Tortuga68's XS Scuba Power Fins vs Scubapro Jet fins comparo thread

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Tortuga68

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
4,104
Reaction score
816
Location
Puerto Galera, Philippines
# of dives
1000 - 2499
Jets... I love them and I hate them! Have a pair of XLs and a pair of Ls (for travel)

Love the simplicity, performance, price and availability (now that they seem to be back in stock anyway). Oh and they're black :wink:

Hate the fit of the foot pockets - yet to meet someone with rectangular feet :mad: and I get toe blisters and soreness on the top of my arch from them, worse if I have to do some heavy finning

So, I've been searching for a fin with the all the good but none of the bad... hence my recent purchase of a 2nd-hand pair of L Power Fins (plus they were only USD30 on eBay with free worldwide shipping)

So, on to the comparo (the other fins shown are my L Jets with SP springstraps):

IMG_3773.jpg
IMG_3768.jpg

As you can see from the photos the design is, shall we say, very similar (aka copied) from the top & side views... from the bottom you can see that the vents have been changed somewhat - I assume to make the manufacturing process easier. The ribbing is also different

IMG_3769.jpg

The PFs are lighter by about 8 ounces but this is partly accounted for by them having standard straps - although the changes to the vents and thinner footpockets would count towar5ds the weight reduction too. I expect they will be slightly less negative. Sizing is identical.

The cross-section of the foot pocket opening is a little different, with the PFs being lower and wider (actually the opposite of what I had expected; not sure if my Jets are the 'old' or 'new' design... I think the new - so maybe the PFs are copies of the 'old' style Jets? Anyone?)

IMG_3770.jpg

The main difference between these fins (out of the water) is the softness of the rubber - as you can see, the foot pocket is alot 'bendier' (sorry to confuse you with these scientific terms!). However the fin blade seems just as stiff, again on dry land

IMG_3772.jpg

Just wearing them in my loungeroom I can feel they are a lot more confortable - you can see how the pocket conforms to my foot better, but there's also much less pressure across the top of the arch

IMG_3775.jpg
IMG_3774.jpg

I'll post an update when I get the chance to try them in the water (October), but it seems like they may be a good solution if they still kick the same

I'm also looking to try some Turtles, and maybe Hollis F1s as well (in case you're wondering, I already tried OMS Slipstreams but didn't think the comfort was really much better, and I didn't like the 'feel' of the blades; the negative buoyancy of Jets has never bothered me, despite diving wet)
 
Nice write-up, Tortuga and thank you for the comparative descriptions and pics. One question about the XS Power Fins that I can't tell from online photos: Are they open-toe? Like you, I've gotten blisters on the tops of my toes from the Jets... Look forward to your update!
 
My wife and I both started out with XS Power fins. They are definately negative, though that apparently is not an issue for you. As with the Jets, we both had problems with blisters on the toes and instep.
While diving on Curacao, Mark from http://www.the-dive-bus.com let us try some TUSA Tri-FX. Slightly positive, much better fitting and with good power. I don't know if they come in black. We've done about 40 dives with these fins and like them a lot better than the XS Scubas. No more blisters. :)
 
Im glad you found some fins you like, I have never been a fan of the Jet fins
 
The cross-section of the foot pocket opening is a little different, with the PFs being lower and wider (actually the opposite of what I had expected; not sure if my Jets are the 'old' or 'new' design... I think the new - so maybe the PFs are copies of the 'old' style Jets? Anyone?)

The way I understood it, the "old" Jet fins are the ones that do not have a lightning bolt across the logo that is on top of the foot, and the newer ones do have the lightning bolt. I think I remember that the change was made sometime in the 1980s, or thereabouts. I have heard that the rubber compound was made softer/springier, but I don't know.

I have a pair of non-lightning bolt Jet fins and a pair of lightning-bolt ones, both in size Medium. I don't think there is any shape difference, but I will look again next time I have my dive gear handy.

(This is separate from the re-sizing/adding a size that I think occurred within the post couple of years; also I think [now?] the XL and XLL have a slightly different proportion blade:foot and an angle between the foot pocket and the blade; I don't know about older XLs, but both sets of my Mediums are just flat.)

Sorry I don't have all my facts definite; I'm sure others know more but since no-one else had piped in I thought I would at least try.

Here is a photo of the older, non-lightning bolt Jet fin logo. Pardon the awkward crop; the fins just happened to show up in a corner of a photo I was taking of something else.

jet fin older logo.jpg

Blue Sparkle
 
IMO in you want to do all the advanced finning techniques "efficiently", the Jet fins are the best. What a lot of our customers have done to address the pocket issue is to go to a hard sole style boot rather then your traditional one. Foot feels better, better traction and ankle support, just all around more comfortable! Oh, forgot to mention, usually need only 1 pair for both dry/wet diving.
 
(This is separate from the re-sizing/adding a size that I think occurred within the post couple of years; also I think [now?] the XL and XLL have a slightly different proportion blade:foot and an angle between the foot pocket and the blade...

Thanks for the model change info... regarding the XXL size, from what I've read & seen, the blade is exactly the same as the XLs, but with a much larger footpocket, designed to accomodate boots. Apparently they were originally made for miltary use with combat boots
 

Back
Top Bottom