split fins

[The Chairman]

Hey Mario,

The cool part is that I am built more like a manatee then a road-runner. I do have a problem with the fins though during a resue dive... they do NOT handle hard forceful kicks well. The higher the work load, the quicker you have to kick... not harder. Knowing that has helped me to adjust. But I hated it when I did Rescue Diver... I put on my old Rocket fins...;-)

Pete from Orlando...

 

[Mario S Caner]

You just have to love the 'ol classic Jet fins... talk about a fin that never ages. Through the years, the only real thing they chose to change are the buckles. Quick release has made them even better.

 

[The Chairman]

Hey Mario,

You know I have two pair... both from the late sixties. One is clearly marked "Jet" the other is clearly marked "Rocket" and I see very little difference between the two. I know they have been imitated like mad, and I wonder when they actually came out? If I remember right, these were both bought whithin months of each other from the same Dive shop (what is now Hal Watt's Mr. SCUBA). My late brother in law bought a pair right after I did.They have held up well, and one was given away last year (the Rocket Fins) to a well deserving student/friend.

Pete from Orlando...

 

[Mario S Caner]

I know Hal, he's a good man. I beleive the Jet was the original made by ScubaPro, while the Rocket fin was made by US Divers, which is now Aqualung. The difference is the angle in which the vents were cut at. What may seem like a suddle difference, is actually quite significant in real world performance from what I understand.

 

[The Chairman]

Hey Mario,

Hal is a good guy. I used to work on his cars when i was in that business. I never did dive with him, although I have been invited, a missed opportunity for sure.

Pete from Orlando...

 

[WetDane]

The original jet Fins from ScubaPro came out in 1965!
this is still the only approved fin for DIR diving - one of the reasons is the lack of buckles to break... Whoever uses those buckles anyway, pull the strap, how hard can that be - or even better, get spring straps - but those will only work on the Jet fins...
If there was a non-buckle version of the split fins I would go for that I think...

just my 2¢ worth.

Terkel

 

[devjr]

I agree with Wetdane that the modern plastic buckles are suspect. I consider the loss of a swim fin to be particularly dangerous. However, in the summer of '99 I bought a set of black rubber Biofins which were put to use in the Gulf Stream near Bimini. These fins have substantial propulsion with little effort. The REDUCTION IN AIR CONSUMPTION is significant. (Watch your bottom time!).

With respect to DIR or cave diving in general, it is my understanding that Biofins do not stir up bottom sediment as much as the jets.

 

[old_mike]

As far as i know, the WKPP folks still insist on the Jets. The splitfins according to the GUE Tech 1 book are still the best, primarily because of their relative flexibility and efficacy with alternative kicks. Apparently, the split fins just don't measure up in the alternative kick dept.
BTW, i have 150+ dives on my Graphites and the buckles and everything are still fine! One o' these days though, there are some spring straps in my future.

 

[I Dive Do You]

Pete are you from Orlando florida? Just wondering Because I live in Ocala Florida. Any other floridians here?

 

[The Chairman]

Hey I...

Yeah I live in Sunny Orlando Florida... I would love to dive with you sometimes up there in the spring capital of the world. Maybe we can do that sometime in the near future, though it might be about a month... I really hurt my back, and they are still trying to figure it out. It seems the older you get, the more you just trade one ache for another worse one. BTW, you can E-Mail me direct at PJM@NetDr.cc . Talk to you soon!