C4 Falcons

[gptochos]

Hello guys! I've heard a lot about c4 falcon fins. I have heard that the quality of C4 falcon fins is not what you are paying. In fact I have heard that there are cases that fins were broken underwater. Have you heard anything like that. Also I've heard that the fins are broken at the place of the screws of the foot pocket.

I own C4 Falcons 30 and now I have a lot thoughts of using them!

Thanx guys!!!

 

[fogish]

Use them a lot before the warranty runs out?

 

[spaghetti]

Never heard anything about that. They're very popular in my country among both freedivers and spearos, but I've never known or heard of anyone who had this kind of breaking issue. No one at all so far.
But now if you want to feel extra self-assured however, switch to the Omer Rekord 3 fins. Quite the same quality carbon blade, but no screws (the blade is just folded and glued into the footpocket with no drillings nor threadings).

 

[Jon]

I've broken a pair of Sporasub Pure's carbon fiber fins- twice! :head

I then switched to C4's and have never had a problem with them. I have never even heard of anyone having a problem with them breaking. I have even used them the scuba dive, in shipwrecks, with and never had a problem- and they certainly were never designed for that.

I wouldn't worry about them breaking - I don't!

Jon

 

[trux]

I use myself C4 Flaps, and did not have any problems yet (although I drilled another pair of holes into them). I also never heard about any problems with C4 here on DB, but it is true that I saw one second-hand (actually at least third-hand) complaint on the French forum at Esprit Apnée:
Esprit Apnée :: Voir le sujet - Palme Beuchat Mundial Carbone

The guy claimed he had the information from a friend who is a store owner and had a lot of returns for C4 Falcons. I do not know if the information can be trusted. However, the manufacturer offers 2 years warranty and claims less than 1% breaks, which is far below the breakage of plastic fins (not sure about other carbon blades). If you avoid walking in the fins and pushing walls or riffs, I think you have good chance to keep them couple of years.

 

[spaghetti]

Trux, it's just so typical of the French to complain about italian stuff...(I'm kidding, but...).
We all should consider one thing: the C4 fins are the world top of quality, many world records have been set with them by the greatest champions (Stepanek, Sietas and so many others). Now the Falcon are in production since almost ten years, thousands have been made with an artisan process, so it's evenly possible that some blades can be defected. But on large numbers statistics, also a Mercedes car or even a Ferrari may have a manifacturing defect, and yet we're still talking of Mercedes and Ferrari, i.e. the top in quality.

 

[Marwan]

forza italia!!! always the patriot spago

 

[spaghetti]

forza italia!!! always the patriot spago

Sempre Viva l'Italia! he he he.
(But the Omer Rekord blades wich I recommended are made in Marseilles by Pierre Vanecke, or so I'm told...Vive la France aussi! )

 

[trux]

Trux, it's just so typical of the French to complain about italian stuff...(I'm kidding, but...).

Sorry if it sounded so, but I actually tried to give the opposite impression
There was only one single indirect complaint on that forum (indirect = he heard of someone telling they break often), and others in the thread expressed their doubts too. The 2 years warranty, on my mind is already quite proving they they trust they products. If C4 offers 2 years warranty, not knowing how bad you treat the fins, I think you can be pretty sure they will last much longer if you are careful with them.

 

[shoutatthesky]

I have had C4 Flaps for about 3 months now. I have used them in the ocean and the pool. In the ocean there were many times I hit a rock or scraped against a rock with them and was worried there had been some damage but they still look brand new. In short I love them!

 

[Bill]

I have been using C4s almost every week for four years (30, 40 & 80). If you can find someone with a single 30 or 40 blade, I'd like to buy it. I'm the only one that ever broke one as near as I can tell. The blades don't fit well in my OMER foot pockets and I didn't like to glue them in because it made them stiffer. One day I tried a dive when both side rails were loose (didn't see it) and after the turn one of the 40s went crunch. It was my fault and I couldn't find the sales slip so instead of trying to get another and since the greenback was worth 50% more than now, I bought the 80s and glued them in. Best fin I ever had. The dives became 10-20 seconds longer and 3-4 meters deeper.
There have been many stories claiming that they're fragile but I haven't heard any first person accounts. I did see a video of some one ( Mark Laboccetta?) hammering a trailer hitch with one of the blades. Made a horrible loud noise but no damage.
Aloha
Bill

 

[Stavros]

In Greece I have heard of several cases of cracked C4 (we get photos of them from time to time on the Greekdivers forum). They have lost a great deal of market share especially because even if they don't break they aren't as efficient as most of the hand made carbonfins made locally

Cheers Stavros

 

[shoutatthesky]

Handmade carbon fins? Do you have any photos you could share?

 

[Stavros]

I am trying to attach the files (quite small size only a few kbs) but cannot seem to get the files through...

I am afraid it might be a firewall at my office's server...any ideas? (and do not suggest turning off the firewall as I do not have access to the server)

Stavros

 

[glennv]

I broke one and my grirfriend broke one as well . Same location . Across the screws. Now build one new pair from the remaining 2 and completely glued them in the footpockets. That is the only sure way to go with these otherwise fantastic fins. I use mustangs now . Screw connetion is at different place so they learned from the past, but i think I will still glue them soon. Just in case. Love the mustangs even more that the falcons.

p.s.
The video mentioned ( Are carbon fins fragile ??? (video) ) only show the resistance to breaking by beating it hard against someting. They are not "bend" on any of the videos but just hit. Freedivers generally dont hit on the fins but rather repreatedly bend them around the weakest point. Same with all the new videos on the C4 site which only show hammerd fins bending only a few centimeters because of the hammer.

 

[inseader]

Hi Glen and all,

I have to admit I am a little confused with all the different models of C4 fins ... and hope you guys can help. As I do not spearfish I am looking at fins for freediving only, DYN and CW. So my questions are:

1. Because it is for freediving only, are the Mustang 80 or the Falcons 80 the most appropriate of all the C4 fins ? or is that true for CW only but not for DYN ?
2. What about the "super Falcons" then ? are they just regular Falcons with Mustang footpockets only ? But then they are not available in 80 so for spearfishing mainly maybe ... :duh
3. I am sceptical about the shape of the Flap/Mustang blades... are they really more efficient than the Falcon's ? They do "look" strange...

I guess what I am really looking for is a ranking of the different models depending on usage (CW, DYN). Also, because I could only afford one pair, which model would be best for both usage.

Greatly appreciate your feedback.
Thanks.
Jacques.

 

[glennv]

The main advantage of the Mustangs is the footpockets. They look very wierd but feel like a pair of sneakers. The blades are identical in stiffness and response.
The only difference between the freediving/spearfishing versions of the mustangs is the siderails. For the spearfishing model they are tapered to make the fin more manoeverable. The freediving models have rails the same height along the entire blade for horizontal stability in one direction.

The length and stiffness choice is just a matter of personal taste. I like them very soft because i swimm very very slow and am very tall and with thin, not so powerfull legs. But that can be very different for a short powerfull guy.