Following up to THIS THREAD which got off tangent a bit, the following is my personal take on the Matrix fins.
The fins I own and can compare them to are - OMER Millenium Competition, Picasso Black Team, & a pair of Blue Esclapez.
Power
Following the advice on the 20 Fathoms Website, I requested a #2 stiffness pair. At that rating, I wasn't expecting a lot of power, but I was honestly disappointed the first time I used them. As I familiarized myself with the Matrixes, I realized that I needed to adjust my kicking from my normal short strokes to longer strokes. With slow smooth kicks, I can now propel myself with great ease through the water. I didn't get raw power from stiffness, but instead I got a fin that is incredibly efficient. After my fast learning curve, I could time the strokes so that the built-up flex of one stroke would rebound and aid in the start of the next... tre' smooth indeed :hmm
Surface Swimming
Surface swimming is a little more difficult with these fins due to the lack of angle; however, with minor adjustments I could hardly tell the difference. This is the one area that I can see where the softer blades help. Stiffer blades are great for deep dives, but are slightly more difficult to surface swim with... it's a trade-off with any type of fins.
Diving
Diving is awesome with these fins. After getting used to them, I could drop very smoothly with minimal effort(attributed to the efficiency of the fins). I could do deeper dives and not worry about the return to the surface - just slow, smooth strokes. On the few times that I pushed it longer than I should have, the fins worked great for dolphin kicking back to the surface. While this blade is not designed for power, it has enough backbone to boost you if needed. I got to try the #4 stiffness blades & you can really fly with them! Unfortunately I was so intrigued with how fast I could move, I soon tired myself out
Conclusions
I love these fins. :inlove I've tried 2 types of carbon fins(Sporasub & Picasso) & honestly really wasn't very impressed by either. For the money, they just aren't worth it. I believe the Matrix fins have an excellent value & possess superior durability to ANY carbon fin. The performance is on par with carbon and in my personal opinion, better. I am genuinely impressed.
I uploaded a set of pictures of my personal pair of Matrix fins from different angles.
Click here to view pictures
If you have any questions or if I left anything out, please respond.
***Note: I have no affiliation with 20fathoms***
The fins I own and can compare them to are - OMER Millenium Competition, Picasso Black Team, & a pair of Blue Esclapez.
Power
Following the advice on the 20 Fathoms Website, I requested a #2 stiffness pair. At that rating, I wasn't expecting a lot of power, but I was honestly disappointed the first time I used them. As I familiarized myself with the Matrixes, I realized that I needed to adjust my kicking from my normal short strokes to longer strokes. With slow smooth kicks, I can now propel myself with great ease through the water. I didn't get raw power from stiffness, but instead I got a fin that is incredibly efficient. After my fast learning curve, I could time the strokes so that the built-up flex of one stroke would rebound and aid in the start of the next... tre' smooth indeed :hmm
Surface Swimming
Surface swimming is a little more difficult with these fins due to the lack of angle; however, with minor adjustments I could hardly tell the difference. This is the one area that I can see where the softer blades help. Stiffer blades are great for deep dives, but are slightly more difficult to surface swim with... it's a trade-off with any type of fins.
Diving
Diving is awesome with these fins. After getting used to them, I could drop very smoothly with minimal effort(attributed to the efficiency of the fins). I could do deeper dives and not worry about the return to the surface - just slow, smooth strokes. On the few times that I pushed it longer than I should have, the fins worked great for dolphin kicking back to the surface. While this blade is not designed for power, it has enough backbone to boost you if needed. I got to try the #4 stiffness blades & you can really fly with them! Unfortunately I was so intrigued with how fast I could move, I soon tired myself out
Conclusions
I love these fins. :inlove I've tried 2 types of carbon fins(Sporasub & Picasso) & honestly really wasn't very impressed by either. For the money, they just aren't worth it. I believe the Matrix fins have an excellent value & possess superior durability to ANY carbon fin. The performance is on par with carbon and in my personal opinion, better. I am genuinely impressed.
I uploaded a set of pictures of my personal pair of Matrix fins from different angles.
Click here to view pictures
If you have any questions or if I left anything out, please respond.
***Note: I have no affiliation with 20fathoms***