-
Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:
- Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
- Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
- Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
- Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
- All this and much more...
You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!
Looking for fins
- Thread starterjdazuelos
- 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.
Well, I don't own a pair. I do all my gentle snorkelling these days with my favourite all-rubber full-foot fins and I've no plans to change.
However, I see that one Greek online store stocks your Mares Attack Pipin fins in EU sizes 40-42 and 46-48:
mares - Attack Pipin - actionlife
Alternatively, keep your eye on eBay, as an Australian-owned pair of the fins came up for auction in January.
I see you've made a similar plea for the fins on the Francophone forum Esprit Apnée and that you've received advice there to pick another carbon-bladed model of fin.
However, I see that one Greek online store stocks your Mares Attack Pipin fins in EU sizes 40-42 and 46-48:
mares - Attack Pipin - actionlife
Alternatively, keep your eye on eBay, as an Australian-owned pair of the fins came up for auction in January.
I see you've made a similar plea for the fins on the Francophone forum Esprit Apnée and that you've received advice there to pick another carbon-bladed model of fin.
Well, I saw it too, but a British guy watching a French forum? Surprising
Well, despite Britain's appalling reputation in the world when it comes to knowledge of languages other than English, here is one Englishman with a university degree in French and German who once spent a whole year teaching in a school in the Auvergne. Now I'm retired from teaching, I find my language skills continue to be very useful when pursuing my hobbies and interests online. It makes me realise how blinkered, from a world perspective, Anglo-Saxon-dom can be in its thinking and practice when it cuts itself off from the non-Anglophone world through lack of foreign language skills.
Last edited:
Expensive? You must be joking. You won't find many carbon fins for less (if any). Mostly they are over 200 € or even far over 300 €. The Mares fins are not pure carbon, but rather a composite of carbon and fiberglass, but even pure fiberglass fins often cost over 200 €.
I came across a German-language "Erfahrungsbericht" (consumer review) of these fins at:
Mares Attack Test und Preisvergleich
Although it's generally positive, the report says:
"Einziges Manko der Flosse ist das doch sehr harte Fußteil im hintern Bereich. Ich denke ohne Tauchsocken würde die Flosse einschneiden."
A free rendering into English: "The only fault is the very hard material at the back of the foot pocket. I would imagine that the fin would cut into the flesh if dive socks were not worn".
If this is so, you could still purchase the fins in size 46-48, reducing the extra space in the foot pockets by cushioning your feet underneath with thick socks or booties and using fin grips for further security.
I should add that the German product review describes the Mares Attack Pipin as a "Luxusflosse für Leistungstaucher", i.e. a "luxury fin for high-performance divers". It also prices the fins at €459, which sounds a lot more to me than €170. This said, I'm glad that my own choice of fins for myself, all-rubber ones, costs a lot less than that figure!
I see that another contributor has seconded my proposal that you keep an eye on eBay as a possible source. As I said earlier, a pair came up for auction in January 2009, albeit sized EU 42-44. eBay may be your only alternative supply source if the Greek diving store fins exceed your price bracket.
Mares Attack Test und Preisvergleich
Although it's generally positive, the report says:
"Einziges Manko der Flosse ist das doch sehr harte Fußteil im hintern Bereich. Ich denke ohne Tauchsocken würde die Flosse einschneiden."
A free rendering into English: "The only fault is the very hard material at the back of the foot pocket. I would imagine that the fin would cut into the flesh if dive socks were not worn".
If this is so, you could still purchase the fins in size 46-48, reducing the extra space in the foot pockets by cushioning your feet underneath with thick socks or booties and using fin grips for further security.
I should add that the German product review describes the Mares Attack Pipin as a "Luxusflosse für Leistungstaucher", i.e. a "luxury fin for high-performance divers". It also prices the fins at €459, which sounds a lot more to me than €170. This said, I'm glad that my own choice of fins for myself, all-rubber ones, costs a lot less than that figure!
I see that another contributor has seconded my proposal that you keep an eye on eBay as a possible source. As I said earlier, a pair came up for auction in January 2009, albeit sized EU 42-44. eBay may be your only alternative supply source if the Greek diving store fins exceed your price bracket.
as said above these fins are long since discontinued and i think better options are available, i have also heard of these fins (along with Sporasub radicals) being very prone to breakages.
170eu i not a great deal to pay for a composite (carbon/fibreglass) fin.
personally i would look at other alternatives on the market, mainly due to new production techniques making the carbon fins more robust (OMER Rekord, C4, Imersion stephane Mifsuds, JB esclapez Ecarbon's)
DD
170eu i not a great deal to pay for a composite (carbon/fibreglass) fin.
personally i would look at other alternatives on the market, mainly due to new production techniques making the carbon fins more robust (OMER Rekord, C4, Imersion stephane Mifsuds, JB esclapez Ecarbon's)
DD
Actually the Radicals have a plastic camo coating that made them very robust. I have a set that have hundreds of hours of abuse and know of others with the same story. The Sporasub pure carbon fin was the bad one.
Both are discontinued I believe.
tolek666, I'd think the blades would fit- most stuff is universal. You might need to caulk or drill different holes. I'd caulk them in rather than drill into carbon.
D
dimges
Guest
Hi, I call with some question about oldies fullfoot short light fins; I had buy in Trieste in 1970's fins Tigullio Bond 008 , No 38 -40 ( I had short and breath foot ); fins was extra short and had extra deep " V " profile, very elastic, resisting only in stamp direction, (one direction fins) and very competition for long underwater fishing, especially in smaller sea dept (0 - 5m) with rocks. Unfortunately I was damage this fins; some year's later ( maybe ~1974), I buy in Croatia, Pula, fins Tigullio Manta fins, some longer and some smaller "V" profile then BOND, but most suitable for recreation apnea diving and underwater fishing < 12m depth ..but these rubber fins after ~11 years was broken.
I have bui in 1985 Greek fins Glaros Epipleonta Super, similar (or Clone) as oldies floating fins Mares Sea King , ( fins float in lake water !!), but this year rubber on one fins begin to broke, and I want find similar fins. I have too old fins Cressi Rondine, float in sea water but not in lake, but they are longer and hardly for use then Greek fins. Last week was on holiday in Hurghada, Egypt, I was in specialized dive shop with Italian product, seller see Glaros fins and tell me that now anybody make short fins ( for example new fins Cressi Rondinelo is longer than oldies Rondine).
If anybody had information about new short, light, fullfoot fins, which float on lake water ? ( I use fins on cold Ohrid lake too)..
regards
see old Greek fins http://ekonautika.atspace.com/GlarosFins.JPG
I have bui in 1985 Greek fins Glaros Epipleonta Super, similar (or Clone) as oldies floating fins Mares Sea King , ( fins float in lake water !!), but this year rubber on one fins begin to broke, and I want find similar fins. I have too old fins Cressi Rondine, float in sea water but not in lake, but they are longer and hardly for use then Greek fins. Last week was on holiday in Hurghada, Egypt, I was in specialized dive shop with Italian product, seller see Glaros fins and tell me that now anybody make short fins ( for example new fins Cressi Rondinelo is longer than oldies Rondine).
If anybody had information about new short, light, fullfoot fins, which float on lake water ? ( I use fins on cold Ohrid lake too)..
regards
see old Greek fins http://ekonautika.atspace.com/GlarosFins.JPG
Last edited by a moderator:
dimges:
You mention some great old rubber full-foot fins, a few of which I've snorkelled with over the decades. I'm uncertain whether you are seeking something entirely new or whether you are after fins resembling as closely as possible what you are trying to replace. If the former, I'm afraid I can't help because I dislike modern plastic-bladed fins, whether fibreglass-reinforced or not. If the latter, then I may be able to offer some guidance as I'm very much a traditionalist in the matter of fins.
You mention Sea King fins, which were originally manufactured by Mares. My online research appears to show that Mares sold or donated the Sea King fin moulds to a Turkish diving equipment company called Free Sub, which renamed the fins "Süper Jet".
They come in sizes 37-38 to 45-46 and are sold by Avmarin.com at
Süper Jet 37-38 / 45-46 Kauçuk
You then mention Glaros fins. The makers don't seem to have a website and I've only ever seen them online in eBay:
The latest model is called "De Luxe" and bears the "epipleonta" ([FONT="]ΕΠΙΠΛΕΟΝΤΑ)[/FONT] caption, which is the Greek for "floating". Other Greek fin manufacturers are The Eurobal Diving Company (formerly Balco) and Majorca Sub, whose website is at
Majorca Sub
(Euro)Balco's Sprint Fins are very popular with Northern European swimmers:
They're very comfortable, broad-fitting fins and they're also labelled "epipleonta".
There are plenty of standard-bladed all-rubber full-foot fins on the market, many of them floating. I can't say whether they float in lake water over against sea water. A good source of such fins is the online general sports or specialist swimming goods store, rather than a scuba or free diving outlet, where the offering is likely to be just the plastic-bladed variety.
Hope this helps. As I said, my interests lie in traditional rubber full-foot fins, the kind I used when I started snorkelling back in the 1960s.
You mention some great old rubber full-foot fins, a few of which I've snorkelled with over the decades. I'm uncertain whether you are seeking something entirely new or whether you are after fins resembling as closely as possible what you are trying to replace. If the former, I'm afraid I can't help because I dislike modern plastic-bladed fins, whether fibreglass-reinforced or not. If the latter, then I may be able to offer some guidance as I'm very much a traditionalist in the matter of fins.
You mention Sea King fins, which were originally manufactured by Mares. My online research appears to show that Mares sold or donated the Sea King fin moulds to a Turkish diving equipment company called Free Sub, which renamed the fins "Süper Jet".
They come in sizes 37-38 to 45-46 and are sold by Avmarin.com at
Süper Jet 37-38 / 45-46 Kauçuk
You then mention Glaros fins. The makers don't seem to have a website and I've only ever seen them online in eBay:
The latest model is called "De Luxe" and bears the "epipleonta" ([FONT="]ΕΠΙΠΛΕΟΝΤΑ)[/FONT] caption, which is the Greek for "floating". Other Greek fin manufacturers are The Eurobal Diving Company (formerly Balco) and Majorca Sub, whose website is at
Majorca Sub
(Euro)Balco's Sprint Fins are very popular with Northern European swimmers:
They're very comfortable, broad-fitting fins and they're also labelled "epipleonta".
There are plenty of standard-bladed all-rubber full-foot fins on the market, many of them floating. I can't say whether they float in lake water over against sea water. A good source of such fins is the online general sports or specialist swimming goods store, rather than a scuba or free diving outlet, where the offering is likely to be just the plastic-bladed variety.
Hope this helps. As I said, my interests lie in traditional rubber full-foot fins, the kind I used when I started snorkelling back in the 1960s.
Last edited:
D
dimges
Guest
dear friend, many thanks !!
If I can't find one used Glaros fins, I will be try to get new fins from Turkey. Unfortunately, at migration in new flat before 18 year, my woman throw in trash broken fins (Tigullio BOND and MANTA ), If I find some time will be try to draw sketch; Tigulio MANTA fins was some similar form with oldies Hungaru fins " Balathon", but with starker couple between blade and foot; Tigullio Bond 008 was completely original fins, they had blade similar as Citroen DC car bonnet, but bottom side was concave, very light and elastic , resist was only when move fins in stamp direction...
by the way, about oldies good things, I still use stark silicon rubber GSD mask from 1989 ,and before I had similar rubber GSD mask Samoa, fantastic cheap mask from 70's..
..maybe some make today similar mask with accessible price ?
thanks for posting and regards
If I can't find one used Glaros fins, I will be try to get new fins from Turkey. Unfortunately, at migration in new flat before 18 year, my woman throw in trash broken fins (Tigullio BOND and MANTA ), If I find some time will be try to draw sketch; Tigulio MANTA fins was some similar form with oldies Hungaru fins " Balathon", but with starker couple between blade and foot; Tigullio Bond 008 was completely original fins, they had blade similar as Citroen DC car bonnet, but bottom side was concave, very light and elastic , resist was only when move fins in stamp direction...
by the way, about oldies good things, I still use stark silicon rubber GSD mask from 1989 ,and before I had similar rubber GSD mask Samoa, fantastic cheap mask from 70's..
..maybe some make today similar mask with accessible price ?
thanks for posting and regards
Last edited by a moderator:
A pair of size 43-44 Tigullio Manta fins was recently auctioned on eBay:
[ame=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220480403294&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsports.shop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_nkw%3D220480403294%26_sacat%3D16054%26_trksid%3Dp3286.m270.l1313%26_sop%3D10%26LH_PrefLoc%3D2%26_dmpt%3DUK_SportingGoods_MasksSnorkels_Flippers_SM%26_odkw%3D%26_osacat%3D16054%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1]!!! FLIPPERS !!! TIGULLIO "MANTA" !!! 43-44 !!! on eBay (end time 20-Sep-09 20:41:45 BST)[/ame]
They're good fins, as are the Hungarian-made Balaton ones you mention. One model of full-foot fins is still made in Hungary nowadays, the Najade Standard:
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
Debreceni Búvárklub
[ame=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220480403294&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsports.shop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_nkw%3D220480403294%26_sacat%3D16054%26_trksid%3Dp3286.m270.l1313%26_sop%3D10%26LH_PrefLoc%3D2%26_dmpt%3DUK_SportingGoods_MasksSnorkels_Flippers_SM%26_odkw%3D%26_osacat%3D16054%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1]!!! FLIPPERS !!! TIGULLIO "MANTA" !!! 43-44 !!! on eBay (end time 20-Sep-09 20:41:45 BST)[/ame]
They're good fins, as are the Hungarian-made Balaton ones you mention. One model of full-foot fins is still made in Hungary nowadays, the Najade Standard:
[FONT="]
Last edited:
D
dimges
Guest
these are Manta and Balathon fins; Balathon is some bigger, hardly for swimming, but faster; in short time is fine about following fast fish; I don't buy Balathon because have doubt about cramp in foot finger...
D
dimges
Guest
about tigullio rubber fins BOND 008 from 70'es, I make one sketch...
same, I find on net maybe some ?? similar (upper convex, bottom concave blade) new fins (unfortunately only open heel ).. I write e-mail to Seac with question about this fins ( fulfoot version, question about geometry) but I got answer :
The Manta fin is still in production and we only have it with open heel.
Concerning the technical data relative to the geometry of the blade and foot unfortunately we cannot release such information as they are strictly confidential.
SEAC Manta
same, I find on net maybe some ?? similar (upper convex, bottom concave blade) new fins (unfortunately only open heel ).. I write e-mail to Seac with question about this fins ( fulfoot version, question about geometry) but I got answer :
The Manta fin is still in production and we only have it with open heel.
Concerning the technical data relative to the geometry of the blade and foot unfortunately we cannot release such information as they are strictly confidential.
SEAC Manta
about tigullio rubber fins BOND 008 from 70'es, I make one sketch...
same, I find on net maybe some ?? similar (upper convex, bottom concave blade) new fins (unfortunately only open heel )..
If you're looking for a similar all-rubber long-bladed fin, available nowadays, I know of two. First the Turkish-made Concorde fins, manufactured using the moulds employed when making Mares Concorde fins from the 1970s:
KAUÇUK PALET | Mc av marketi ; olta makina misina av malzemeleri online sat??
Second is the Mexican-made Escualo Clasica:
Badesports México - Todos los Deportes + Todas las Marcas
I write e-mail to Seac with question about this fins ( fulfoot version, question about geometry) but I got answer :
The Manta fin is still in production and we only have it with open heel.
Concerning the technical data relative to the geometry of the blade and foot unfortunately we cannot release such information as they are strictly confidential.
SEAC Manta
Yes, they may have kept the name "Manta", but that appears to be the only thing they've preserved when designing their "modern" version. It looks nothing like the 1970s original:
Last edited:
Gull fins from Japan may suit the purpose as well Mew or Super Mew maybe?
have alot of japanese scuab instructors here in Northern Australia which LOVE them and will use nothing else.
DD
have alot of japanese scuab instructors here in Northern Australia which LOVE them and will use nothing else.
DD
Yes, great fins. I've a pair of Gull Hard Mews which have done sterling service:
Gull Barracudas are all-rubber fins with long blades:
??????????????GULL?Barracuda?????????????????????????????
The only problem is sourcing Gull Mews, Super Mews and Barracudas in Europe and America. There are ways around the problem, such as using one of the specialist Japanese websites set up to make purchases on behalf of westerners.