cressi gara 3000ld or omer ice?

[Newbie_spearo]

i wear the socks in the pool, only cos the foot pockets are fairly large and hurt my feet when they slop around. couldn't imagine diving in southern Aus waters without socks!

 

[Mr. X]

Re. blades, are they a standard size or has Omer just become the de facto standard footpocket? For example, do Beuchat foot pockets (which I use & like) accept Omer blades?

Just to tie up a loose end:

Another forum member (Daryl Wong no less) likes Beuchat footpockets -apparently similar fit to Cressi -- and swaps out the blades for C4 carbon blades: http://forums.deeperblue.net/700324-post4.html

If you read down the thread, you can either modify regular Omer-style C4 blades or order C4 blades made specifically for Beuchat foot pockets. Trux reckons Omer blades can also be made to fit. [Although the thread is about somebody with narrow feet & a preference for Cressi/Beuchat foot pockets -- let me just say, my feet definitely are not narrow but the fit is still good. Having read the threads, I'll try Omers next though.]

 

[Marwan]

x..i think that omers now sell their blades with no holes in them..so...if you buy a pair of omers, you could fit them on a beuchat footpocket and then drill the hole to be in line with the beuchat...
this advice could be theortical of course as i have no experience at ll with the beuchat footpocket, i dont know of the problem will be hole position only or is there something else, but if it is hole position only then there you go...

 

[azapa]

just my opinion: i have bought three pairs of fins: Immersion Esclapez Greens, Cressi 3000LD, and Omer Millennium Runners. The later are the only ones getting dusty in my garage, the others I use all the time. I found the Omers too stiff and the footpocket to wide and unresponsive. I think there is much to be said about going for the softest fin you can, even for depth related work.

 

[Old Man Dave]

I've used carbon, GRP, "ordinary" plastic and Omer Ice fins for spearfishing and without a doubt the Ice have been the best, for me anyway. Takes a while to get used to any fin and footpocket fit effects performance, but I have found the ice fins to be very forgiving and perhaps that's the secret. I'm not a deep diver but do a lot of surface swimming and repeat dives to 30 foot. Occasionally I have found the ice fins lack a bit of "grunt" when required to push for the surface, especially compared to carbon blades (in the same footpocket by the way) but I have never felt anything but confident with the ice fins.

My opinion anyway.

Dave

 

[ulysses]

Just to tie up a loose end:

Another forum member (Daryl Wong no less) likes Beuchat footpockets -apparently similar fit to Cressi -- and swaps out the blades for C4 carbon blades: http://forums.deeperblue.net/700324-post4.html

If you read down the thread, you can either modify regular Omer-style C4 blades or order C4 blades made specifically for Beuchat foot pockets . Trux reckons Omer blades can also be made to fit.

As I mentioned before:

Beuchat and Omer pockets or blades are, in principle, not interchangeable, because

(1) the pre-drilled holes (if any) cannot be aligned with the ones in the pockets;
(2) the groove in the Beuchat pocket rails is narrower.

C4 Falcons / Flaps come in one form only.
C4 blades are made to match Tecnosport/Aquatic = Omer Tuna = Spetton and H.Dessault/Sporasub pockets, i.e.

(1) blade/pocket holes are aligned;
(2) t-shape rubber profile on the blades fits into the rails;
(3) tip of pocket arms/rails are closed and fit into slots at the middle of the C4 blades.

(1) and (2) applies to Omer Milleniums, as well, but they don't allow (3).

None of the above (1-3) applies to Beuchat pockets. This means, you will have to

(1a) drill new holes into blades (not recommended) or
(1b) glue the blades into the pockets;
(2) remove or at least partially remove the t-shape rubber profile from the blades;
(3) glue the rails on the blade.

I hope this helps to tie up the loose ends

Cheers,
ulysses

 

[azapa]

As mentioned before:

None of the above (1-3) applies to Beuchat pockets. This means, you will have to

(1a) drill new holes into blades (not recommended) or
(1b) glue the blades into the pockets;
(2) remove or at least partially remove the t-shape rubber profile from the blades;
(3) glue the rails on the blade.

I hope this helps to tie up the loose ends

Cheers,
ulysses

I think there is a (4) there too ulysses, the one that scares me most: the C4 fins are thicker and the edges need "grinding down" to fit in the grooves of the Beuchat pockets?? I read this somewhere here, but have no experience my self. I will probably go this route gluing in to avoid re-drilling. I think "super glue" or cyanoacrylate is the way to go?

 

[ulysses]

I think there is a (4) there too ulysses, the one that scares me most: the C4 fins are thicker and the edges need "grinding down" to fit in the grooves of the Beuchat pockets?? I read this somewhere here, but have no experience my self. I will probably go this route gluing in to avoid re-drilling. I think "super glue" or cyanoacrylate is the way to go?

Azapa,

nope

The 'grinding down' of the 'edges' must be a misunderstanding - on C4 Falcons / Flaps there are no edges (apart from the rubber t-profile glued on the blade).

The C4 blades without lateral t-profile are actually thinner than the standard Beuchat blades and without the profile easily fit into the grooves.

That is the reason why you need to glue them into the pockets after you remove the rubber t-profile. Cyanoacrylate is one option. However, I prefer Sikaflex 291 or Patex Repair Extreme; they remain flexible.

BTW: I am talking practice here, not theory.

Cheers,
ulysses

 

[Mr. X]

As I mentioned before...

Yes, sorry Ulysses I missed your earlier post but noticed it this morning while reviewing the thread. You answered my question almost immediately, thanks.

 

[tozstyle]

I have the Omer millenium black , Omer Millenium foot pocket with BAT camo blades , which I have now changed for the ICE blades.

To be honest the blacks were alot of hard work , not great on the surface , and a bit beginerish ( which is what I was at the time) then changed for the BAT blades , these were great for getting you down and a lot easier than the blacks and were ok on the surface ....... then i bought the ICE blades for the cool factor ! but was suprised that they were fantastic all round, I'm not saying they are competion blades for getting you into the mariana trench but they are really easy to use especially on the surface and will definatly get you down to neccesary depths.

(to be honest with you I was only buying them for asthetic reasons and thought they were going to be like the blacks, but I'm really really happy with the performance, they nothing like the blacks )

I think my next blades will be Carbon fibre, I want to start training for 30m. But ..... will definatly stay with the foot pockets, they are really comfortable, did a 3hr spearo session yesterday ( no foot trouble ).

 

[ickledevil]

Ok all, have some info to add after my previous posts on the millenium Ice fins.
Well I agree with the above I still think they are a good all round fin and I get on great with them, however yesterday during a 20m dive one of my millenium Ice fins snapped on the way up, it stayed in one piece and I was able to ascend almost as normal. I noticed it as a clicking feeling almost like I was kicking my float line. It snapped in exactly the same place as my friends did last year (as I mentioned earlier). Not sure what this says about the fins myself, they are definately great all rounders and cool as a bonus but despite this it appears they may still have some issues, two fins snapping in the same place during normal use with no warning (that either of us noticed) seems more than coincidence. However i've only ever had good service from Omer and i'm off to email them a photo of the damage and see what their reply is. I'll withold making a descision on my future useage till then,
Joe

 

[ulysses]

... however yesterday during a 20m dive one of my millenium Ice fins snapped on the way up ... during normal use with no warning

OUCH! Not the first and not the last ...

Cheers, ulysses

 

[Mr. X]

Read in a couple of places that the ice blades have a 3 year warranty - presumably so that people are not put off buying them by the odd report like this (the second I've seen).

 

[ickledevil]

Yeah apparently they do, think I mentioned my friend who had the same problem and got the offending fin replaced under warrenty. Just awaiting my reply from omer now. Would be nice if it hadn't happened but I'll admit that before they snapped they really were nice. Also awaiting a quote on a pair of C4's.. its gonna be a expensive month, broke two guns too!

 

[Mr. X]

... think I mentioned my friend who had the same problem and got the offending fin replaced under warrenty...

If they are the forum member that posted last year (Devon/Cornwall thread?) probably the same case. If not, then 3rd incident. That is a bad month, must be wearing them out with all the bass you're catching (no such problem here).