New Monofin on the market!

[PoseidonSv]

Tropol-monoploutve

Any comments or spontanous ideas about what this product looks like?

[trux]

It does not look too bad! The finishing looks to be in a good and consistent quality, the footpockets quite solid. The info on the website (I read the Czech version) leaves a rather good impression. 2 years warranty sounds good too. Some detailed photos of the M4 fin are on this page: Tropol-monoploutve

The price is roughly 350€ with VAT, it means it should be under 300€ if exported taxfree.

Although it is a Czech company, I do not know them. Perhaps others will give you some feedback.

[trux]

I see there is an article about Tropol monofins also on the website of the East Bohemia Freedivers, and I believe some of them participated on the Nordic Deep competition this year. Didn't they have those fins there too?

[Kars]

I was at the Nordic Deep 2008 competition in Sweden, and saw and tried one of these fins.
The one I tried was size 41, though I have flat 45 foot. So the fit was teight. Because of this and time constraints I only swam a 100m with it. 50m at a moderate - slow pace, 50m at moderate - fast pace. The bladestifnes for the fin I tried was pretty stiff, it was the medium stifness if I recall correctly. The footpocket angle reminded me of a normal WW glide fin angle, I guess something like 16 degrees.
Regretfully I did not had the time and the right finsize to pass on anymore detailed information here.
However what I do like about it is the 'simple' design, the non - compresseble rubber, the heal-extension.
I did pass on my small whishlist, indicating I want a 30 degree angle, and foot specific (left - right) footpockets.

Secretly I still hope for a monofin company to use the standard monofinblades and simply put a noncompresseble 30 degree simple ergonomic footpocket on it.

Love, Courage and Water,

Kars

[PoseidonSv]

Thank you Kars and Trux.

I asked some monofin manufacturers with exactly what you also ask for Kars.

Please make a freediving monofin with a bit higher angel of the blade than used for the monofins designed for sprint or fast finswimming competition where you kick without resting in the glide for so long time.

It would be a great monofin if they make the footpocket with a bit higher angel and maybe more ergonomic left right footpockets like you said and to have sizes presented for freedivers and not for sprint finswimmers who only wears such fin for some minute and do not mind to have a supertight footpocket.

Personally i love to use a thin neoprene sock when swimming with monofin like a 1,5mm sock.

[Kars]

Waterway are putting in dence neoprene pads inside their classic footpockets, it improves a better pressure spread without loosing any noticeble energy amounts in the overall transfer of power.

I recon the best footpocket would be hard noncompresseble rubber molded to your foot in finswimming position, with little mass providing the best glide angle of the finblade in relation to the diver.

Maybe one of manufacturers will read our plea's and indeed works our whishes into reality someday.

Kars

[trux]

The foot-pockets and wings of the Tropol monofins are molded in polyurethane, which is more resistant than rubber against chemical influences like chlorine or saltwater, and I believe it may be also less compressible (but it likely depends if it is foamed and to which degree).

BTW, I contacted the manufacturer, and they are definitely interested in developing a fin suitable for freedivers. They may be contacting some freedivers for the testing and evaluation, so hopefully we'll see a good freediving monofin soon.

They also often repair diverse Russian brands of monofins, and so are well aware of the quality problems, which they tell seems to degrade lately. They claim they often see and repair fins which are not sufficiently firm between foot pockets, leading so to the well known v-bend, and consequently to the blade breaking in halves.

[gingko]

Originally Posted by trux

The foot-pockets and wings of the Tropol monofins are molded in polyurethane, which is more resistant than rubber
[...]
I contacted the manufacturer, and they are definitely interested in developing a fin suitable for freedivers.
[...]
They also often repair diverse Russian brands of monofins, and so are well aware of the quality problems [...].

Very good news..! (Thanks trux..!)

.../...

[PoseidonSv]

I guess something good came out og this maybe, I think we freedivers have some knowledge that can be beneficiary to the makers of monofins since our needs is a bit different than for competition to swim a certian distance in the shortest time.
and as i said i like to have a Hyper type monofin that will be more comfortable and that has some more angel to the blade.

[salibandy]

No offense, but, it's not a really pretty fin eh? I really liked Ben's Kershkov(spelling?) or the old style Hyperfin.

[gingko]

Originally Posted by salibandy

I really liked Ben's Kershkov(spelling?) or the old style Hyperfin.

The latest Hyperfins' style (ru) is not so different from the old one, because only the color of the rubber has changed to a "black and white" style.

.../...

[trux]

The black and white Tropol does not look that bad. Also others with a more decent choice of colors look better than the tricolored ones (different colors for foot-pockets, wings, and the blade). Perhaps not as sexy as some of the other fins, but if they work well, and last long, then who cares

M4_Cern_P.jpg M4_Cern_Z.jpg

Note also the wave structure and the reinforcement of the middle part of the blade well visible on the back-side photo. It helps to prevent the v-bending. And unlike at others, it looks to be pretty persistent on all their fins, not only done randomly as the material comes in.

[salibandy]

Hey, that wave lamination looks like the one on my fin, but mine has slightly more reinforcements.

Still like my fin. Hehe.

gingko, I think the new hyperfin has more rubber on it's wings.

[PoseidonSv]

One big good thing is the material and that the wings will not compress, i doubt that thicker bigger wing-edghes will give better performance.

[PoseidonSv]

Good News!

Just like TRUX said before Tropol-monoploutve are indeed making a new version with more angeled footpocket for freedivers!

I really hope they make a left and right foot footpocket and that it will be suitable to use with thin neoprene socks inside.