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Someone on.. ApneaAddict..? did exactly that. They measured both performance in swimming laps and the force needed to bend the blades to 45°. The outcome was that there is some difference but not much. The tests included fiberglass, carbon and a random pair of rubber scuba fins. As performance measurement theyI wish someone would do a carbon vs good quality fiberglass fin comparison on dives going deep. Mayne throw some plastics in there.
I am betting what the result would be is good fiberglass would be not perform much worse at all than carbon. Then you have to consider fiberglass can take much more of a beating...
I do have to vote for Penetrator fins, even though I never tried them. Larry from Penetrator fins helped me enormously when I had to cut my blades to fit into the Pathos footpockets by sharing the template he uses to trim his blades. That sort of helpfulness is worth gold!I was looking at a pair of Penetrator composite fins and a pair of carbon fiber DiveR fins.
The Cressi 3000LDs have plastic blades/palmes aren't they? I've only used rubber blades (old fins) and plastic blades. Plastic work well for me, I am quite large and value their robustness.My primary fins are Imersion carbons. They are actually carbon fiber layers over a fiberglass core. I also have an older pair of fins with fiberglass blades (Specialfins). Both work fine
Dave Mullins a multiple world record holder once did a series of 30m dives with a wide array of fins, mostly carbon. He would up using Cressi 3000LDs because he liked them best. Afterwards he wrote me that fit and moderate flex were the most important aspects in choosing fins.
Imersion and Pathos have wide footpockets, and Cressi and Beauchat have narrow ones.
\In other words, there are lots of choices that are probably more important than carbon or fiberglass; fit and stiffness. Carbon have a faster response, but are prone to breakage if abused, while fiberglass is able to absorb more punishment, and is cheaper.
How much difference does that make in reality? A lot if it were a bicycleOne possible advantage for carbon blades not mentioned is lightness
Haha so one of the selling points actually has nothing to do with diving!Oh it helps. A couple of places I dive have 1 km walk ins. One down a very steep hill. Just switching from my heavy duty RA90 to superlight XXV 75 made things significantly easier. It's not just total mass but its distribution. Fins are now the most burdensome thing to carry. Lead is heavier but worn close to body.
Thank you for the advice! I just got back from the bahamas and got to try my friends composite penetrators in the cetma foot pockets. I found the penetrator softs tend to be a little more stiff taking more kicks to get to 50' then the Dive Rs. I was also very fortunate to try a pair of Dive R carbon Inegra blend while I was there. The Dive R soft were very smooth and I was able to get down quickly and spend more time on the bottom hunting. I have hammerhead foot pockets that already rubbed my big toes and ankle raw so I can't give the cetma and seac foot pockets view. Im probably going to go with the Dive R Inegra carbon blend the blade and keep looking for good foot pockets. The cetma footpockets fit really well except my toes stuck out too much lolTry as many fins as you can. Nothing can replace your own experience. Your flexibility, strength, kicking habits are unique. It has to feel right and you must be cramp-free in the footpocket. And do not try to save a 100 dollars for an item that can last you 5 years.
If you can not try it and must buy blindly try to get blades that can accept different footpockets. You can adapt your kicking style to various fins and stiffnesses but a bad footpocket is a deal breaker.
Also try to get something that is returnable for an obvious reason.
There is a Mares F740 that is a fiberglass fin with decent reviews (order-able from scubastore https://www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/mares-razor-f740/136794659/p). They are reasonably priced and the Mares footpocket accommodates basically any foot but it is has high instep and wide. I do not have any experience with these particular fins (I use Mares Razor carbon) but at least there are 3 reviews you can read,
Good luck!
In my opinion the issue is not the number of kicks but the amount of burned oxygen. Sometimes fewer kicks is better but not always. Also fewer kicks could be more strain and a potential cramp after a few hours. And a cramp can actually kill you - coming from a big depth in pain on one fin is no fun. As far as footpockets go (pardon me if you already know that) you should go with a size up and always wear a 3mm neoprene sock in a moderate to warm water. Ankle rub can be eliminated (if the sock does not help) by cutting a crescent-shape piece where it rubs. Before I had a surgery on my big toe I had a hole cut in my footpocket above the joint. You have to be creative if you do not have perfect feet. It is better to have a wider footpocket than you need as opposed to a more narrow one.Thank you for the advice! I just got back from the bahamas and got to try my friends composite penetrators in the cetma foot pockets. I found the penetrator softs tend to be a little more stiff taking more kicks to get to 50' then the Dive Rs. I was also very fortunate to try a pair of Dive R carbon Inegra blend while I was there. The Dive R soft were very smooth and I was able to get down quickly and spend more time on the bottom hunting. I have hammerhead foot pockets that already rubbed my big toes and ankle raw so I can't give the cetma and seac foot pockets view. Im probably going to go with the Dive R Inegra carbon blend the blade and keep looking for good foot pockets. The cetma footpockets fit really well except my toes stuck out too much lol
After being in the water with both fins for hours and diving with them I didn't get any cramping. Ive been told to just heat the foot pocket with a hair dryer or heat gun to remold them to my foot.In my opinion the issue is not the number of kicks but the amount of burned oxygen. Sometimes fewer kicks is better but not always. Also fewer kicks could be more strain and a potential cramp after a few hours. And a cramp can actually kill you - coming from a big depth in pain on one fin is no fun. As far as footpockets go (pardon me if you already know that) you should go with a size up and always wear a 3mm neoprene sock in a moderate to warm water. Ankle rub can be eliminated (if the sock does not help) by cutting a crescent-shape piece where it rubs. Before I had a surgery on my big toe I had a hole cut in my footpocket above the joint. You have to be creative if you do not have perfect feet. It is better to have a wider footpocket than you need as opposed to a more narrow one.
And you might want to look into the Mako brand. Again, I am not endorsing this company nor I own any of its equipment. But my research tells me that the owner is very accommodating and the prices are very reasonable. Plus they are USA-based. I am intrigued by their carbon fins clad in plastic in the footpocket area. Once my mares bites the dust I might give Mako a try. Mako also has fiberglass fins
You can stretch SOME footpockets this way but you fit is Mares you can not mold Cressi like that - too narrow.After being in the water with both fins for hours and diving with them I didn't get any cramping. Ive been told to just heat the foot pocket with a hair dryer or heat gun to remold them to my foot.
Im probably going to go with the Dive R Inegra carbon blend the blade
I'll let you know how it goes with the fins. My friend Stephanie you can follow her on Instagram @freediversteph or @sailavie has had her Dive Rs for a couple years and loves them. You can also check out this video Florida Free divers put up.I am very curious of what you think of these specific blades in the long term. I am thinking of bringing in these fins to use and to sell but they are the most expensive blades I have seen around and I am hesitant to spend that much money, they have to be miles ahead of the rest to justify the cost. Please let me know how it works out for you.
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