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Special & Leader – Budget fin upgrade

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
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OTGav

Member
Jan 5, 2009
55
4
23
Looking to upgrade my fins from some Immersion black plastics – so the hunt has begun.

I can see that Special fins and Leader fins have some options that are significantly cheaper than some of the bigger brands, and some of the smaller carbon fabricators too – a good thing for the pocket, but a big difference in performance/breakages?

Really looking for recommendations on fins & pocket combinations, and avoid any pitfalls out there – try before you buy is a great concept, but when ordering for delivery rather than walking into a shop it becomes a bit more tricky.

Fins would be for spear fishing & rec diving.
I’m 95kg, 180cm – happy to 18m fishing, with some more depth developing - plenty of surface swimming across the hours in the water to scout sites.

Reason for change is the black’s feel like planks & are exhausting after a few hours – I (possibly wrongly) assume that some different materials might make life a bit more energy efficient. Hoping for more bottom time mainly and maybe bit easier road to depth improvements.

Any advice welcome on composite/hybrid/carbon choices – Omer millennium f/ps feel like they fit nicely on my oversized feet.

Ta

Gav
 
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Hey,

i just bought these fins

LeaderFins.com

from leaderfins.

I am very pleased with them after testing them 8 days in Dahab, Blue Hole+ Canyon.

Facts you may want to know:
positive:
-I took them in Soft although i am 93kg and 186cm (muscular+lean)
- I used them for couple of hours and felt very comfortable
- Footpockets from leaderfins are very soft and comfortable what i like
- qualitiy seems quite good
-support is fast

negative:
when i received them a little plastic part was broken when the fins arrived.
but they send a new assembly kit right away
- fins are quite heavy (almost 4 kg per pair)

I you have further questions just ask.
 
Almost 4kg pair ? :O

I have carbon versions, these are 2,1kg (f/p 45-46)
Friend have same glassfibre versions in medium stiffness and these are 2,5kg (f/p 43-44)
 
well then let me check that again.

i am sure they are quite heavy.

the estimated 4 kg really might be to much
 
Since 2005 I've been using a pair of specialFins medium Bluewater Special blades (fiberglass) in Dessault footpockets that are outstanding. The only problem with them is I can only wear 3 mm socks with them, so they only get used in warm water. For Alaska I use Imersion E-carbons (because they fit with 7 mm socks)
I'm 180 cm and 73 kgI've been to 40 m with both and never had a problem getting back up.
 
The Specialfin hybrid is a fantastic spearfishing blade, but get them in medium not hard. I also use Dessault pockets and like the fit very well, not real pleased with their longevity. As my regular all round fin, I use the Specialfin Kelpie medium, fiberglass blade. Very similar to hteas's blades. Very good.

Connor
 
hteas said:
For Alaska I use Imersion E-carbons (because they fit with 7 mm socks)
I'm 180 cm and 73 kgI've been to 40 m with both and never had a problem getting back up.
Click to expand...
Which Imersion E-Carbons do you use hteas (essential or spirits)? Do you have them for a while? Where would they fit in terms of stifness/rigidity, soft, medium or in between? (If you don't mind me asking ...) I loved the foot pockets and the angle on their plastics, very comfy indeed, might be interesting to get some performance blades with those too.
 
Stingaree,
they are the Essentials. They are definitely soft. The footpocket is soft, the ribs are flexible, and tdhe blades are medium soft. I was surprised at how well the work after getting used to them.
They feel soft, but in pool tests they were faster than any of my other fins, including the SpecialFins/Dessaults.
 


HI Connor,
could you please describe the difference between Kelpie and hybrid. I found almost no info on the specialfins site. THX
 
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Kelpie is all fiberglass. A set of mediums was my main fins for years. Tough blades and very efficient for me, just right. The only down side was that eventually I had to re-glue the rubber edge. They would still be my main fins except I've mostly switched to a Dol-fin.

Hybrid, carbon with a kevlar outer layer for durability. I bought a set of hards that was too much for me. However, I did quite a bit of pool testing with them. Given a relatively high level of effort, the hybrids were faster than the kelpies, ie, more efficient at that level of effort. If you are a big guy in good shape, or a short legged strong guy, the hards could be a better choice. Otherwise a set of medium hybrids would probably beat the kelpies. I just passed on the hybrids to a short, stocky, strong, friend who had used kelpie hards for years and love'em. He tried my hybrids, switching back and forth with his kelpies, and was of the opinion that the hybrids are superior for him.

Note: the stiffness of both of these blades is heavily affected by what foot pocket you use. I used Dessaults. My buddy used Omers, much stiffer Something like a Beuchat would make them softer.

If you get a pair, I'd be interested in your experience.




Enjoyed your thread on buddy diving. Good food for thought.
 
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