What fins to purchase

[AE Puccinelli]

I am an older diver, but in very good shape. I have tried different fins, including Force Fins, and I cannot seem to generate the power I expected. At present I have Scuba Pro Seawing type. I tried ,many differing kick styles and still can't keep up with my wife in current. I have read about the Mares Avanti Quattro Pro. and the Tusa HyFlex. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions?
Appreciate the feedback.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Ask your wife to slow down. Your air will last longer, you'll see more, and you'll both have a better time.

That being said, I love my Deep6 Eddy fins. I have dived them in many different configurations, and they worked very well in almost all of them. Comfy, light, neutrally buoyant, and stiff as a board. The only config I don't like them for is with heavy steel double tanks -- for that, I need heavier fins like the Hollis F1s to trim out.

 

[Rilelen]

I absolutely adore my Mares Superchannel fins - they're close cousins to the Avanti Quattro (which are a bit stiffer but otherwise very similar), and I'll probably get the Avanti Quattros when it's time to replace them.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Ask your wife to slow down. Your air will last longer, you'll see more, and you'll both have a better time.

Bingo!

 

[AE Puccinelli]

No surprise there!
I assume JetFins are not good for you (?).
Have you tried split fins then?

Yes did try those at one time thanks

 

[johndiver999]

The answer is just one fin.. Remove it.. from your wife's foot.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Mares Quattro's, they are just about the best all around fin you can buy. I have had mine for about 20 years.

 

[Divedoggie]

Atomic BladeFin, or if you want real power (but a stiffer fin) Atomic X1 Bladefin. I'm super picky about fins, and since I own a diveshop, have tested scores of fins. I hate most of them. Mushy, floppy, soft, rigid, inaccurate, over engineered, marketing marvels of mediocrity are the norm.

Need a fin that will efficiently perform and excel with any kick that I may use. Frog, Flutter, Modified kicks, Directional kicks, back kicks, sculling. With efficient finning technique, SAC rate drops, comfort in the water increases. Photography becomes more fluid and stable. Many other benefits.
For me, the X1 Bladefin is incredible. It comes with a clever heel strap, but I replaced them with the Atomic spring strap.

Just my 2¢

 

[tomfcrist]

Ave you tried freediving fins?

 

[rx7diver]

I, too, am an older diver. (68 YO.) I was in the pool this past weekend using my DH reg on a single cylinder with a VDH DH Al classic backplate, VDH 23# wing, simple harness, 2-3mm full wetsuit (jump suit), and my Jet Fins (my first and only fins, purchased new in 1987) and booties.

Plenty of power for me in these old-school fins, even for my first (pool) "dive" of the season.

The only time I consider getting different fins is when I think I might want to cruise long distances U/W quickly. Long freediving/spearfishing fins would seem to work better for this. But I don't think that these long, floppy fins will work well when surface swimming in scuba gear, or when precise control U/W is needed, or when wearing baby doubles.

I also sometimes consider getting different fins to use with thin wetsuits or no wetsuit. A lighter Jet Fin-type fin would probably work better for this: all the power, but not so heavy.

rx7diver

 

[-JD-]

I am an older diver, but in very good shape. I have tried different fins, including Force Fins, and I cannot seem to generate the power I expected. At present I have Scuba Pro Seawing type. I tried ,many differing kick styles and still can't keep up with my wife in current. I have read about the Mares Avanti Quattro Pro. and the Tusa HyFlex. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions?
Appreciate the feedback.

Not saying they are right for you, but Force Fins are not about "power" kicks, but efficiency. For optimal speed you want a low-amplitude, high-frequency kick style. A parallel would be "spinning" vs "grinding" when riding a bike. Might be worth a try if you still have them.