What is the softest freedive fin?

[DRW]

I'd like to hear your brother's opinion on the identity of the material of the Mares Volo Race. I was under the impression that the only rubber fin Mares market nowadays is the Dacor Corda fin:

I agree with you that most foot pockets described as "rubber" nowadays are in fact synthetic polymers, TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) in particular, but so far as I am aware, all the fins illustrated in my message #16 are made from natural rubber, not synthetic, oil-derived rubber. The product descriptions of each of these fins specifically mentions natural rubber. To me there is a difference. Natural rubber foot pockets don't sag like TPE ones tend to do (they usually need to be stored with plastic formers to stay in shape) and natural rubber foot pockets also seem to mould to the foot better. I was given to understand once that after the changeover from rubber to composite, fin makers had to use TPE in their foot pockets to stop them from delaminating from plastic blades.

I do take your point about the importance of the geometry of fins.

 

[Haydn]

Thats interesting. Thanks. My purpose for the fin is continuous all day surface swimming, so muscular comfort is paramount (no aches next day). The Russian fin is perfect and so well tested by me, they have worn out. I am now looking for an improvement in mileage. A freedive fin is designed to be efficient with little energy expenditure, and therefore might be an improvement after 10 hours finning, as far as distance is concerned. I am concerned though , that the long frequency of the kick, may be too slow for the rhythm of the kick. Certainly my freedive fins cause my kick to be too slow (although they give me about 100m more distance every 5 minutes, they also make my legs tired after 2 hours. On the upside, they do allow me to sprint kick and get out of trouble when being blown onto rocks etc). So, a softer freedive fin needs comparing and the aim is to find a faster fin than the Russian ones without comprising musculature discomfort.

It may well be that a freedive fin just cannot give me what I am looking for. But the lack of energy in kicking them implies otherwise, if the frequency of kick can be increased from the freedive norm.

 

[trux]

DRW, I'll see my brother in about two weeks, so will ask him if he can see what type of rubber it exactly is. Natural rubber can indeed have some advantages, but there are also plenty of problems with it. Besides others an important problem of latex derived natural rubber are relatively common latex allergies. Aging of natural rubber, its sensitivity to UV light, and chemical reactivity are even more general problems. My numerous rubber Najades (excellent fins, btw), rarely kept longer than 2-3 seasons. I kept much longer the Cressi Rondines without damage (I think around 10 years), but I suspect the material was already not really pure natural rubber, but rather some mixture.

In contrary, the Beuchat footpockets that I own since about 10 years too, do not show any sign of aging at all, despite frequent use and abuse. I think the pockets are at least partially made in synthetic rubber.

The difference in aging of natural and synthetic elastomers is even much better noticeable at mask skirts or snorkel mouth-pieces. While I still have several silicone masks and snorkels more than 25 years old, and in very good shape, all masks and snorkels with natural rubber are completely burned and unusable.

There is a huge choice of synthetic elastomers, so a company with skilled technologist may make miracles with the right choice and mixtures. So yes, the natural rubber has some nice aspects, for fetishists it is probably irreplaceable, and from vintage point of view there is also no dupe, but from practical point of view I am not sure whether it has any advantages that could not be achieved with the right choice of synthetic elastomers. But then again, as I told I am not an expert, but will ask my brother - perhaps he can enlighten me better.

 

[DRW]

Thanks for this. As I see it, it all comes down to choice, not just the choices made by the chemists and technologists, but also the choices of the end-users. Yes, natural rubber eventually, even sooner rather than later, "perishes". It's a natural material that finally "dies". Synthetic elastomers undoubtedly have greater longevity and may have other beneficial properties as well, but for those like myself who started snorkelling in the middle of the twentieth century using natural rubber fins, there's no substitute for the "snap", "liveness" and "springiness" of a freshly manufactured fin made from that material. Even back then, we knew that such fins wouldn't last for ever and that they'd have to be replaced after a period of time. But the same fate awaits other commodities in life, such as leather shoes. I buy new trainers every year or ever other year because they wear out. I don't complain about it because I'm aware they won't last for ever.

I believe the best answer lies in complementing, not replacing, traditional technologies. Information is also invaluable; fin purchasers should be fully informed about what their fins are made from, so they can make reasoned choices when selecting them. Too many diving gear manufacturers find it too easy to hide behind "commercial confidentiality" clauses when questioned about the identity of materials used to make their products. I've even read somewhere that one fin manufacturer even declined to provide information about foot pocket dimensions - so valuable when trying to judge fit and sizing - on commercial sensitivity grounds.

I still feel there's a place for natural rubber fins, despite the material's disadvantages as well as advantages, alongside fins manufactured from oil-derived materials. I've done a lot of online research on the subject and at the last count there are about sixty different types of full-foot fins made from natural rubber in 15 countries of the world, including the USA (Oceanways Aquapro, Scubapro Floating). Such fins are often used nowadays as swim training fins. And of course the surfers are still entirely wedded to their all-rubber fins, which I presume have a high, if not total, natural rubber content.

 

[Gerani89]

Imersion freediving spirit. Soft but very performant.you will not be never tired

 

[Mufazalov]

Well, talking about Freediving fins (i guess long ones =]) look at Omer Stingrays, the plastic ones. I ve got a pair because I spend in the water up to 8 hours and My Cressi Gara HFs were killling my ankles by the time i was finishing. Very very very soft, but again, the lack a snap is there as well... I dont feel good coming up from >30 meters deep. But Since I dont spearfish above 30 I dont think it is that bad. + a very comfy footpocket. I believe the cost is around 70 Euro. WHich is not bad =]