Info please on Mares Carbon fins

[Jersey Jim]

Hello group:
I am new to this board, so please bear with me. I am entering my second year freediving, and need info on a pair of carbon fins that took 6 months to arrive from Italy. They are Mares "Attack" carbons and are endorsed by Pipin. I have heard many fin types mentioned on this board, but never these. Are these known by another name? I hope I didn't make a mistake buying these (haven't used them yet), because they were very expensive (275 USD), and took 6 months to arrive. I seriously doubt I could get my money back now, as I picked them up over a month ago. From what I've read on this board, my samarai masks are identical to other manufacturers also, and am hoping the same goes for the fins. The Mares website no longer shows the "Attack" model. I think they may have been discontinued. Can someone please shed some light on this for me? Up to now I've been using a second hand pair of open heeled "Esclapez" plastic type fin, and that made an incredible difference over scuba fins. I have been dreaming of my first dive with the carbons, which are a few inches longer, and hoping they will be as good as people say the carbons are. I've heard they strain the legs more, so have been training for months (trail running), and am up to 6 miles, 4 times per week. I feel I stand a good chance at a stiffer fin now. Time will tell. For what it's worth, the carbons have a stainless screw underneath that seems to hold the blade on, and is a closed foot fin. Please, any info on these fins welcomed.
Jim

 

[Crispin]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to Deeper Blue

You may find your fins are quite stiff, Mares Attack fins are one of the stiffer Carbon fins.....you might take to them just fine though....

All I would say is give them a go, but find someone with some C4's or other Carbon fins to try as well, because you will notice a big difference between the Mares and others.......

As for the stainless steel screw, I would remove this first of all, because when kicking it will eventually fracture the fin.....

Instead use silicon sealant to hold the fin in place, it secures the whole fin, not just one point.....

hope this helps

 

[Jersey Jim]

Thanks Crispin

Thank you Crispin, for your reply. Actually your report is more in line with the one that the diveshop owner (who ordered them for me), gave. I was just concerned why no one commented on them, with all of the equipment posts I've been reading here for months. Maybe It's just an issue of availability. After all, it took 6 months for my pair to arrive from Mares.
I have been fascinated with your posts regarding the mask equilization tube. I bought an extra sporasub samarai mask months ago for just such a modification. It seems that the pressure at depth forces the rubber against my nostrils, making it difficult to get air in and out. Also, a little water collecting in the nose area makes it impossible to reinhale expanding air. Do you think your modification will work well on a samarai mask? Also, how well does the tube seal in the mouth? What I.D./O.D. tube size did you use?
Thanks again,
Jim

 

[thands]

Mares Carbon Fins

I have a pair of Mares Carbon fins, been using them for about two years, EXTREMELY HAPPY with them. I have used a pair of Cressi Subs and in my opinion they do not compare to the Mares. I use these fins every weekend, everything from lobster diving to freediving, they have stood the test of time and I have no problems with these fins.

My diving partner also own a pair of these fins and he was also very happy with these fins. Someone stepped on his fins while in the boat and cracked one of the blades, he is waiting for a replacement. He was given a pair of Picasso BT's for Christmas, he says they are nice but he can't prefers his Mares.

The two screws that hold the blade in place does not concern me, they have never given me any problems. I dive in the ocean all the time and sometimes I forget to rinse my equipment, still no problems.

Tom