wing Novas and prefer the Quattros. It might be a matter of color (I have the white ones and the white may be more buoyant than the other colors?) but I found they made my feet too floaty. I don't do many swim-throughs but when I do I'm usually near the bottom, looking for critters, and if my feet are too floaty I easily hit the ceiling of the swim through with the Novas. Not so much with the Quattros.

 

[Rilelen]

I'm 5' 2" and wear a shoe size 7/7.5; I love my Mares Superchannels (which are very similar to the Avanti Quattros). I almost exclusively frog kick. The Superchannels are a tad less stiff/easier on the joints than the Avanti Quattros, if that's a concern.

 

[Ayisha]

I've read plenty of "best fins" lists but hoping you ladies can provide some insight based on your personal experiences.

I've been diving with trusty Tusa Xpert Zoom splits for years. They work great for relaxed flutter-kicking around reefs, but aren't ideal for frog-kicks, nor for currents (thinking about Cozumel - but not with splits). My leg strength is solid but not overwhelming -- but at 4'10" and 100 lbs, it doesn't take a ton of force to move me through the water either. One issue is my size 6 feet - my fins really need to fit and I'd prefer they not be super-long. Does anybody here have experience with Mares Avanti Quattro or Scubapro Seawing Nova (I know, totally different styles) or AquaLung Shot FX? Others? Would love to try-before-I-buy but most dive ops don't rent the open-heel styles. So I'd like to narrow my choices a bit. Thanks in advance!

I used to have the Tusa Xpert Zoom fins and loved them. I found them fine to use for frog kicks, back kicks, moderate current...

Before that, I had Avanti Quattros and hated them. They were too heavy and weren't stable on my size 5 feet. The slight wobble from the wide foot pocket increased resistance and gave me foot and shin pain and cramps when finning any distance.
The Tusa's were a welcome change.

I then tried jetfins and didn't like them for similar reasons.

Nearly 10 years ago, I switched to UTD Precision Neutral fins and absolutely love them. They have a deep, comfortable foot pocket, are the same size and shape as jetfins, with half the weight. The UTD Precision Negative fins are also comfortable, but are the same weight as jetfins.

Good luck!

 

[EricaDVM]

I’m a confirmed frog kicker, and didn’t realize how much I loved my Avanti Quattros until recently, when I didn’t bring my own gear for a single tank dive on a trip.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have dived a number of times with Natalie Gibb, who is just about your size. When I dived with her, IIRC, she used the mares Avanti Quattros. As I recall, she was not totally happy with them, but she said she had limited choices. It has been quite a few years since I dived with her last, and things may well have changed.

Natalie owns Under the Jungle, a cave diving operation in the Mayan Riviera. She is exceptionally friendly and responsive. If you send her a message there, she will very likely give you the best advice possible.

 

[lowwall]

I'm 5' 2" and wear a shoe size 7/7.5; I love my Mares Superchannels (which are very similar to the Avanti Quattros). I almost exclusively frog kick. The Superchannels are a tad less stiff/easier on the joints than the Avanti Quattros, if that's a concern.

If you are thinking about Coz, then you could use the Superchannel full foot. They are my favorite fin and I use them whenever I can get away with full foots. They are $100, so cheap for scuba fins.

Mares Avanti Super-Channel

The perfect blend of power and efficiency Mares design is inspired by marine mammals. Channel Thrust technology maximizes the channeling of water and moves a much greater amount of water compared to ot

www.scuba.com

 

[Nemrod]

My wife was in Mares Avanti Quattro fins for the last dozen years or more. She is now in Scubapro Go-Sports as was I am now am. Except mine are size large, hers are small. She is not much on frog kicks but I am and they are fine for that purpose.

 

[dreinfima]

Another thumbs up for Mares Quattros, open heel in my case. I frog kick almost all the time. In my experience you can still generate good power/speed with a flutter kick when needed, like kicking into current. Definitely prefer bungee straps to the old buckle straps but boy do the bungees seem to corrode quickly even though I always store indoors not in garage.

 

[VikingDives]

I've read plenty of "best fins" lists but hoping you ladies can provide some insight based on your personal experiences.

I've been diving with trusty Tusa Xpert Zoom splits for years. They work great for relaxed flutter-kicking around reefs, but aren't ideal for frog-kicks, nor for currents (thinking about Cozumel - but not with splits). My leg strength is solid but not overwhelming -- but at 4'10" and 100 lbs, it doesn't take a ton of force to move me through the water either. One issue is my size 6 feet - my fins really need to fit and I'd prefer they not be super-long. Does anybody here have experience with Mares Avanti Quattro or Scubapro Seawing Nova (I know, totally different styles) or AquaLung Shot FX? Others? Would love to try-before-I-buy but most dive ops don't rent the open-heel styles. So I'd like to narrow my choices a bit. Thanks in advance!

I'd second what @boulderjohn days about Nat.

I also have a ton of female clients who live the deep 6 Eddy fins.

Do you mostly dive wet? It's much harder to make a good guess with women as to the buoyancy of fin you need... Men tend to be pretty standard as to how they carry their body fat (generally, more upper body fat, and he's lower), but women tend to vary more.

Are your current fins neutral, negative or positive?