hog tech 2 vs highland power fin vs mares quattros (in pictures)

[thez_yo]

Well, somehow I always manage to have feet that are smaller than the smallest size fin. I'm sure it has to do both with needing to wear a size 6 or 7 bootie (depending on brand) and that I pick particularly flexible-soled booties (because my feet are pretty tall a lot of brands only accommodate for wider but not taller feet). The Aqualung booties I've got fit snug like a second skin, so I'm wary to try anything else yet.. so I'm on a mission to actually find a pair of fins that fit. Oh, and I'm in wetsuit.

My first pair was Aqualung adj's with a strap (not full foot). They had wiggle room... it didn't seem so on land, but the second I hit the water they were not snug over my foot and always sloshing around. If you're already a slow diver, losing even more of your power to wiggly fins makes things worse.

Next, I went to Highland Power Fins... well, I thought these were great on land too. But again - in the water, wiggly. I seem to always have side-to-side wiggle in my fins, and I know it's in part because my feet are particularly tall but not too wide so I need a softer foot pocket maybe... What do I do next??

After lusting after yellow-tip Hollis Bat Fins, which just don't come in a size small enough for me, I decided to stop sulking and made the decision to try yet more fins. I had tried Mares fins on maybe 7-8 months ago and found they fit pretty well, so my most recent acquisition is Mares Avanti Quattros, and a pair of HOG Tech 2 fins. I ordered both at the same time, and was hoping one would fit better than the other so I'd have an easy choice. Nope ... darn, just my luck that they both seem to fit like a dream. ...on land. I also did have to pull the spring strap in to the next screw position on the HOG fins like had to be done with the Power Fins. The Mares fins come with a bungee strap that's pretty tough to pull around your foot, but once it's on you *know* it's on because it's pretty tight. Hopefully it doesn't irritate the achilles tendon while you swim. For sizings, the Mares are size small, and the Highland and HOG fins are both size medium because that's the smallest they come.

I have yet to try either of the Mares or HOGs in the water, but I'm already excited that the top of the foot pocket starts a little further than the bottom and curves upward, so it has more of a natural foot shape to it rather than the more rectangle profile of the Power Fin. Here are some pictures I just took of the three Power Fin, Tech 2 and Quattros --

(Quattro, Tech 2, Power, Power, Tech 2, Quattro)

(Tech 2, Power)

(Power, Tech 2)

(Power, Tech 2)

(Power, Tech 2)

(Quattro, Tech 2)

(Quattro, Tech 2)

I included side-shots because you never seem to get to see those online. The HOG and Highland fins look the same size just out of box, but the HOG fins are shorter on the foot because the foot pocket sits a little bit further back on your foot. I've heard of other fins giving foot cramps with that sort of shape/where it sits.

Anyway, wish me luck hoping that I've finally found my fin! I was wanting to keep just one pair of the two new ones, but who *doesn't* want both yellow, and black, fins? Such rough decisions to make :cool2:

 

[beanojones]

Something to at least think about for non-sloppy fins is to try and get full foot fins that fit over your booties. A lot of smaller footed people find this is the only way to get a good fit on a fin, because full foot pockets are generally much snugger than open heel fins.

It's a pain to get them on and off til you get used to them, but it seems worth it to try it out.

 

[jameseg]

Thanks for all the pics - very useful to see them side-by-side. Please do report back about how the Mares and Hogs stack up in the water.

James

 

[thez_yo]

Ok, maybe I'm a little late (read: a week) in reporting on the HOG fins. I used em for some pool and ocean time for Rec2 class, and while I kept feeling feet-light and even threw some ankle weights on, the instructor told me nope, I don't need them (read: swam like a seahorse, so he took them off). Maybe they're a little lighter than the Power Fins were? When I looked at video from class, my knees were dropped a bit, which I mostly believe, because I felt like I constantly had to keep kicking water up to force my feet (and hence legs) down, but maybe it's all in my head. As far as I'm concerned diving-wise, I swear they feel the same as the Power Fins otherwise but fit better The trim problems... well, that's why I'm still in/not finished class haha. I've really just taken the last week to think about what I thought was going wrong before posting, but ultimately won't figure it out til I dive some more with them.

My regs were free-flowing a bit when I got past the half-way point on my air, so I dropped my gear off at the repair shop to get that fixed a week ago, and am awaiting their return to dive again. I think I've decided to keep the Mares as a backup set, because I just donated the Power Fins to the loaner-pile at the shop where I take classes/get fills because why keep something that doesn't fit? I had ill-fitting booties my first few dives ever and they took some of my skin as a souvenir. So my motto to any ill-fitting gear after that experience? Just say no. (had enough with ill-fitting BCs sliding around all over the place when I first started out too!)

I'm inclined to dive the Mares the next time I go dive with my regular buddies, either this weekend or next depending on when I get my regs back, but I also feel like I should work out my problems with the HOGs (especially working out the things I have to master for class). If in any hobby, imho it is certainly pertinent to scuba: Haste makes waste, so I'm not in a rush. I'll report back when I get some more dives in

(PS I tried on some of UTD's Precision fins and they felt/were too big even at the smallest size :depressed: )

 

[thez_yo]

Alright, so maybe I should make one final post now that I've gone diving with both the mares and the hogs a bit:

With the mares, the loops at the end of the bungee gets caught in the kelp a lot. I haven't decided if I want to cut them off, but without it they might be more impossible to get on. The bungee-strap is a lot harder to put on in the water in comparison to the springs on the hogs. The mares have a follow-through that I can feel when I'm frog-kicking in the water, because they're longer, which takes a little bit of getting used to.. but the length does help you scoot faster. I think ultimately for the slow, leisurely-paced dives I like doing, I'm going to stick with the hogs; however if i really need oomph to my kicks, I'll take the mares out.

Here are some in-water pics:

 

[Nwcid]

I got a set of HOG's this spring for my wetsuit diving times. I have Turtles for my drysuit.

I used the HOG's a couple of times this summer and they were ok. On one of my uses we did the surface swim test with fins, mask and snorkel. I think it was 800 yards. Being on the surface you basically have to flutter kick to make time and man did they tear my feet up. My GF using the old Vipers actually lapped me.

I just got back from a week of diving in Bonaire, getting in 20 dives (~20 hrs) in 6 days. The HOG's were great since I was frog kicking 99% of the time and I had tightened up the springs as well. I did end up with some raw spots on my feet but I don't feel that is from that particular fin. This is the first time I have done that amount of diving in a single week.

If I ever need another set I would defiantly buy HOG's again.