Fin choice implications

[pragma]

Hello all,

I'm interested in doing some borderline freediving (borderline with snorkeling!) while on a vacation in a few weeks. I can hold my breath around a minute and I have done some diving while snorkeling before.

I do not intend to go any deeper than 15-20 feet or so, nor can I stay under for more than a minute.

Do I need "freediving fins"? Or can I get away with a smaller, stiffer but so much more convenient and compact fin such as the Zeagle Teleoz? I want to buy a fin to last, but my ambitions currently do not include diving any deeper than 20-30 feet.

Thanks for any advice.

Paul

 

[ash]

Hi Paul

If you are flying to your vacation, you may have trouble getting a set of freediving fins on the plane. Mine don’t fit in any of my suitcases and I am not prepared to risk them in a soft dive bag.

I used to take them as cabin baggage and would just hope that no one told me I couldn’t take them onboard. I never had any trouble but I suppose I will have to find a long suitcase before I fly with them again.

As for snorkeling/freediving with short fins, it can definitely be done. Freediving fins are fantastic, even for scuba use but you can still have an immense amount of fun at shallow depths with conventional scuba fins.

Don't sell yourself short however. If the freediving bug bites, your current 20-30 foot depth range may go out the window and then you will need a set of freediving fins anyway.

Ash

 

[Mako]

Paul--

Try out any of the full-foot diving fins from the major scuba manufacturers. They're usually around 26" long and barely fit in a carry-on duffel bag. The full-foot fins are lighter and more efficient than their heel-strap counterparts, plus they're usually cheaper (under US$50).

My experience has been that this type of fin is sufficient for dives to at least 30ft; but if you wanna go deeper or wear a lot of weight, you'll probably want a set of longfins.

Hope that helps!

-Mako

 

[loopy]

Paul,

Martin Stepanek did 70m in competition (74 or 76 or something in training) on small rubber hockey fins, so don't think you're cutting yourself short by not having big fins

 

[A Brownsword]

Originally posted by loopy
Paul,

Martin Stepanek did 70m in competition (74 or 76 or something in training) on small rubber hockey fins, so don't think you're cutting yourself short by not having big fins

Yeah, but that's Martin... I wouldn't judge what is best for myself based on what he does! The guy is a machine, a nice and friendly machine, but a machine nonetheless.

 

[w3ac]

Hey Paul,
Start off slow. Freediving and spearfishing are awesome sports but they are not for everyone. Getting serious and buying lots of gear gets really expensive. Not only that but if you have a significant other/family, spending lots of money on a new hobby can really piss the lady off. I would suggest getting a pair of comfortable short blade fins. This will allow you to stay in the water for hours, will not hurt your feet, and will make your dive that much more enjoyable. At this point, brand name shouldn't matter. It could be a pair of generic US Diver fins from Walmart or it could be some Cressi Free Frogs from a dive shop. The main thing you are going for is comfort and fit. As you progress and fall in love with diving, which you probably will, then start looking to upgrade your gear. This forum is a great source of info and gear can be had at amazingly cheap prices. Have fun, dive safe, welcome.

Brad :martial

 

[Windrifter]

follow up

this thread looks long dead, but in case anyone glances at it . . .

I'm kind of in the same place as Paul -- I love snorkeling and skin diving at shallower depths and don't stay under very long.

My question is that given you can get a pair of Sporasub Dessault for $75 to $100, as well as other good long fins, why would there be an advantage of getting shorter fins for depths up to 20 ft, assuming one doesn't mind learning to kick properly? (well, other than they fit in the dive bag more easily)?

--CO

 

[w3ac]

The shorties are cheaper (usually), easier to transport, are more forgiving on the legs and are easier to use. Long fins require some getting used to. The benefits of longblades far outweigh the shortcomings. If you got the money, I would say go for a soft longblade like the Sporasub or Escalpez. A word of warning, once you go longblade you will not want to go back to shorties. What limited scuba I do, I still use my longblades. I am too used to them and I feel like the older scuba fins have no power. I get tired and end up burning my tank a lot faster.

Brad

 

[Windrifter]

Thanks, Brad. Regarding the Escapez, do you mean the green, or the black, or do you know if either is fine? Also, do you (or anyone) have an opinion on the Cressi gara 3000 for my kind of use--being that they are more flexible (than the 2000HF)?

:hmm

--Clinton

 

[w3ac]

The green is a softer blade but either would probably work as Escalpez blades aren't all that stiff. I don't know too much about the Cressi 3000 but there is a thread about it. You might try doing a search and see what turns up.

Brad