Picasso Black Team fins

[Shadowkiller]

I recently purchased a set of Picasso Black Team fins. What a difference they make when compared to a normal sized set of fins!

The only concern I have is the appearance of stress marks on the bottom of the fin, level with the end of the side supports. The fins are black so the stress marks are showing up as greyish streaks, parallel with the blade.

My diving buddy also bought a set of Picasso's (with green blades) and we have found the same type of marks on his blades. And this is after the first time using them!

Is this normal for freediving fins? Or should we be getting a refund asap?

Any and all help or info will be appreciated...

 

[Feld]

I've been using my Black team fins for almost two years of extensive diving. I even use them for scuba from time to time. My fins have those same stress marks, which are only visible while under water. They have had no ill effects on the fins performance. I find the fins the most reliable fins I've owned.

Jeff (Feld)
www.eastcoastfreediver.com

 

[scott]

No problems!

Shadowkiller,

After reading your post yesterday, I went home last night and inspected my BT fins. Other than scratches, I see no stress marks of any kind (I did not inspect them underwater).

I've used and abused my pair for over 2 years and they seem indestructible.

Scott

 

[donmoore]

I checked my Picasso Black Team fins, just purchased two months ago, and couldn’t find any stress marks. I am happy with the performance too. They are also my first freediving so I can’t compare to others. I was using some long snorkeling fins before.

One thing that bothered me was one of the fins came out of the box twisted. After reading Cliff Etzel fin review, and his disappoint with the Beuchat fin for this very same reason, and the fact that the Picasso were belt so heavy and tough and thus this problem must have been a manufacture defect and not something that happened in shipping, I too was wondering if I should send them back. But I just couldn’t wait another 4 weeks to get new ones, so I put them on the floor and put a weight on the twisted blade. By the next day there was less twist in the blade and I used it in the pool for the first time. I could feel the water not coming straight off the fin that day in the pool. After using them a few times and storing them flat on the floor (not in my dive bag) it has straightened out completely. Because of how easily it straighten out, I’m going to keep storing them on the floor, because if they straighten out that easy, they will probably also deform easy.

The weight of the fins felt like they were going to tire me out faster, but I have found it is great for starting my descent. When I get those long heavy fins in the air, they give me a great silent push down. In fact, I have ditched my weight belt (I was only using 2lbs before with a 1 mm full suit), because I don’t need it anymore. The weight was nice for safety purposes, but it sure is nice to have one less piece of equipment to put on and keep straight. Simplicity was one of my draws to freediving.
Don

 

[TMcKee]

I use Picasso Black Team fins and I love em! I have no stress marks on them, and I mostly dive in swimming pools. I did post a while back about some white residue from the chlorine, but that problem is gone(with silicone spray). I haven't worn any other fin, save for cheapies I used to swim under ships at work.

Donmoore, why do you have to wait 4 weeks for more fins? I ordered my Black Team fins from the store in here, I got mine in 4 days! I live in New Orleans and from Spain, they came to me in that time. Yes, it did cost nearly $25 to ship, but when compared to the actual fin prices around the US, It was a bargain, I saved money!!! I tell you guys something, I ordered two masks on a friday from the scuba site linked here and I got them on wednesday of next week!!! I couldn't believe it! It only cost me $16 to ship, whereas the same masks cost $50 to $120 in any scuba shop, I paid like $30 and $18 for the masks! Dude, try the store linked here, you wont regret it. I can't say enough good things about this place.

(I bet I get some karma now...I thought Karma could only be portioned out by the universe...):martial

 

[donmoore]

why can't I get in?

I have tried many times to get into the store and all I get is a Deeper Blue page that the last words say "start shopping now..." There is no links on the page. I have tried to get into www.diveinn.com directly and it automatically takes me to http://www.scubastore.com/idioma-pais/idioma-pais.asp# and says, Click to select language / country. When I click nothing happens. I have tried so many times it makes me sick. What really #### me is that after all of this, I decided that diveinn.com must be closed down or something and with the messages on the forum about Picasso no longer selling to them, I figured my only choice was to order from Picasso America. I paid $160 and it took 4 weeks! How come your getting in and I can’t?

 

[narked]

Seems odd, according to the Picasso site, they don't get stress marks. Maybe you should contact Picasso and find out what's going on.

Matt

 

[Shadowkiller]

*sheepish look*

Im used to snapping fins on a regular basis so when I noticed the marks I kinda freaked. Ive had those fins for 2 weeks and I love them already...

But after some discussions with a mechanical engineer we have come to the conclusion that the marks on the blade are NOT stress marks. Apparently they are in the wrong place for that. According to a post in the Adrenaline forum they are probably extrusion marks resulting from the manufacturing process. The mech dude offered to stress test them in a polarised light thingy (technical term) but couldnt guarantee their safety...:hmm

So apologies for panicking Picasso owners.

btw Don I paid $160 dollars for mine too. But that was in Aussie dollars (the pacific peso).. Sounds like there is quite a mark up in the US..

also TMcKee does chlorine have any adverse effects ont he foot pocket rubber?

 

[TMcKee]

1.) There is AT LEAST 50% markup in most of the scuba stores in the US. Average Markup is like 70% or something. It is frazzling ridiculous.

2.) As far as I know, The rubber foot pockets only develop some white residue after a while from the chlorine. I use liberal amounts of spray silicone on the foot pockets once they dry.

3.) here is the link to the scuba store, don

http://www.scubastore.com/eng/index.asp


Thanks folks.

 

[donmoore]

can't make it to the scuba store!

TmcKee,
Thanks for the link, but unfortunately when I try it, it automatically takes me to http://www.scubastore.com/idioma-pais/idioma-pais.asp# and I get the same old screen with "Click to select language / country" and not a dam thing happens when I click it. It the same, both on my home computer and my work computer, which have different ISP’s. I just don’t get it! If they are in business, why can’t I get in. I’m not Internet illiterate. I have a minor in computer science and have been using the Internet for years. Even made web pages.
Don

 

[TMcKee]

I just tried your link. I was able to get into the scuba store from there. When you select a language, then the country, it automatically brings you to the site. I can't think of any reason that you can't get in. Do you have the latest version of your browser? If not, download it and try...Im stumped. Write the operators of this site with the problem...

tmckee:head

 

[donmoore]

shop http:

Thanks tmckee,
I have a very recent version of Explorer. Would you or someone else select the United States country and then copy and paste the http: address it goes too? If I can skip that first page, it may work.
Thanks,
Don

 

[alastair]

Prices of Picasso fins here in Italy are about 60% of what they are in America.

This seems to be pretty much in line with other scuba/apnea gear.

Cressi and Mares are just down the road from me, and so there's usually some real bargains. I just bought some Cressi HF Gara fins (not this season's model) for a friend for 14 Euro!

Don't worry though, when buying a house, a car, a TV, a CD, and just about anything else, you have the advantage.

Al

 

[donmoore]

finally got into the shop

I finally figure out part of the mystery why I couldn’t get into the DiveInn’s shop. They have the part where you select your language and country as pop-up windows. I have an anti-spam program that zaps all pop-up windows. That explains that part of it. After I sent an e-mail to Deeper Blue complaining about not getting in, the words “Start Shopping Now” and “Enter the Store” magically started appearing on the shop page of Deeper Blue. When I click these it automatically takes me to the English index of the scuba store, thus bypassing the pop-up windows that select the language and country.

Now if I could go back in time and order my Picassos black team fins for $88 plus shipping rather than $160 I paid for them!