Durable / efficient fins

[dan magone]

For the last 3 or 4 years I have been using Omer Bat 30 fins size 13 foot pockets for use here in Alaska with 3/8" booties and smaller foot pockets to fit 1/8" booties for pool workouts and tropical diving.

On my last trip to Mexico on the last day on the last dive of the last drift one of the blades failed when it broke through the screw attachment area. I had so many hours on those fins I could not complain.

For replacement fins I ordered the new Omer Pegroso type fin and found it to be a joy to use in my pool workouts compared to the old Bat 30's. However it was not long before the rubber edgeing that secures the fiberglass blade to the foot pocket rail failed letting the blade come loose at the side. I was sent new rubber to replace the damage stuff and told to use black 5200 to secure it to the blade. The standard 5200 takes a week to cure, what a pain. Anyway 2 or 4 swimming hours later the rubber edgeing came loose from the 5200 so I am repairing them again in as technical a manner as I can.

So of course now I am concerned that these fins will ever be dependable on a remote spearfishing trip that is a year in the planning.

Should a guy get away from these fiberglass blades for dependability? I would be interested to hear from others who have put some miles on long fins.

Dan

 

[Silentspear]

These are indestructable, super responsive and cheap... They are PERFECT.


20 Fathoms - Matrix Fins

 

[strangelove]

These are indestructable, super responsive and cheap... They are PERFECT.


20 Fathoms - Matrix Fins

I think his problem is the foot pocket, but since one can use the matrix with picasso pockets that is the way to go.

Matrix with picasso pockets.

 

[Silentspear]

Picasso has two great footpockets. Both are very strong and durable.

 

[hteas]

Hi Dan,
Strangelove and I have been useing SpecialFins fiberglass or hybrid fins for the last few years and had no problems.
Did you rough up the surfaces on both materials before using the 5200?
Then clamp it down tight (somehow)
If the 5200 really doesn't work, try superglue. I've seen several comments about using it. Again, rough up the surfaces first.
If nothing else works, go the the Imersion E-greens. If you're ever in town for long enough, you can try mine.
Howard

 

[strangelove]

My blade still brand new but the omer pocket on the fin in Brazil broke, the little tip , still with plenty of life but I can't say is brand new.

 

[flying_spanner]

I've just stepped out of my Immersion Esclapez - Greens.

These fins have prooved to be very rugged and durable. I've been using them for over a year, diving most weekends and they've never failed me.

Nor had they failed the previous owner.

Nor should they fail the young kid I donated them to in our local dive club.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I've used Matrix blades in Picasso Black Team pockets for a few years and they are good as new. But this summer I got Edge blades in Picasso Black Team pockets, and prefer the angled blade for surface swimming.

 

[Erik]

I agree on switching footpockets if possible- fiberglass is the cat's meow. I'd add that I never go spearfishing without a spare pair of fins, just in case!

 

[cdavis]

Hi Dan,

I had the same problem on a set of Waterways fiberglass blades. My problem might have been related to testing the blades before I drilled holes to match my Spora pockets. Whatever, once they started to go, nothing I tried worked and I got zero help from Waterways. I've heard that some type of loctite works well. Jon might know the answer to that.

I can vouch for Specialfins, my kelpies are wonderful. I've had'em for years, they seem indestructible, and the finish work is light years ahead of waterways.

That said, spares are a life saver.

Good luck on yours

Connor

 

[Jon]

I had one pair of blades that came glued into OMER pockets with Aquaseal adn they came apart after a couple of months. I took the fins apart, cleaned out the gunk, and reglued them with 5200 and never had another problem.

The big trouble I had with Special Fins was with my monofin- not their bi-fins. The OMER footpockets that were glued onto the monofin ripped apart and seperated from the blade. I sent them back ot the factory once and they last less than a month. I was going to send it back again when they told me tough luck. I've since tried to re-glue them myself with no luck- Whopperhead tried as well and also couldn't get it to work. I don't blame OMER for the ripped pocket because that's not what they were designed to do. I do know that the Waterway NEMO has a better glue job holding their footpockets in place than the specialfins mono- but not as nice of a blade angle for efficency.

The toughest fins I've owned have been Picasso Black teams, Esclapez Black blades, Sporasub Radical's and some Cressi 3000's that I had a chance to try. Backing up a pair of fiber/carbon fins with some plastic ones is a good idea on a big trip. Last warm water trip I took lasted two weeks and I snapped my Sporasub PURE carbon blades 3 days into the trip. I didn't have any decent bakc up fins, as they were all left at home, so I ended up limping along with some floppy snorkel fins- which was fine for scuba but sucked for freediving.
It's not a mistake that I'll make again any tme soon.:blackeye

Jon

 

[spaghetti]

I've never, never seen, heard or read about a Cressi Gara getting broken, neither Gara 2000 HF, nor 3000 HF and LD.
If durability is the main concern, Cressi Gara maybe the lifelong fin. Plastic, though.

 

[strangelove]

I've never, never seen, heard or read about a Cressi Gara getting broken, neither Gara 2000 HF, nor 3000 HF and LD.
If durability is the main concern, Cressi Gara maybe the lifelong fin. Plastic, though.

Nope, I've sold a cressi 2000 to a friend in Brazil who spear fish for leaving and he broke the cressi in 11 months. But this guys does 4 trips a week, since he sells the fish, so his middle name should be chain saw. The reason he bought my cressi was to replace his broken old cressi.

But I agree they last a long time in normal usage.

 

[cdavis]

Cressi Rondine Garas used to break at the end of the foot pocket side rails, but not without a huge amount of use. Happened to a couple of my buddies. I broke one of mine, must have had a thousand hours on it. Also, it stayed together for months, slowly cracking farther and farther, still quite usable. From what I can tell, all of todays Cressi blades are harder than the old Rondines. One thing though, foot pocket on all the Cressis is a bit narrow for big booties.

Connor

 

[hteas]

Dan,
When you're in the pool, do you shove off the side?
If so, are you bending the blades a bunch?
If so, that may be the source of the problem. I never push off the bottom or the side of the pool. It's just too hard on the fins.
I push off gently or push off with my arm and glide until I'm clear of the bottom or wall.
Howard

 

[dan magone]

Hello Howard,
On my pool turns in the shallow end I pike, left hand touches the bottom of the pool, I extend my right arm and push off the wall, my fins come out of the water straight up as I pivot over my left hand. My fins come into the water on the down stroke so the top of the fin is pushing me away from the wall. Rarely but on occasion the outside edge of the left fin will contact the edge of the pool if I don't execute the turn well. At the deep end I pike and dive to the bottom before turning which keeps me clear of the wall.

I gotta go do my shipwright thing, catch ya later.

Dan

 

[Erik]

It's been a while since I was in a competition, but I believe that you would be disqualified if the fins break the surface. Anyone feel free to correct me

 

[Spear0Joe]

I agree on switching footpockets if possible- fiberglass is the cat's meow. I'd add that I never go spearfishing without a spare pair of fins, just in case!

So your saying Erik, EVERYTIME that you go spearfishing you carry a spare pair of fins on your float? I don't think I could do that!

 

[Erik]

Oh no, not on my float! But certainly in my car or on the boat.

 

[dan magone]

Hello Erik,
I have never seen anyone else swim in a pool with big fins I am just figuring things out on my own up here. But I am open to any tips or suggestions as to how it's done in the real world.

thanks

Dan