Fin Lineup - Any Questions?

[Ozzy]

Yep Wabo, I have been doing a bit more looking around and the feeling seems pretty general about teh variants (including Mikko) and the dessaulats look better too. The prices are heaps better over in the states rather than in australia so I reckon I'll have a chat to the boys on the scubastore and see what they can do for me, shipping wise. Thanks fro the comments it has definately helped me to make my mind up, cheers.

And Wabo the comparison you speak of with how many kicks it takes over 25m, is quite interesting coz we spend between 4-8 hours a day in the water......2 kicks every 25m = heaps of energy saved.......

Any of you guys bought through the store, is it ok??

 

[ash]

Oz - I have been buying from the Scubastore for about 3 years and have never had a hassle with them. Shipping cost is a major factor but it's still cheaper than buying locally as I said earlier.

It would be nice if they offered a slower and cheaper alternative to the DHL air they use. I wouldn’t mind waiting a bit longer for my stuff if it saved a fair amount on the shipping.

Ash

 

[Wabostyle]

Anytime Ozzy....

I also have dealt with Scubastore on several different occasions. Each time, service was second to none, and pricing could not be beat. Shipping however is pricey, but even with their high shipping charges, they still beat out all the LDS's in my area for the same product. As Ash said, if there was a slower and cheaper alternative for shipping, I would order from them all the time....

 

[Ozzy]

Cheers Wabo, I have sent the fellas at scubastore an email asking about prices of shipping etc.......and thanks for the recommendation for the store too

Oz

 

[Roan]

You take the biggest hit on the initial weight and size (a large pair of fins, let's say) of your order with Scubastore, as you add smaller and lighter things to your order the shipping hardly goes up. I try to do my orders that way or team up with someone else.

Signed,
A Recovering ScubaStore addict.

 

[Jon]

Roan is right about combining orders. Ted and I do it all the time. As soon as one guy want to order something we let the other one know so we can split the shipping and just make it one big order.

I also second the idea of a slower, meaining cheaper, delivery service. Maybe some of the higher-ups at Scuba Sotre will read this and do something about it?

Jon

 

[Pezman]

Do a little poking around w/ domestic vendors too -- sometimes the prices are surprising. LeisurePro always has decent prices. Although they have a limited amount of freediving stuff, they sometimes have what you want and it's cheap. DiversDiscount had Dessaults for $80 earlier this year. Pirate Scuba has Variants on clearance for $80 and C40's for $330.

When you factor in shipping, domestic suppliers often win for onesy-twosey orders. I'm all for favoring the DB shop, but not at all costs and the shipping frequently breaks the deal for me.

 

[Ozzy]

Well after a lot of digging around and listening to you guys on this and other forums too........I have decided to go with the Sporasub Quattro's.......I was really leaning towards the Sporasub H Dessaults.

The price was good on DB shop but the freight was a killer and as soon as I mentioned to the guys about getting some gear from OS and if they wanted to get some too, which would help with freight costs.....They all looked at me.....well...a bit wierd so I just decided to go with what was easy.....cheers for all the input guys

Oz

 

[ash]

My Specialfins Hybrids have arrived!

Not even 2 weeks after I ordered them and they are waiting at home for me to get my grubby paws (and feet) all over them. Only problem is home is 230km away and I won't be there until Friday - the anticipation is driving me up the wall

Now if only the weather will sort itself out before the weekend, I may get actually get them wet.

Ash

 

[Kabullet]

Lots of good info here, thanks guys. I have been using Goldfin evolutions for the last 10 years or so(Same pair!) They recently cracked, and i have moved to Blackteams. My question is how well do the carbons and non plastic fins hold up to shore entries. We do 99% of our diving from shore, and spend some time sliding over rocks etc(Often not by choice!)

Any feedback on this would be great, could not bear to part with my monthly income on a pair of carbons and see them destroyed on a return through large surf!


Tony.

 

[Mikko]

Tony,

If you read this thread through you'll notice that some will make it...some will not. This issue is not as simple as being CF/fibreglass will crack and plastics will not. Materials are naturally important but in my opinion it is more important HOW the blade is produced using these materials.

All Spearo Line fins from SpecialFins are designed take all beating involved in coast launching without a hitch.

But, my opinion and statement is not unbiased.....

Sven has prepared a review which will be published here in DB shortly.....read that and see what you think.

I can only say for a fact that so called pure carbon fins will not survive coast launches in your conditions.

Hope that helped,
Mikko

 

[unirdna]

Tony,

Basically, any of the plastic fins will hold up. The three kinds are traditional molded, fiberglass, and hand-laid resin plastic. Of course, you'll scuff the bajeezus out of any of these, but shouldn't have to worry about any crackin.

Here's the Cliffs Notes (as I understand ):

1. Traditional molded plastic: eg. Blackteams, H.Dessaults, Garas, Esclapez, Milleniums, etc. Not-so 'snappy' fin, with blade angle. +/- 100 US Dollars

2. Fiberglass: eg. Matrix/Waterway, Specialfins Stereoclassic, Omer Bat. 'Snappy' fin with strait blade (no angle near footpocket). Cut from sheets of fiberglass and machined to desired thickness/dimension. +/- 200 US Dollars

3. Hand-laid resin: eg. Specialfins Stereopro / Spearo blades (only maker, as far as I know). 'Snappy' fin with blade angle. Manufactured from 'scratch'. Dimension/thickness is a function of how (how much) the plastics/chemicals are fabricated. +/- 250 US Dollars

And as Mikko mentioned, we are all eagerly awaiting His Majesty's review :hmm.

Ted

 

[ash]

I arrived home to find only 1 pair of Specialfins Hybrids waiting for me, I don't qualify for 4 sets like His Majesty

Being a loudmouth South African, I am not often left speechless but these things had me dumbstruck. They are absolutely gorgeous and the quality of the construction is amazing. I don't know if I should dive with them or put them in a glass cabinet and just look at them

I guess I'll have to grit my teeth and actually see how they feel in the water but if they dive anywhere near as good as they look, I'll be a happy camper to say the least.

BTW -Where is that review?

Ash

 

[Mikko]

Please, beat the s#¤% out of them! That's what they are made for!;-)

Cheers,
Mikko

 

[Kabullet]

Thanks for the info Mikka and unirdna. Will wait for the review and see what happens.I am not in the league that could see the diff in using upper end blades, well not yet anyway. Will keep plodding along in my blackteams which suit my conditions and my bank balance.. : )

 

[miles]

Hiya Tony,

I've got a pair of specialfins hybrids, and i'm very, very, very happy with them. I also used a pair of black teams and these fins absolutely annihilate those black teams. The difference is unbelievable. I've got my pair about 2months now, and i dive on average twice a week(sometimes 3-4times ). I've done shore entries but most of them are boat dives. 90% of my diving is reef or kelp hunting, so these fins get knocked around quite a bit on the reefs. They've got a few scratches on them but other than that, they're ok. Don't think that you'll have a problem with them.

If you come down to cape town any time soon, you're more than welcome to test my pair. I promise you that you won't want to go back to your black teams!!

Regards
miles

 

[Kabullet]

Thanks Miles! may hold you to that..Started a thread on powerheads, need some info.

 

[icarus pacific]

to all my subjects

For all those waiting for my review- firstly, I'm flattered. I sent it to DB Freedive Editor Paul Kotick shortly after completing it and I hear it's going to appear as an article. I have no idea when.
My majesty only goes so far... :blackeye

 

[Kabullet]

Great article

Sven your article was better than i could have expected. very informative and unbias:t Thanks for all the effort(Im sure it was really hard to test all those news fins ) i will start to save for my next pair of fins...

 

[Jon]

Ok Svenster,

Give us the detailed breakdown between the C4's and the Pro Hybrids.

I know that the Pro's are durable, but C4's, bought through OMER, now have a 2 year warrenty on them. I haven't tried the Pro Hybrid's yet, but the C4-40's are still the smoothest fin I have used to date.

Did you compare number of kick cycles to/from depth? Or time how long it took to swim a lap in a pool? I would imagine that the Pro's are more manuverable, do to the desgin of the blade, but how are they for the pure north/south action?

Also, still waiting on those other fins you were going to forward for Freedive-A-palooza.


Jon