Tropol Monofin - a Fondueset Review

[trux]

Well, it is true I could compile it all into a single long movie, but then people would complain it is too long If you go to the online version, just click the chapter links on the right side, instead of the menu in the Flash video self - that works just fine.

 

[Fondueset]

Nicely done. I've actually got it up and running on one of my windows 7 boxes - no problem - but not with your translations Thanks again Trux!

 

[Herup]

Mac users can use this free program to view .swf files on mac:
http://mac.eltima.com/freeflashplayer.html

Install and open the PP.swf from the downloaded tutorial folder and it should be Rock'n'roll :friday

Very best regards
H!

 

[Kars]

I very much like the concept design of the new M5f footpocket! It looks slick, organic, strong, ergonomic, light weight, close to perfection I think! Thank you for making a freedivers's fin!

 

[Walrus]

The new footpocket does look nice and with it the monofin would probably make a great ocean/depth fin. I don't think it would be very practical for pool use however, you couldn't stand with it easily and probably stress/damage the fin&footpocket if you did. Push off turns would be hopeless but then all big angled fins have this problem. Having a less bulky ocean fin though would be good, may also help reducing bouyancy changes when there is less material to start with.

Cheers,
Wal

 

[Fondueset]

Buoyancy is definitely a factor in the design. The intention has been to make it slightly positive at all depths. There has been a very dynamic process in the evolution of this fin based on input from both recreational and competitive freedivers. I think it will be a very good dynamic fin - but if you like less angle - the M4 - which I have been using very heavily since last spring - is definitely a dynamite pool fin. I do between 30-50 50 meter laps with it almost every day.

 

[Walrus]

Fondueset,
I was talking about the new M5f footpocket. If you stand up in the pool wearing a fin like this the blade would bend and there would be heaps of stress on both the blade and the footpocket. I have broken a set of carbon bi-fins that had a similar problem. Most Freedivers training in a pool would be standing on their fins quite a lot in a regular training session.

 

[Fondueset]

The only scenario I could see would be an extremely forceful kick off from a standing position into a dive. I have hundreds of hours in the pool and have never 'stressed' the blade or footpocket on any of my fins - some of which have blade angles in excess of 25 degrees. To break a monofin under such circumstances would require quite a bit of effort.

 

[Walrus]

All the current angled blades have a lot of material built up under the foot, the highest point under the toes. So when standing up the blade is flat, but your foot is on a big angle supported by the foam/rubber material. With this footpocket design what would keep your toes off the ground other then the blade bending and having the divers weight on it ?

I think this footpocket design would still need a similar built up area under the foot to make a durable pool fin. It could be a fairly narrow ridge as long as it can support weight. For the ocean it would not be an issue.

Cheers,
Wal

 

[Kars]

I've tested the M4 too, and I think the material is strong enough. But at the same time I think it's ok if a fin is designed for swimming, rather than standing. In my scuba classes it is taught to put the fins on in the water, not to walk with them.

And I like the light design very much because it means there is less weight to move around while swimming, hence less energy consumption.

And having a lighter fin is also nice at the airport...

I've often thought of a WW Classic fin With a big angle and wings as my preferred design, and Tropol is going to build one for us! GREAT!
I truly think that this 1 piece moulded fin will be very successful, truly next gen.
Now if the footpockets could have a little bit more of the shape of the left and right foot, improving fitting and comfort even further than they can use the same mould for the next decennial because it's miles ahead of the competition and our time!

Thanks Tropol for the great design!

I love it.

Kars

 

[DivingDane]

hmmmm still interested but dont think they will be in my size before i get to Egypt next year, so another fin will be needed.

but still think i'll get one for lake diving, they look very nice.

i still dont understand why comapnies are not building the angle into the blade rather than the foot pocket, then having low profile good fitting pockets and wings added afterwords, it would be a large step forward.

on a side note Kars i think i know a relative of yours who lives in cairns, his name is Alex and he speaks of a relative in holland that freedives named Kars so maybe you i guess?

DD

 

[Kars]

Indeed Diving Dane! Alex (Full name Alexander van Welderen) is my nephew!
I want to come over and see you guys, and if possible take up a job over there.
Would love to do some nice freediving there but I understand that it's rather shallow near the coast there, so one needs a boat to get to the reefs and deeper waters.

Do you know Alex well?

 

[DivingDane]

Yep i know Alex pretty well, i deal with him from day to day on bussiness matters! he works with one of my major accounts in the Cairns region Prodive.

Nice guy he is as well.

unfortunatly itn is true that a boat is required to get to the reef and Deep water. however we do have a fresh water lake we use almost every weekend for training. beautiful place in the middle of the rainforest always warm and 64m at the deepest point it is very nice.

once we have a boat the reef will be much easier. so hopefully have that sorted by the end of next year. otherwise we crrently dive with friends who have boats so we caan still come out.

you should maybe come over for holidays? we'' get BnnyB up as well and we can go diving and have a couple of beers or 10!

DD

 

[monkeyhatfork]

Fondueset- What is your U.S. shoe size? did you ever get around to measuring your feet according to the tropol pdf. ? I'm going to order an m4 for an upcomming bahama trip I don't think the m5 will be out in time and my Glide is not comfortable enough for long recreational diving. My shoe size is 9.5 which I would have thought put me in the size 3 =240, but when I measure my feet It's Length 247.65mm Width 93mm Hieght 63mm this would seemingly put me in the largest size 4 = 250, but I'm nowhere near a u.s. 11-12.5 as stated on that chart. I would like to be able to wear it bearfoot for long hours and no slippage at most with a half sock any suggestions? I e-mailed tropol this question as well but would like as much input as possible thanks, JOSH

 

[Fondueset]

Hi Josh,

I'm an 11 - the largest tropol is a loose on me without socks - but I am having the straps shortened. You'll want at least a full size smaller than their largest for sure. I don't mind the slippage for the comfort - but I think the tighter straps will probably eliminate most slippage. Also - my blade is a 4 on their scale - I would go 3 or softer for a rec fin though.

 

[monkeyhatfork]

thanks for the info, looks like it will be a size 3 for me then, I currently use soft and medium waterway blades so I asked for something in between, I guess would be a #2 . I have a similar loose strap problem with my glide fin right now I have it built up with some neoprene to get a tighter squeeze but would be nice if the strap was much shorter -------- for fin type did you get the medium type stiffener or the weaker constant stiffener ?

 

[Fondueset]

Awhile back I sent pictures of the wear on my fin to Lubos. Nothing catastrophic or performance related - just a rip in one of the heels cause by thin material and me brute-forceing the fin on with 6 mil socks. Lubos offerred to replace the footpockets! We talked a little about maybe going a size smaller - with thin or no socks these pockets have quite a bit of play in them - and he suggested just tightening the heel straps.

So - a week ago I got the fin back. I'd been using my other two hyper-style fins for several months (I told Lubos to put me low on the priority list and take his time) and was really enjoying them. My first Triton fin was really nice in terms of having a softer blade than the tropol, more angle and comfy footpockets. After a several years of heavy use (abuse) the blade finally snapped during a sprint in the pool - so I switched to my other Triton. This is one of Max's newer fins and the quality is excellent. Stiffer blade and tighter footpockets = very good performance + pain.

Enter my slightly re-engineered Tropol. First - I had an actual open blister on my foot when I took it to the pool.

I was a little worried because the straps are much tighter than before. I used some soap and eased the fin on to my somewhat bruised feet. Immediately I noticed much better force transmission. I could feel, and appreciate, the quality of the blade much more than before.

The blade on the Tropol is really quite excellent. I swam 30 x 50 meter underwater laps with very comfortable feet. Without trying much I could do 25m with 5 or 6 kicks (I don't use any weight so I have to maintain speed to stay down). The blade is pretty stiff but for some reason it didn't seem as stiff as I remembered. Also - even though this fin has less angle than my Tritons - it glides better. I think this must be because it is negative at pool depths.

Feet out the fin did not exacerbate my blister at all - in fact I've been using the fin daily in the pool and the blister has healed anyway. Last Saturday I did 66x50 with a lot of hard sprinting - no feet problems.

The fin is still the tiniest bit loose - which should leave room for 3 mil socks, but the improvement in feel and performance is huge. The new footpockets also have thicker material in the heels and the straps more surface area - so they should hold better.

As I've mentioned - the polymer the pockets are molded from has a peculiar property when it gets wet. It gets almost slimy to a light touch - which keeps the friction against your feet very low. Plus it conforms to the shape of your feet better than rubber.

 

[Kars]

Is the production still on schedule?

The first size of our new monofin M5f will be no. 41. There is assumed schedule for development of our M5f monofin:

finalization of outside shape model (47th week of the year 2009)

finalization of mould of outside shape - Week52/2009

finalization of mould of inside shape - Week 7/2010

finalization of mould of stiffener - Week 10/2010

mould assembling and implementation of injection technology - Week 15/2010

testing and optimisation of mould - Week 17/2010

When will the bigger sizes such as 42-43-44-45-46 be made?

 

[monkeyhatfork]

I have a new favorite fin, my tropol came in the mail this week and is the best mono I've used so far, this is the first fin that fit my feet correctly, the pockets are smaller/tighter than my waterway but with no pain, I used it for a 1 hour session barefoot with no pain and no blisters, the pocket material is really nice really easy to get in and out of, very slippery. As for performance it is at least equal if not better than my glide fin but with the added bonus of much more enjoyment in my swims. When I bend the blade with my hand it seems softer than my soft glide blade but with the pocket placement and the fact that they have a rigiid support and don't bend so much as the glide pockets the fin is in it's function slightly stiffer than the glide. It has a smoother feel and seems less effected by turbulence don't no if that is due to the shorter wider blade or because its heavier and negative boyant but it feels very smooth. I see some subtaintial jumps in pb's coming with this fin, I asked lubos if he could try swirling together multiple colors in the mold, the experiment failed but it was very cool of him to try it for me , I ended up going with all ivory, the fin is beautiful, and well constucted, the molded pockets are the way to go, much more forgiving on the feet and I love that they don't pinch so tight at the opening like the glide pockets, can't wait to get more time in with this fin.

 

[Kars]

Thanks for the review Monkeyhatfork!

Can you tell us what the blade stiffness your Glide and Tropol fins have? - so we know how they relate to each other.

O and the fin indeed looks very nice, but I would not park it on it's fragile blade end

Can you make a pool video of it, so we can see it in action, how it moves, and bends. Preferable at different speeds and shot from close up

I like this angle (that also eliminates other swimmers and gives a referral with background tiles) - WW Glide 30degree medium blade, performed and edited by Daan, filmed by me:



Thanks!

Kars