Anyone got the noew cressi gara 3000 yet? are they any good? how much are they too, scubaland.fr dont seem to stop cressi fins anymore
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Gara 3000
- Thread starterDevonDiver
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
No clue!! I heard about the 3000's...got excited...looked for information...found nothing.
I would love to hear some news, but even the Cressi site offers no real help. Sorry. But if anyone cares to read this apparently dead thread, maybe you could offer some information. Some of us would like to know.
I would love to hear some news, but even the Cressi site offers no real help. Sorry. But if anyone cares to read this apparently dead thread, maybe you could offer some information. Some of us would like to know.
I bought a pair a couple of months ago. Unfortunately I can't compare them except to the old pair of normal skindiving fins I have, as the Garas are the first real pair of freediving fins I've gotten. They are quite long - longer than the Gara 2000 series and present lots of resistance. After a couple of times in the water and practicing regularly in the pool with them I'm starting to feel comfortable.
According to the dive shop owner they are supposed to have excellent channeling (on the bottom of the fins) so on the up stroke you also get a good impulse. I find myself moving quite fast with minimal leg movement, but remember - my comparison is with a pair of good but normal skindiving fins that I basically used for bodysurfing until the end of last summer when I got into freediving.
The shoe is from the Gara 2000 fins and I use 3mm neoprene socks. The cost was 98 Euros.
Hope this helps, I can send pictures if you like.
Adrian
According to the dive shop owner they are supposed to have excellent channeling (on the bottom of the fins) so on the up stroke you also get a good impulse. I find myself moving quite fast with minimal leg movement, but remember - my comparison is with a pair of good but normal skindiving fins that I basically used for bodysurfing until the end of last summer when I got into freediving.
The shoe is from the Gara 2000 fins and I use 3mm neoprene socks. The cost was 98 Euros.
Hope this helps, I can send pictures if you like.
Adrian
I'd be interested in pictures. It sounds like the 3000's solve my one big complaint about the 2000's -- namely that the upstroke is weak compared to the downstroke.
I think that this bias may account for peoples' observations that the 2000 is great for vertical action, mediocre for horizontal and just plain bad on the surface. On surface swimming, the bias causes your legs to drift upward and break the surface and almost no amount of compensating can drive them down where they ought to be, so your feet come free of the surface on the upstroke and slap uselessly on the downstroke. You have to cop a really bizarre posture to counteract this.
Do you have any opinions on how well the 3000's behave on the surface?
I think that this bias may account for peoples' observations that the 2000 is great for vertical action, mediocre for horizontal and just plain bad on the surface. On surface swimming, the bias causes your legs to drift upward and break the surface and almost no amount of compensating can drive them down where they ought to be, so your feet come free of the surface on the upstroke and slap uselessly on the downstroke. You have to cop a really bizarre posture to counteract this.
Do you have any opinions on how well the 3000's behave on the surface?
Yeah, I'd also like to see a picture. Would you happen to know if there are any sites that are selling them? I have not yet seen them around. I know that the LD's are discontinued, I just don't know if the 3000 is supposed to replace it or if it is supposed to be a stiffer higher performace fin than the HF.
Also, on a completely unrelated topic...have you heard of Metalsub? I think they are supposed to be Spanish; aren't Picasso's Spanish too, or are they Italian? It's not important but for some reason I feel the silly need to know.
Also, on a completely unrelated topic...have you heard of Metalsub? I think they are supposed to be Spanish; aren't Picasso's Spanish too, or are they Italian? It's not important but for some reason I feel the silly need to know.
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Pez, there's a way to get around this. I took off about 3-4inches off the top rails of the HF's so that the downstroke is "lighter" than normal. I used to steel my buddies LD's everytime I visit him, but he now won't let me near them. So, I just figured out how to modify my HF's and it totally works. Surface swimming w/ them is just like the LD's but has more power on the upstroke.
I too, would like to know where people are getting the 3000's.
Anderson
please post some pics of the new Gara fins, I saw a pic in Spearfishing magazine about new products coming out and they looked pretty cool, I would like to get a pair, I wonder if Divein will carry them soon?
BladeRunner OUT
BladeRunner OUT
Thanatos:
Metalsub is Spanish and their central office is located near Barcelona. I tried to access Picassoamerica's website but it seems to be down. I don't know where they are from.
I bought my pair of Gara's from a scuba store in Figueres, a town just a half hour south from France.
Pezman:
About breaking the surface when swimming, I'll look into that more closely when I next get in the water and check the relation between the up and down strokes. Probably tomorrow.
Adrian
Metalsub is Spanish and their central office is located near Barcelona. I tried to access Picassoamerica's website but it seems to be down. I don't know where they are from.
I bought my pair of Gara's from a scuba store in Figueres, a town just a half hour south from France.
Pezman:
About breaking the surface when swimming, I'll look into that more closely when I next get in the water and check the relation between the up and down strokes. Probably tomorrow.
Adrian
in the water today
Well folks,
I was in the sea for about an hour today, trying to figure out more things about the Gara 3000. Pezman, I do notice that I have a small tendency to break the surface - something which I always try to avoid, and I have to compensate. I think it's just a question of practice and getting used to all that "new" resistence I have to work agaisnst while bringing my leg down. Could it be that the neoprene from my wetsuit brings up my legs more - closer to the surface - than when diving without a wetsuit? I'm still too green with these fins. Being underwater with a flutter or a dolphin kick is great - I find them very smooth.
I'll have to use them very regularly - a couple of weeks everyday before I find out what is me and what is the fin itself in terms of preformance. Makes sense???
By the way, the pictures don't really give you the idea of how long they are, and the color is black with tiny silvered grains.
regards,
Adrian
Well folks,
I was in the sea for about an hour today, trying to figure out more things about the Gara 3000. Pezman, I do notice that I have a small tendency to break the surface - something which I always try to avoid, and I have to compensate. I think it's just a question of practice and getting used to all that "new" resistence I have to work agaisnst while bringing my leg down. Could it be that the neoprene from my wetsuit brings up my legs more - closer to the surface - than when diving without a wetsuit? I'm still too green with these fins. Being underwater with a flutter or a dolphin kick is great - I find them very smooth.
I'll have to use them very regularly - a couple of weeks everyday before I find out what is me and what is the fin itself in terms of preformance. Makes sense???
By the way, the pictures don't really give you the idea of how long they are, and the color is black with tiny silvered grains.
regards,
Adrian
if you are lookig for the answer still as to where picaso is from first think pablo picaso if you still don't get it oh well.
sporasub-mares=france
picaso=spain
cressi=italy
o.me.r=italy
esclaplez=france
seatec=italy
polosub=italy
elios=italy
don't wear ankle weights please they can be dangerous and fatigueing instead go buy thinner pants or learn the technique of longer surface strokes countering one fin stoke with the other. ie dont over power your down stoke and wimp out on the up stroke that is sure to lift your body out of the water.
the cressi is a perfect fin for learning controlled finning LF, HF, 2000, or 3000. technique is key for perfect foward movement. if you kick too forcefully on your down stroke you will fatigue one groupe of muscles and throw your body out of alignment up, down, horizontal... think of a diagonal band on a speargun and the additional fiction in the guides that it causes, then think of your over trained downstroking legs adding friction all along your back side loosing energy. minimize all wasted energy with laminar thinking!
sporasub-mares=france
picaso=spain
cressi=italy
o.me.r=italy
esclaplez=france
seatec=italy
polosub=italy
elios=italy
don't wear ankle weights please they can be dangerous and fatigueing instead go buy thinner pants or learn the technique of longer surface strokes countering one fin stoke with the other. ie dont over power your down stoke and wimp out on the up stroke that is sure to lift your body out of the water.
the cressi is a perfect fin for learning controlled finning LF, HF, 2000, or 3000. technique is key for perfect foward movement. if you kick too forcefully on your down stroke you will fatigue one groupe of muscles and throw your body out of alignment up, down, horizontal... think of a diagonal band on a speargun and the additional fiction in the guides that it causes, then think of your over trained downstroking legs adding friction all along your back side loosing energy. minimize all wasted energy with laminar thinking!
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I must disagree with some of the gitano's remarks...
The anckle weights of total weight 1 kg are not really fatiguing. You'd remove one kilo off the belt or the harness anyway.
Not to mention that they come with a fast release buckle.
And I especially disagree that you should go and get a thinner set of pants in February, even if you're in Costa Brava... Now that already can be dangerous.
You can do a simple test - go down to the bottom at up to 5 meters and try laying still... If you notice that your legs are going up, or you need to use your muscles to resist the slightest current, than my advice is for the anckle weights. Otherwise you'd lose energy at the bottom = less bottm time, and if you're going to spearfish, you won't be able to make a decent ambush without burrying your blades in the sand.
However, gitano is quite right that if you can correct the problem with improving your finning technique, then you should so!
Cheers!
Ivan
The anckle weights of total weight 1 kg are not really fatiguing. You'd remove one kilo off the belt or the harness anyway.
Not to mention that they come with a fast release buckle.
And I especially disagree that you should go and get a thinner set of pants in February, even if you're in Costa Brava... Now that already can be dangerous.
You can do a simple test - go down to the bottom at up to 5 meters and try laying still... If you notice that your legs are going up, or you need to use your muscles to resist the slightest current, than my advice is for the anckle weights. Otherwise you'd lose energy at the bottom = less bottm time, and if you're going to spearfish, you won't be able to make a decent ambush without burrying your blades in the sand.
However, gitano is quite right that if you can correct the problem with improving your finning technique, then you should so!
Cheers!
Ivan
weight ditching
have you ever had a nice samba? i am from spain and lived on the costa brava for a few years. believe you me, here near the canadian border in the north puget sound it is much colder than the costa brava ask eric fattah.
in my opinion all weight should be ditchable with one touch(especially for amatures). time is so critical in an emergency. the brain is not at its analitical best when O2 deprived. i have blacked out and the last thing i remember was dizziness and thinking of my weight belt. i don't remember the releasing of the belt but will attest that the quickest ascent provided by a release of all weight at once facilitated my self preservation. i never would think of slowing an emergency process.
if the cold is a problem for you, deal with it, dive in intervals. get your core temp recovered during the interval, eat something, warm water rinse, etc., and go kill some more fish not yourself. learn your limits and you will slowly acclimatize, again ask eric.
if you think that a minor leg cramp from cold exposure is dangerous think of a samba. the leg cramp comes on with a nice warning the samba has little or none, ditch your weight and deal with it(the leg cramp) at the surface... see wasn't that nice one move and all your weight is gone. the problem is a leg cramp can happen at any time cold or not. i would hate to try and reach for my ankle weights with a nasty cramp!!!! those same weights that help to add additional strain in my kick and potentially cause a cramp!!!
remeber boyles law well that works on all air spaces lungs,
neoprene cells, etc. at depth every kilo counts if you have a high density body your will run very little weight. i myself use 5kg with a 7mm suit. do the math and figure how many ata it will take for me to be neutral with one kilo if i am neutral with all 5kg at 5metres depth. while we don't arrive at these depths whilst spearfishing typically, the detrimental slow accent in the first metres of a typical ascent should be made clear by the figures!
lastly hypothermia is ever present but the warning signs come well in advance and one must heed the limitations of their body.
if your body is cold and you can't seem to relax get out of the bloody water, warm up and go back at it.
it is simply safer and more effective for us to minimize and simplify our sport. if tech scuba divers in drysuits have abandoned ankle weights and resolved the problem with gaiters(reduce the boyancy don't add weight), then why can't we wear thinner socks and pants within limitations?
ankle weights remind me of putting a better emergency horn on a car as a result of it not having sufficient brakes and not improving the braking mechanics. lets not play doctor here and cure symptoms lets go straight for the cause!!!!!!!
have you ever had a nice samba? i am from spain and lived on the costa brava for a few years. believe you me, here near the canadian border in the north puget sound it is much colder than the costa brava ask eric fattah.
in my opinion all weight should be ditchable with one touch(especially for amatures). time is so critical in an emergency. the brain is not at its analitical best when O2 deprived. i have blacked out and the last thing i remember was dizziness and thinking of my weight belt. i don't remember the releasing of the belt but will attest that the quickest ascent provided by a release of all weight at once facilitated my self preservation. i never would think of slowing an emergency process.
if the cold is a problem for you, deal with it, dive in intervals. get your core temp recovered during the interval, eat something, warm water rinse, etc., and go kill some more fish not yourself. learn your limits and you will slowly acclimatize, again ask eric.
if you think that a minor leg cramp from cold exposure is dangerous think of a samba. the leg cramp comes on with a nice warning the samba has little or none, ditch your weight and deal with it(the leg cramp) at the surface... see wasn't that nice one move and all your weight is gone. the problem is a leg cramp can happen at any time cold or not. i would hate to try and reach for my ankle weights with a nasty cramp!!!! those same weights that help to add additional strain in my kick and potentially cause a cramp!!!
remeber boyles law well that works on all air spaces lungs,
neoprene cells, etc. at depth every kilo counts if you have a high density body your will run very little weight. i myself use 5kg with a 7mm suit. do the math and figure how many ata it will take for me to be neutral with one kilo if i am neutral with all 5kg at 5metres depth. while we don't arrive at these depths whilst spearfishing typically, the detrimental slow accent in the first metres of a typical ascent should be made clear by the figures!
lastly hypothermia is ever present but the warning signs come well in advance and one must heed the limitations of their body.
if your body is cold and you can't seem to relax get out of the bloody water, warm up and go back at it.
it is simply safer and more effective for us to minimize and simplify our sport. if tech scuba divers in drysuits have abandoned ankle weights and resolved the problem with gaiters(reduce the boyancy don't add weight), then why can't we wear thinner socks and pants within limitations?
ankle weights remind me of putting a better emergency horn on a car as a result of it not having sufficient brakes and not improving the braking mechanics. lets not play doctor here and cure symptoms lets go straight for the cause!!!!!!!
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depth issue
if your only diving to a 5metre depth for hunting dive a little heavier all weight on one belt low on the hip! p.s. if your are hunting in only 5metres of water shoot the bloody fish from the surface! or go for a challenge and hit them whilts in motion. if the buggers hole up drop straight down on them and hit 'em swift. or better still go find a deeper spot with bigger fish and more of a challenge. no offence to anyone but that is the way i see it!
va bene!
if your only diving to a 5metre depth for hunting dive a little heavier all weight on one belt low on the hip! p.s. if your are hunting in only 5metres of water shoot the bloody fish from the surface! or go for a challenge and hit them whilts in motion. if the buggers hole up drop straight down on them and hit 'em swift. or better still go find a deeper spot with bigger fish and more of a challenge. no offence to anyone but that is the way i see it!
va bene!
Cool it off, matey! No wonder you're recommending thinner suits in February!
I'm sorry 'bout your blackouts, but hey - I wouldn't brag about it! After all it was you who pushed it that far!
About the cold.... Try having a 6 hours spearfishing competition in 14 C water at the surface, where no fish can be found at any depth - from 5 to 25 meters. No boat, only the buoy, and you're facing disqualification if you exit the water for ANY reason (you better visit the bathroom before getting into that suit). There goes all your fiddling with the weights, going out for warming up or warm water rinsing, and diving at your own chosen depth... You are where the fish is and what's worse - you gotta find it first, which means checking all the depths.
You can't leave the weights on the float, cause it gets too heavy and lifts you off the bottom with every wave and you're not allowed to anchor it.
The only solution is to weight yourself up for the average depth in the zone, or in case you are not familiar with it - for about 8-10 meters. Go ask, Jean-Baptiste!
There is no doubt that you shouldn't compromise with your safety! My ancle weights can be dropped by stepping on them with the heel of the fin.
But still - accidents happen, no matter how much into the theory you are. I know that better than most people here, believe me...
That's just my opinion. I am sharing it, not enforcing it... :t
I do admire all extreme freediviers, but not all freedivers are after the extreme.
I am a competritive spearo, I have always used ankle weights, I used to hunt at depths of -5 to -25 meters, never had a cramp, never had a blackout, I have used the one-touch release buckle of my belt only twice, when I got stuck in a cave (but that was just ME being too stupid) and when the belt got tangled in an old piece of fishing line (but that's again ME being stupid and forgetting the knife on the shore).
I still remember that the sea is wonderful even at depths less than -170 m.
And ater all those long posts, obviously it all depends on what you're trying to acomplish, right?
I guess that should put an end of the infamous Ankle Weight Skirmish.
Cheers,
Ivan
I'm sorry 'bout your blackouts, but hey - I wouldn't brag about it! After all it was you who pushed it that far!
About the cold.... Try having a 6 hours spearfishing competition in 14 C water at the surface, where no fish can be found at any depth - from 5 to 25 meters. No boat, only the buoy, and you're facing disqualification if you exit the water for ANY reason (you better visit the bathroom before getting into that suit). There goes all your fiddling with the weights, going out for warming up or warm water rinsing, and diving at your own chosen depth... You are where the fish is and what's worse - you gotta find it first, which means checking all the depths.
You can't leave the weights on the float, cause it gets too heavy and lifts you off the bottom with every wave and you're not allowed to anchor it.
The only solution is to weight yourself up for the average depth in the zone, or in case you are not familiar with it - for about 8-10 meters. Go ask, Jean-Baptiste!
There is no doubt that you shouldn't compromise with your safety! My ancle weights can be dropped by stepping on them with the heel of the fin.
But still - accidents happen, no matter how much into the theory you are. I know that better than most people here, believe me...
That's just my opinion. I am sharing it, not enforcing it... :t
I do admire all extreme freediviers, but not all freedivers are after the extreme.
I am a competritive spearo, I have always used ankle weights, I used to hunt at depths of -5 to -25 meters, never had a cramp, never had a blackout, I have used the one-touch release buckle of my belt only twice, when I got stuck in a cave (but that was just ME being too stupid) and when the belt got tangled in an old piece of fishing line (but that's again ME being stupid and forgetting the knife on the shore).
I still remember that the sea is wonderful even at depths less than -170 m.
And ater all those long posts, obviously it all depends on what you're trying to acomplish, right?
I guess that should put an end of the infamous Ankle Weight Skirmish.
Cheers,
Ivan
Hi Wishbone and Gitano,
Thanks to both of you for your indepth replies.
I found out I happen to live in the same province (Girona) where the Picasso factory is So I'm going to drop by one of these days and check them out. I thought it was an American company as the US and Canadian representatives have a website www.picassoamerica.com
Gitano:
At first I thought that the ankle weights might be interesting but then I realized that I don't want to depend on them and that it would be better to work on the technique. So I do appreciate your explanation of the stroke. Where did you live while on the Costa Brava? I live near L'Escala.
The conditions I dive in are not as demanding as a 6 hour competition Wishbone! But I see how they can be useful.
Adrian
Thanks to both of you for your indepth replies.
I found out I happen to live in the same province (Girona) where the Picasso factory is
So I'm going to drop by one of these days and check them out. I thought it was an American company as the US and Canadian representatives have a website www.picassoamerica.comGitano:
At first I thought that the ankle weights might be interesting but then I realized that I don't want to depend on them and that it would be better to work on the technique. So I do appreciate your explanation of the stroke. Where did you live while on the Costa Brava? I live near L'Escala.
The conditions I dive in are not as demanding as a 6 hour competition Wishbone! But I see how they can be useful.
Adrian