new pair of fins

[strangelove]

Marwan

I am now getting a pair of medium hybrid and pair of medium hybrid, I am still waiting for them, I will let you know what I think, I am taking medium hybrid to Brazil, I do a lot of surface swimming there, and keeping the hard hybrid here in Alaska, I dive close to boat doing vertical dives, may be they would be good here, I just could not pass Sven deal 230 dollars a pair.
The cold weather here in Alaska is freezing my brain, I may just get a little bit more crazy and get a pair of rekords.

Have any one try the special fins carbon ?

 

[Marwan]

Marwan

I am now getting a pair of medium hybrid and pair of medium hybrid, I am still waiting for them, I will let you know what I think, I am taking medium hybrid to Brazil, I do a lot of surface swimming there, and keeping the hard hybrid here in Alaska, I dive close to boat doing vertical dives, may be they would be good here, I just could not pass Sven deal 230 dollars a pair.
The cold weather here in Alaska is freezing my brain, I may just get a little bit more crazy and get a pair of rekords.

Have any one try the special fins carbon ?

good luck man, maybe in that weather it is better to invest in wetsuits or something:head , let us know your opinion onceyou try, and i agree with you sven's offer was very good to pass...who knows, with all the reviews on omer rekord i might get a pair myself to see what all the fuss is about

 

[strangelove]

Marwan

I have already a dozen wet suits and too many guns !

I also went with the special fins because of the size, I really don't extra long fins, the hybrid after all the good reviews seems to be the way to go. They are resistent and also perform.
The db store also has C4 for a good price, another good question are the rekords better than the C4 ? What C4 should one get 25,30,40 probably the 30 and 40 are to stiff for you average guy.

 

[spaghetti]

omer ice fins, i would buy if i could get them in black or camo not transparent.

You're the first one I read making such a statement: transparent blades are so cool!
However, what you're talking about has a name, and it's the Omer Millennium Runner (black, plastic, even cheaper than the Ice but of the same shape and about the same stiffness).
For the rest I can't help much in this discussion: I have the Rekord 3 and suscribe what Greekdiver said totally, but I can't help comparing them to C4 and Hybrid.

 

[spearheads]

spaghetti Its just that i want to be able to see the blades thats why i dont like the transparent blades.
I think i might go for the rekord or the apnea power blades. The apnea blades are more in my budget than the rekord.
Any one got anything to say about the apnea power blades.

 

[Fondueset]

The Ice fins are great - I've had mine since early last winter - dove all winter with them in 4C water - air temps of -5c. They are by far the most comfortable fins I've ever used. I often swim long distances on the surface and they are great all-day fins.
The transarent blades reduce the fish's perception of movement and size. I've actually had fish run right into them.

For slightly stiffer backup fins I have Omer Millenium Runners - also very nice. Performance is exactly like a stiffer version of the ice fins. Both blades have a very good, even return. The runners are about twice as stiff and a bit better for deeper dives but still comfortable for surface swimming.

 

[spaghetti]

For slightly stiffer backup fins I have Omer Millenium Runners - also very nice. Performance is exactly like a stiffer version of the ice fins. Both blades have a very good, even return. The runners are about twice as stiff and a bit better for deeper dives but still comfortable for surface swimming.

Are they so stiff? Interesting, Fondueset. Will you please help me chosing between Runner and Ice, since you know them both?
I'm presently owning the Rekords and the Millennium Winter, but the Rekords are too precious (pricey) as an everyday's fin, and the Winters are way too soft for diving any deeper than 8 meters with the amount of lead I'm wearing in this season. I'm between Runners and Ice.
Which would you pick for -18 meters spearfishing, no boat, rocky bottoms and long distance swimming necessary?

 

[Fondueset]

I would probably be inclined to consider the runners. They seem to be about exactly twice as stiff as the ice fins. If I set one of each on a flat surface and pick up the blade the runner blade comes up a little less than half as far as the ice before it lifts off the footpocket.

The Ice fins are really nice - and invisible!- but they are fairly soft and, while I've never felt they didn't have the jazz to get me off the bottom, I have occasionally overpowered them. I mostly dive 10-15 meters and they are pretty good in that range. You could allways email Mark Labocetta and see what he thinks. He's a very deep diver and has probably tried both.

FYI - my ice fins are now very scratched from rocks and mussels, but they are still quite transparent under water.

 

[spaghetti]

the jazz to get me off the bottom, as you say, is what the Millennium Winter (grey blade) are tragically missing.
Last week I was looking for bass in shallow water wearing the Winters, a 5mm wetsuit, 6kg lead on the belt, 3kg backpack harness and 0,5 kgx2 ankle belts. I made the mistake to give a peek at 18 meters and for a while I felt a chill of fear (yes, fear is the word) as I gave the kick to surface up and nothing happened...
Now I'm beetween stiffer and cooler alternative.

 

[Fondueset]

That's a bad feeling! You've got a solid criteria for comparing with the winter blades - I'd definitely drop Mark a line and see what he says. I've never used the winter blades - and that is a little more weight than I normally carry. I'm only at about 6.5 kilograms

 

[GreekDiver]

Im never buying a non carbon fin again. I just dont see the point unless you are going to be using them in areas where they take some damage. Sure they cost more but its cheap if you love the sport.

 

[Old Man Dave]

First off must say I'm not an expert on fins and don't claim to have tried zillions of different types but I use Ice's as I previously mentioned.

My limit is about 10 metres but do a lot of repeat dives, back and forward from depth and a lot of surface finning often in very strong tidal flows. I would say the ice fins are a very good all round fin for me.

I have noticed that they are sufficiently soft that they can lack the snap needed for hard pushing from depth and even sometimes for heavy finning in tide. However they are deceptively powerful and although they lose out to my mates GRP blades in the short run they compensate by remaining comfortable for longer. They are the only fin that never seems to cramp me even after heavy work for 2+ hours.

Also they are definitely a good fin for the less experienced diver as they are powerful yet forgiving, although you do seem to need to pass a certain threshold of fitness to get the full benefit from them. That said they probably suit the UK style of diving for most divers. My Italian friends use slightly stiffer blades for their style of diving in the Med.

Dave

 

[Jon]

The ICE fins are the softest, and smoothest, fins I have ever tried. Having said that I love my C4-30's. They can take some abuse, unlike my sporasub Pure carbons:rcard , and are soft enough for all day use. If your covering a lot of distance I might suggest something softer yet- like a pair of 25's. I had a pair of 40's and was able to spend 6 hours, straight, in the water with them but my 30's are much more comfortable for such a day of diving.

I tried, and hated, the BAT fins. I never used Records but would be more inclined to pick up a pair of C4 Mustangs if I were going to buy another pair of bi-fins.

Softer may be better for long days in the water but if your going to pack on that much lead and do deeper dives I would go stiffer for safety's sake. I use 9.5 kg for spearing in shallow water, less than 3 meters, in the winter time, but I make sure to take some lead off and hang it from my float before I attempt any deeper dives- below 8 meters. If I know that I'm going to be spearing below 10 meters I would drop my weight down to no more than 3-5 kg.

Has anyone tried out the new fiberplastic fins from OMER? I see that they have an angle to the blade, for better surface swimming, and come in a lovely brown color.

Jon

 

[strangelove]

I've just got my pair of Hard Hybrids in the mail today, as I walk to my mail box, I've check the thermometer it was -20c little bit bellow the average temperature for Anchorage this time of the year. I've removed the bat25 blades and installed the new hybrid hard, they are definitely hard, I don't thing my legs will be able to keep up them for too long, I will check it in a pool session (Marwan is definitely correct there, the hard fins are very demanding on the legs, the medium is the way to go). I still have a pair of medium hybrids on the mail; as for length they are 5 cm shorter than the bat25.
I am looking forward to try them on the ocean but it will 5 month until my next dive in Ak.

 

[Fondueset]

Jon - the runners have that same smoothness - but are stiffer. It's interesting how the basic character of the fins is identical - with a very smooth, precise return. They obviously have a lot of control of that plastic. The runners even smell like vanilla. :inlove

 

[scottie3030]

just got my ice fins very nice bit of kit, cant wait to try them out!

 

[Marwan]

Hey jon, like you i hated the BAT, i had BAT30's, quite stiff for surface swimming and not all that snap for deeper dive, good marketing campaign from OMER though , but you know one of the best plastic fins i own for spearfishing is the sporasub Dessault, comfortable, good for surface swimming and is quite powerful tooo, i think they stoppped making it now, dessault opened his own line and started producing them in carbonfiber. They must be good but then again i havent seen/met/heard from anyone who tried them..

 

[Fondueset]

I had sporasub HDs (black blades) as my first freediving fins. Went from those to the ice fins. For me the foot pockets were boxy and didn't fit well. Very stiff blades gave them good power but really hard to maneuver with and not as comfortable for surface swimming. The ice fins surprised me for the amount of power they have while still being soft.

 

[trux]

I bought the H. Dessault's new plastic fins this summer and they were quite good (and relatively cheap too - 90€ in a retail store), although unfortunately they were a size too big for me, so I used them just 4-5 times and then let them to a friend. It was funny, because the day I bought them and carried home, several people on the streets started to chat with me about the fins (it was on Corsica), and how excellent the new H. Dessaults are. Unfortunately the sizing somehow skips my foot - the smaller size (40-42) was too tight, and the bigger one (43-45) too big even with a thicker sock. It was simply too loose on my feet and did not transfer the power properly, so I got rid of them.

 

[spearheads]

i think i will get the omer milleniums in winter or green (medium stiff )

59 pounds on the jersey apnea website.
http://www.apnea.co.uk/products/product_info.php?cPath=1_27&products_id=179