SpecialFins Kelpie vs Stereo Fins Pro? HELP!

[FreeDivingJake]

Hello all,
I was just wondering the difference between the SpecialFins Kelpie and the SpecialFins Freediving Stereo Fins Pro. Can someone tell me which one is the better fin? http://www.specialfins.com/eng_products.php?product_id=38 this link is to the Freediving Stereo Fins Pro.

http://www.specialfins.com/eng_products.php?product_id=74 This link is to the SpecialFins Kelpie. Which ones should I purchase? I mainly dive to around 20-27 meters. I dive in the springs of Florida, sometimes caverns sometimes not. (Cdavis has some awesome stories about the springs). I just can't figure out the differences between the two, or which one is the better fin. All help is appreciated

 

[cdavis]

The Sterio Pros are more pure freedivng fin. The Kelpies are more spearfishing, shorter, wider, more initial acceleration and probably a little more maneuverable. Should be less efficient than the sterios. Whats best depends on you and what you use them for, but stiffness is more important than shape. I like my Kelpie mediums for open water general use and spearfishing. Truly excellent spearfishing fin. I only know one guy who does very well with the kelpie hards, unirdna. He has short, extremely strong legs and uses a very bent knee stroke that works well for his spearfishing, but isn't what the purist would recommend.

Just a note on spring diving. It will beat up fiberglass fins pretty bad. For bifins in the springs, I prefer my my cressi 2000s . There aren't many places in Florida fresh water where you need the extra performance of a non plastic fin.

Connor

 

[cdavis]

Jake? as in Jake B?

 

[FreeDivingJake]

The Sterio Pros are more pure freedivng fin. The Kelpies are more spearfishing, shorter, wider, more initial acceleration and probably a little more maneuverable. Should be less efficient than the sterios. Whats best depends on you and what you use them for, but stiffness is more important than shape. I like my Kelpie mediums for open water general use and spearfishing. Truly excellent spearfishing fin. I only know one guy who does very well with the kelpie hards, unirdna. He has short, extremely strong legs and uses a very bent knee stroke that works well for his spearfishing, but isn't what the purist would recommend.

Just a note on spring diving. It will beat up fiberglass fins pretty bad. For bifins in the springs, I prefer my my cressi 2000s . There aren't many places in Florida fresh water where you need the extra performance of a non plastic fin.

Connor

Thanks, Connor! I mainly dive Troy due to the depth. Orange Grove sink is an awesome place when it's clear to go for the winter. I dive main cavern at Ginnie a lot too, but I would probably try not to use fiberglass fins there. I've read that they're pretty durable, I baby my stuff anyways and will do my best to take care of them Oh and I'll pm you about that question, hehe.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Jake? as in Jake B?

I sent you a pm.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

The Sterio Pros are more pure freedivng fin. The Kelpies are more spearfishing, shorter, wider, more initial acceleration and probably a little more maneuverable. Should be less efficient than the sterios. Whats best depends on you and what you use them for, but stiffness is more important than shape. I like my Kelpie mediums for open water general use and spearfishing. Truly excellent spearfishing fin. I only know one guy who does very well with the kelpie hards, unirdna. He has short, extremely strong legs and uses a very bent knee stroke that works well for his spearfishing, but isn't what the purist would recommend.

Just a note on spring diving. It will beat up fiberglass fins pretty bad. For bifins in the springs, I prefer my my cressi 2000s . There aren't many places in Florida fresh water where you need the extra performance of a non plastic fin.

Connor

Connor,
I looked on the SpecialFins website. The Stereo's and the Kelpies are the same length. It says the Kelpies are "vacuum molded" and the Stereo's are "Vacuum processed" and the Stereo's are made of "Resins and other chemicals" is this just a fancy way of saying the same thing as "Vacuum molded fiberglass" like they said about the Kelpies? Their descriptions are confusing.

 

[cdavis]

I see what you are talking about. They do list as the same dimensions, 195 x785 mm. My kelpies are 214 x 738, both sets. Not sure if they have changed the size or if the text is wrong(I suspect the latter). Looking at the pics, the sterios look longer and narrower(which should be more efficient) and it makes little sense to make a pure freediving blade the same dimensions as the spearfishing blade.

The vacuum molded vs vacuum process is probably just marketing hype. Generally, the text in their website is hard to use to compare products.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

I see what you are talking about. They do list as the same dimensions, 195 x785 mm. My kelpies are 214 x 738, both sets. Not sure if they have changed the size or if the text is wrong(I suspect the latter). Looking at the pics, the sterios look longer and narrower(which should be more efficient) and it makes little sense to make a pure freediving blade the same dimensions as the spearfishing blade.

The vacuum molded vs vacuum process is probably just marketing hype. Generally, the text in their website is hard to use to compare products.

Thanks again Connor! I think my dad mentioned something about a bahamas trip?

 

[cdavis]

You have no idea what I've got in store for you two. He He He!

 

[hteas]

As an aside: They did change the shape of the Kelpie and Bluewater Special. Everything got standardized to the longer, narrower blade. I'm sticking with my older, shorter, and wider Bluewater Specials. Beat up, but still going strong.

 

[cdavis]

thanks hteas, I did not know that.

They made a mistake.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

As an aside: They did change the shape of the Kelpie and Bluewater Special. Everything got standardized to the longer, narrower blade. I'm sticking with my older, shorter, and wider Bluewater Specials. Beat up, but still going strong.

Thanks for the info hteas! I wonder why they did that. It would make the fins less maneuverable when shimmying your way out of holes, or spearfishing in tight spots, wouldn't it? Or does the length not make that much of a difference?

Jake

 

[hteas]

I think there are a lot of times that shorter and wider are better. Doing aspetto whikle waiting for a fish to swim close enough, wandering around boulders, looking into caves. There are a lot of times that shorter is better.

I don't understand the change, since both the kelpies and BlueWater Specials are for spearfishing.
The good news is that (I think this is still true) the website says you can order custom measurements as long as they are reasonable.

 

[Apneaddict]

I was in the pool conditioning my legs for an upcoming spearfishing trip with my Mares Avanti Quattros and it clicked that they too are wider and shorter... And also fit in a suitcase / are durable.

A decent alternative if a long surface swim isn't req'd... Especially for travel.

 

[kkdavids]

i used my underwater hockey fins a couple of times, and they are great for surface swimming and shallow diving