newbie - long fin - which one

I just bought a pair of OMER fins from ebay, modular fins with carbon blades. These will be my first pair of longfins, (haven't arrived yet) and I really had no idea what I was looking for when I bought them! Have I gotten myself a pair of fins that may be too advanced for me? I'm pretty new, but having fun so far! Lots of underwater crusing hardly ever past -10m, and the balance is surface swimming.

Tips would be much appreciated! And I may have a pair of fins for sale soon...:duh

Aaron

Aaron,

I saw those buggers on ebay. Thought about taking a shot if no one else was watching.....guess someone was. Are you the one who outbid me on the D3 too . The fins never said if they were the normal or the pro (stiffer) blade. I would think that at your level, the normal blade would be best. Something for you to look into.

You may have bit off a little more than you can chew, but I'm not gonna rain on your parade and tell ya your screwed. From what I've read, you've bought a pretty good carbon fin (I've never actually tried em - where's andrsn or sturgeon?). I think you'd have been better off getting a pair of platic fins and working your way up to the carbons, but what's done is done. I just hope you don't break your new fins making a rookie mistake that you probably wouldn't make a year from now. In fact, you still might want to think about getting a pair of dessaults, esclapez's, garas, milleniums, etc for insurance.

So here's what you need to do. Start reading. The first time I tried on longfins, I was quite disappointed. I expected to fly no matter what technique I used. Wrong! You might be able to use any old kick with a floppy set of scuba fins, but the longfins are no so forgiving. It will take practice. Everyone has their own technique and style, and that is because there is an optimal way for each different body type. Truth is, I thought I had a pretty good kick, and have just recently learned a much better technique. It's going to be an endless learning process, so make sure you do your homework .

Here's a couple older threads about your carbon fins to get you started. Best of luck.

Ted


http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?threadid=22615&highlight=omer+carbon+pros

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?threadid=20579&highlight=omer+carbon+pros

http://forums.deeperblue.net/showth...light=omer millenium carbon pros&pagenumber=4

Thanks so much Ted!

I read the threads you left, very helpful! And no I didn't out bid you on the D3, although I kinda wish it was me! My poor old analog depth gauge, top tecnology in 1940 or something....! Oh well it works!

I have been doing all my swimming, open water, dynamics ect. with some plastic 20 inchers, so this should be a real learning experience for me... hopefully a good one! With all the info and helpful people on this site though, if I don't learn the fault has to be mine!

I'll let you know how they work out, and next time I'm in the Madison area I'll PM you and find out where to dive there. I get to Janesville quite often in my work, and I've seen some of Jon's pics, looks nice! No ice diving for me though... I've heard of very courageous (or just really dedicated!) people in Wisc. who do these things!

Again, thanks.

Aaron

I think I found my longblade fin! Sporasub H. Dessaults. I bought them a few weeks ago and the footpockets were too big. A couple left clicks @ Scubastore, smaller footpockets come in the mail and I'm in business. They get me up from the bottom fine so far and on the surface I'm tooling around from reef to reef like I was in my not-so-old Churchill days! Today I came up from the bottom so fast I emerged as far as my navel (w 10# o'weight). It's nice to once again feel like I can surface swim "all day" if I wanted.

Thanks to everyone on this and other threads for sharing so much great finning experience!


Leaving a wake in So Cal,




p.s. (Pez, I'll sell ya the larger footpockets if you're still interested)

PM'd you the second I saw the post. Hopefully the new blades are allowing you to outrun the flames!