Omer fins?

[Pekka]

I am palanning on getting a pair of OMER tuna competition fins are they any good for freediving?
have you guys used them?
thanks beforehand
Pekka

 

[Cragrat]

I really like mine. I find the foot pocket more comfortable than my hiking boots I don't think you would be disappointed with a pair of OMER fins. (I've owned two pair). The description on the OMER site says, "Stiff polymer fin intended for deep freediving and competition applications". I have to agree with the stiff polymer description (I can't comment on the deep part, I've only hit 65 feet as a consistent maximum). You can also go for the "cool" factor of the Millennium Ice fin


That said you couldn't go wrong with a nice pair of Picasso's either

David Nesbitt aka Cragrat
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

 

[cjborgert]

Omer is having a close-out sale on their old tuna models - around $50 US: contact Mark LaBocetta at [email protected].

I recently compared the new Omer competition model (the Riffe Pez Fuerte) with the Picasso. Bottom line - you will not go wrong with either.

See my earlier thread under this forum entitled: "Fin flex - opinions please!"

If your feet are not exceptionally wide, why not snatch up a pair of the Omer Tunas on closeout - too good a deal to pass up IMO!

 

[Ossi]

I have been diving with the tuna comps for a while (the old model) and would recommend them - if you don't have too wide feet. The millenium foot poket may be a bit roomier. When it comes to stiffness, the tuna comps are a lot stiffer than many of the carbon fins (not as responsive and springy, though). That may require modifying your kick a bit, but once you get used to them, you'll really be kicking ***. Especially doing fast sprints or starting an ascend when a bit too negatively weighted will become easy.

ossi

 

[Pekka]

thanks for opinions

Thank you for all of you..I think I will go for the OMER comp fins..
safe diving

 

[andrsn]

millenium comps

i just got my millenium competitions the other day. the foot pocket is alot different than my cressi's. alot wider and stiffer. had to purchase omer's dbl ins 3mil socks, so now i'm waiting for them to arrive before i can at least get in the pool.

back to my thoughts for the purchase, i'm thinking the stiffness(and these guys seem like thin sheets of plywood, seriously) the stiffness might come in handy for sprinting. seems like all the mono sprinters are using xtrmly stiff fins for short distances. and, spearfishing(well at least the way i do it) is a bunch of sprints here and there with minimal traversing because i'm always drifting with the current over the reefs. i'm a little anxious to try them out back in florida, but i have to wait a month.

later,
anderson

 

[thin_air]

freedive fins and underwater hockey

now...

what kind of fins would be good for uwh (underwater hockey) and freediving.
the simple nature of uwh rules out carbon fins :duh but i would still like to have a decent stiffnes

are there any picasso dealers in ontario canada?

oh and has anyone used the force fins acclerate (i think thats what there called)

oh well

 

[andrsn]

millen. comps v. cressi garas

wow. i've been in the pool a few times now w/ my new millenium comps. holy crap!!!! there's no comparison whatsoever to the cressi gara hf's. i know my lower legs have developed severely ever since i started spearfishing with longblades and they're loving everything about these new planks on my feet.

i'm doing monokicking laps, flutter, sideways, and on my back. i actually thought i was going to get up on a plane when i was on my back once. i was throwing a pretty hefty wake, too(which kinda annoyed the other swimmers).

anyways, i can't comment enough on the power these guys have. i've never tried carbon blades, but for the price... i'll be sticking w/ these guys for some time. can't wait to get out into the deep next month. :inlove

later,
anderson

 

[virgil]

Vince:

Freediving fins are not allowed in UW hockey; serious potential for injury.
The most popular fins for this sport are the Mares avanti quattro and the Technisub Ala. The first type are preferred mostly by the powerfull swimmers since they are quite stiff and long. Their availability is good; you may check the local dive shop or the internet.
Alas are no longer regularly produced and, therefor, hard to come by (and expensive). I bought my Alas a couple of months back in a shop in Montreal (see the link below).

www.totatl-diving.com

Cheers,

Virgil

 

[freediver48]

Hi,

I just got a pair of Millenium Comp. Pros, mostly for the larger more North American fottpocket, and wow they really kick as they say. I have not had them in deep water, but my sense is that this where they will really make a big difference, pushing weight to the surface.

best wishes,

doug

 

[thin_air]

thanks virgil,

i didnt know that freedive fins were not allowed in uwh, why not?

i about half of the people that i play with use the plana avanti hp or avanti quattro power. the other half uses cressi-subs, freeforgs i think but im not sure.

thanks

 

[cjborgert]

Freedive fins & UWH

Vince,
Beside being dangerous to others, I don't think you could maneuver effectively in long blades to make them good for UWH.

I bought a new pair of Freefrogs on eBay for about $40 (including shipping) to use for snorkeling and freediving crevasses where I have to maneuver around rocks in tight spaces, and where thrust is not of supreme importance. They work really well for those purposes. The foot pocket is comfortable without neoprene socks, they seem durable, and they actually have a surprising amount of thrust. I've been to 19 meters with them in open water and felt that I had plenty of power to get back up.

I also have a pair of force fins that I never use since I bought my Picasso's and Freefrogs. Mine are the Pro Model Force Fin, not the even-more-expensive Excelerating Force Fin. The latter may be quite different from the former that I have, so I can't comment directly, but my guess is that the Freefrogs would be better for UWH. IMO, Force Fins are poor fins for surface finning because of the curved blade, and they are really geared toward efficiency during constant finning, not bursts of power here and there. Unless $$ are of no concern to you, I would try Freefrogs or the Avanti Quattro fins. Even without an eBay discount, you are looking at 1/3 - 1/4 the money.

 

[thin_air]

cost is paramount to me...

all the sports that i do seem to be very equipment intensive.

i think all go with the avanti quattro or maybe the avanti tre (has anyone tried these) i dont really know

does anyone know of good freedive fins that are less than 22 inches long(the max carry on luggage lenght.)

thanks

 

[cjborgert]

Length

Vince,
My Cressi Freefrog size 43-44 are 25.5 inches long. I don't know how that compares with the Mares fins.

 

[Mako]

My Cressi Rondine Lights are also 25.5" long. I take them carry-on in a 24" duffel every time I go somewhere there's an ocean. Most airlines aren't too strict about the 22" limit, even these days--I can still stuff that duffel bag under the seat diagonally!

Most of the snorkeling fins will be right around 24-26" long, including the Mares Avanti Tre. There are some "freediving light" fins which are longer (around 30"), such as the Mares Quattro Power, Genesis Navigator, Esclapez Plongee, etc. You can also use a freediving fin with a removable blade and chop that blade down to 24" or so. Just be sure to use a soft blade, 'cause you won't have as much area to flex.

 

[Pekka]

omer fins

I just got my omer tuna comp fins.. But I am not impressed by the stiffness, they are about the same as Sporasub HD radical carbon.
But I havent tried them out in water yet...well if they turn out to be too flexible for my taste I am yhinking of putting on some carbon fibre strips to stiffen the blade. Have you guys done anyting like that to stiffen your fins?
Well I sure am exited to get in the water!

 

[Erik]

Pekka, I initially was not impressed with the stiffness of the Radical, but after a day of diving, I changed my opinion drastically. I compared them to my blue Cressis at first, but once I learned to feel the Radicals response in the water, and let it do the work, I was very impressed. Brett LeMaster was doing 70 metres with these fins by the way, so they have some good history.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

 

[cjborgert]

Mako wrote:
—————————————————————————
You can also use a freediving fin with a removable blade and chop that blade down to 24" or so. Just be sure to use a soft blade, 'cause you won't have as much area to flex.
—————————————————————————

I'm intrigued by this suggestion. Would this modification offer any advantage over the fins that are made shorter to begin with (e.g., Freefrog, Quattro Power, Avanti Tri, etc.)? I'm wondering if one is better off trusting the engineering on the original fins rather than modifying, but I have no experience here, so am asking.

 

[Bill]

but I have no experience here, so am asking. [/B][/QUOTE]

I took an old pair of Sporasubs and cut a few inches off to get them in a suitcase. Couldn't tell any difference. Probably saved $100.

Bill

PS Since I'm so cheap and saving money makes me feel good, I could dive even deeper.

 

[Pekka]

modifying..

Well I did make myself a pair of freediving fins..50% carbon fibre 50% glass fibre, I glued them together with a m5..I cant remember what glue, but it was originally made for helicopter blades it sure worked fine.. then what would some strips of carbon or glass fibre do..I haven't tried, but I am sure if you would put some strips to make the sides stronger you wouldn't need much to make your fins LOTS stiffer...but I recomend some GOOD glue, since just nomal two component glue is too stiff and when the fin bends the strips would come off..:duh
But I think I give my fins a try in water before doing anything to them.
Thanks for opinions, safe diving