Question Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Mundint]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help with understanding fin angle degree and blade replacement.

I'm trying to buy my first set of long fins online...I want to start with plastic and upgrade to glass or carbon if need be - 95% of my diving will be shore entry over nasty volcanic rock diving to around 15 meters max. Im certain the entry will destroy glass or carbon blades in no time at all.

Im edging towards a pair of Cressi Gara Modular impulse with an advertised 29 degree angle...my question is....if I decide to change the blades am I limited to only blades with a 29 degree angle or will the Gara footpockets accept a blade with 20 degrees like the leaderfin ice?

Completely clueless in this regard with no one to speak to locally (language barriers).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rollerGR]

For shore diving + upgrading from plastic I'd say fiberglass is better. It's cheaper, more durable, and has about 75% the performance cabron fins do. It's much less likely to break them since they're less stiff.

Blade angle depends on ankle technique. Or rather ankle technique depends on blade angle. 10-23 is more or less what we're used to, keep the ankle straight and kick from the hip without bending the knee too much. 29+ degree angle blades have a different technique and are much more relaxing, softer on the ankles. The movement required is a bit closer to "bicycling" and they require a slightly shorter interval (i.e. more continuous kicks) for developing speed, especially soft blades. But you'll get used to that very quickly, check out various fin reviews of freedivers rocking Cetma or other highly angled blades.

Regarding the footpocket, I'm so far unaware of any footpocket that cannot take a short degree angle. Virtually 100% of them are designed for 10-23 angle blades and we just slap a 33 degree one on them. Looking at the Gara Modular Impulse, a small gap right in front of the footpocket's toe opening, between the footpocket and the blade can be seen so that's 100% a footpocket that was designed for low angle blades.

I use Leaderfins and their footpockets work fine with both angles (20 & 33), especially the rubber ones (Forza) instead of the old silicone ones which are less soft.