Fix blade vs. modular

[Saagax]

I have been diving for a long time and choosing a fin has always been a problem, there are too many models, information and advantages to choose from and little is said about the disadvantages or potential problems (and little info about that).

I'm getting into freediving al although there are less options but the same problem, can you tell me the difference and advantages of a fixed blade compared to a modular one (let's say the Cressi Gara 2000 HF vs the Modular).

 

[martin366]

Modular is new model (probably better). You can change blades - put carbon/fiberglass blades to it
My recommentation is to buy fiberglass or carbon fins.
Best bang for the buck fins are Leaderfins. (With Stingray or Pathos footpockets)

Good luck!

 

[hteas]

It depends on several things.
Fit is very important. Cressi footpockets are narrow, Imersion are wide.
Stiffness is also. If you buy modular fins, you can change if you need to. However, most divers don't seem to have multiple blades for a set of footpockets. They stay with what they purchase.
After you find fins that fit, and at a stiffness you want, look at what is available to see whether both groups are available.
Both kinds will last a long time with reasonable care.
Do you want to buy fins and never think about it again?
or, do you tend to look for something better or want something new to play with after a while?
My carbon fiber Imersion fins are fixed, while my old Dessault footpockets with SpecialFins fiberglass blades is modular. Both kinds work. I just wanted to try carbon, and they fit the best.

 

[Saagax]

It depends on several things.
Fit is very important. Cressi footpockets are narrow, Imersion are wide.
Stiffness is also. If you buy modular fins, you can change if you need to. However, most divers don't seem to have multiple blades for a set of footpockets. They stay with what they purchase.
After you find fins that fit, and at a stiffness you want, look at what is available to see whether both groups are available.
Both kinds will last a long time with reasonable care.
Do you want to buy fins and never think about it again?
or, do you tend to look for something better or want something new to play with after a while?
My carbon fiber Imersion fins are fixed, while my old Dessault footpockets with SpecialFins fiberglass blades is modular. Both kinds work. I just wanted to try carbon, and they fit the best.

I like having my gear up to date, but fins is one of the items that I don't find a lot of difference trough time, I still SCUBA dive with a pair of SCUBAPRO Gorilla that must be at least 15 years old, they do their job better than many "technologically advanced" fins.

So in this case I might stick with them for a long while, and that is why I'm trying to make the right choice.

Having several sets of blades is not what I'm looking in the modulars but being able to replace the blade in case that one breaks (I've heard that long blades are more fragile than the ones of regular fins).

The Cressi Gara 2000 HF fit me fine but I have not used them in the water and blisters is one thing no one likes after a short dive.

I like going top of the line but right now my budget is a little bit tight and I don't want to buy an expensive set of fins that won't fit right, also being new and not getting the most out of gear is kind of silly (teenager driving a brand new Ferrari).

 

[hteas]

Since the Cressis fit well, they probably would be a good choice. The softer Cressi 3000 LDs might be a better choice if you are worried about blisters. Dave Mullins (multiple world record holder) uses them to go past 30 m on a regular basis, so they can't be bad.

I never go without neoprene socks, so I have no direct experience with long blades and blisters.Maybe someone else can add their experience.

Both fixed and modular plastic fins have a reputation for being tougher than fiberglass or carbon. The carbon blades are the most fragile, although they have gotten better. Fiberglass is much better, and may be as tough as plastic

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Since the Cressis fit well, they probably would be a good choice. The softer Cressi 3000 LDs might be a better choice if you are worried about blisters. Dave Mullins (multiple world record holder) uses them to go past 30 m on a regular basis, so they can't be bad.

I never go without neoprene socks, so I have no direct experience with long blades and blisters.Maybe someone else can add their experience.

Both fixed and modular plastic fins have a reputation for being tougher than fiberglass or carbon. The carbon blades are the most fragile, although they have gotten better. Fiberglass is much better, and may be as tough as plastic

My impression is that fiberglass is much tougher than plastic. Right after I bought my Matrix fiberglass blades, which have no downward angle from the pockets, 20Fathoms came out with their Edge blades, which are the same but with drop. Since the straight blades are not as good for swimming on the surface, I figured that I would just replace them with Edge after they wore out. A few years later, they were still just like new, so I gave up and bought the Edge anyway. I've had them a few years, and they are still just like new. Plastic blades lose their stiffness after a while and get floppy. The fiberglass don't.

I've heard so many great things about Moana carbon fiber fins that I have a pair on order, but my fiberglass are still kicking just like they did on the first day I used them.