more on durable/efficient fins

[dan magone]

Wow what a great responce to my fin questions from everyone.

I think I'll go for a pair of those 20 Fathom "Edge Fins" since it appears they have the angled blade like the new Omer's I'm using. The next thing will be to figure out what stiffness to get, probably a medium stiff. I wonder how they would compare to my old Omer bat 30's. They seem like boards compared to the new Omer Pegaso fins. A stiffer fin is probably a good idea with the heavy suit and weights I use in Alaska but more flex might be just fine for light weight warm water gear.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I use number two stiffness and come off the bottom just fine, but I don't go over 55 feet or so, and my wet suit is not quite as thick as yours. And we do a lot of surface swimming down here, so flexible is better.

We all like to think we are studs, but I've heard quite a few guys who say they wished they had gotten more flexible blades. I'd be very hesitant to go for stiffer than #3. When I first tried out a pair of Matrix, they were #4, and I felt like I was slapping the surface with plywood.

 

[dan magone]

Hello Bill,
thanks for the input, I hear what you are saying about not getting too stiff of a fin, I still use these board like OMER Bat 30's freediving up here and they are not very fun fins to swim far on the surface. The OMER Pegaso fins I have been having trouble keeping together are a breeze to swim in the pool with but I thought maybe I was over kicking them to cause the blades to come loose. I have been trying to find out what blades they sold me, I am told they think they are mediums but so far I don't really know. I suppose I am after 2's or 3's with those matrix or Edge fins but i'll study the issue a little more before I spend the big bucks.

On another note I see you live in San Clemente, my son and daugter in law moved there a couple of months ago. He's in the Marine Corp and will be stationed there until September when he will be deployed again. He told me today he just got the box I sent down with his freedive fins etc. When he gets set up we may bug you for some good shore dive spots.

Catch you later,

Dan

 

[Bill McIntyre]

On another note I see you live in San Clemente, my son and daugter in law moved there a couple of months ago. He's in the Marine Corp and will be stationed there until September when he will be deployed again. He told me today he just got the box I sent down with his freedive fins etc. When he gets set up we may bug you for some good shore dive spots.

Catch you later,

Dan

I was only in the Marine Corps for 20 years, but I still recall a bit of it. And my son was a Marine F-18 pilot for 11 years before getting out, so he is sort of a bridge from the Old Old Corps to the Old Corps to the New Corps.

I'm afraid I don't do any shore diving, so my advice will be second hand. But if you PM me, I'll give you my phone numbers, and I'll do my best to help.

 

[strangelove]

Bill

How often do you replace your picasso pockets ?

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Bill

How often do you replace your picasso pockets ?

I'm not sure. I think I've had my Matrix blades in Picasso pockets about 5 years, and they are as good as new. The Edge blades came out right after I got the Matrix, so I told myself that when I wore out the Matrix, I'd get the Edge. However, the blades and foot pockets are still like the day I bought them. Since I'm about to turn 70, I decided that I was going to wear out before the fins did, so I bought the Edge this summer.

I'm very glad that I did. I'm not sure I can tell much difference under water, but the Edge are much more efficient on the surface, and I do a lot of surface swimming. In fact, I have myself convinced that the Edge fins were responsible for getting me white sea bass the first two days that I used them. On both days, I had been swimming against a decent current for much of the day. By the time I saw the fish, I think I would have been too tired and been back in the boat if I had been using the Matrix.

What is funny is that I stoned both fish. When I told Dennis Haussler about it, he attributed it to the fins, while I attributed it to skill.

I'm afraid we are both wrong- it was luck. I haven't stoned one since then.

 

[Erik]

I'd really suggest a softer fin, especially if you're doing lots of surface swimming. I dive in 7mm/20lbs down to 25 metres with some soft noodly Beauchats, and have been much deeper with about 14lbs. I am a skinny guy with not much anaerobic power in my legs.
I find that with a softer fin you just need to "amplify the sine wave" so to speak, when coming up from deeper dives.
For the rest of the time they feel as if they are not there, which is a good thing I believe.
Cheers.

 

[strangelove]

Thanks Bill

That was the feed back I've got from my friend in Brazil, the picasso pocket will last.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

After reading both threads that you have going, it occurs to me that my advice may not be relevant.

I never swim in a pool, so my fins are not subject to chlorine, and they don't have to push off the end of the pool in turns. Also, I dive about 40 to 50 days per year, so my fins don't get anything close to the wear that fins used to frequent pool workouts would get.

Just thought I should point that out, for what its worth.