which fins?

[aha]

I'm getting my first free diving fins and I've been sitting here reading all your posts on fins (this is a great resource, thanks). I took note of a few and hope that some of you will respond to my post and help me fine tune my list (based on my individual criteria).

I'm a strong swimmer (but I'm not currently going deeper that 50-60 feet), Wider feet (men's size 8), in warm water I stay out for a few hours (advanced snorkeling to borderline free diving), I'm 150lbs, I swim regularly in the pool (with short fins) but only get to do open water free diving every other month or so.

Cressi Gara 2000 HF (58 cm) - is a great deal on Diveinn (but I worry that they will be too narrow for me). Cressi Sub Gara 3000 - Longer, and sounds like it's stiffer than the 2000. Cressi Sub Gara 3000 LD - Not as stiff. How does it compare with the 2000 HF?

Picasso Black Teams - Not the stiffest, good for wide feet. Picasso Spuma - fast and manouverable fins (best for shallow water, tight spots). Picasso Start - Any thoughts?

Mares Plana Avanti Tre, Cressi Fullfoot Frog, and Cressi Pro Star - Are these longfin/snorkel hybrids? Should I be considering them?

A friend has the Sporasub H. Dessault Elite fins. Which don't seem like they'd be very comfortable barefoot. They are way too big or else I would have tried them.

Thanks, Amanda (feel free to suggest ones not on my list)

 

[roy_nexus_6]

aha,
if you your feet are wide, look for fins with omer, or sporasub footpockets, as for the blades if you are not planning on diving deep and weighting 150#, anything from soft to medium should do just fine. I got my fins at http://www.specialfins.com. Excellent company with great service.

Best of luck to you and dive safe.

 

[firefly]

hello

i am also new to frediving. i saw long cressi fins in a shop, i don't know what they are called, but they are grey. the guy in the shop said they are very popular. does anyone know those? and are they good beginners fins? don't know how important but i'm 52kgs and relatively sporty.

thank you

sandra

 

[cdavis]

There is a lot to read about fin selection. Bottom line though, if you can't try them on, it's a crap shoot. That said, the Gara's have a very comfortable pocket (for most people) especially barefoot. The thicker the sock, the more penalty on wide feet. If you dive with very thick socks I'd be careful of garas. I wore 2000 hfs (barefoot) for years and was quite happy, lots of power and just fine down to at least 30 meters (deepest I took them). I'm 6'1'' and 155. However, having experimented with some softer fins, softer is more efficient for me, much better for a long day, although instant acceleration suffers.

Good luck with your search

Connor

 

[megathumpzila]

I'd start with the picassos of the ones you mentioned.

None will be freindly to bare feet, get thin booties and the rubber triangle that holds the fin on tight.

Get stiffer than you think if you are going to dive regularly, your legs will adapt quickly if you dive a lot.

Esclapez are good too if you can find them.

Good luck!

 

[Huan]

As stated above Omer Millennium Footpockets are the best for wider feet.
I wear a size 43 shoe= 44-46 in footpockets.
Omer fits perfect and the Picasso BT needs the fixe-palmes to be fitted or they will come off my feet.
as stated above I have Specialfins Hybrid pro hard and they are an awesome fin well worth the bucks and the service is first rate.
maybe if you wanted to get 2 sets of blades 1 short for pool work and 1 long for the sea? change the pockets over when you go salty?
Just remember the Gara's are one piece and not separate fin and pocket.

 

[nickw]

I wouldnt go with the Picasso Black Team fins, they are super stiff and uncomfortable on the ankles. Of course this is just my opinion, but most of the divers around here use fins that are considerably softer. Good luck

Nick

 

[aha]

Thanks for the advice.

Roy_Nexus - I checked out Specialfin...would the Classic (medium stiffness) be a good first start? Or were you speaking of the softer Pro blades. I'm curious how Classic compares with the Picasso Start.

For several hours of shallow (30-50ft) barefoot diving, it seems like there is a mix of opinions about the worth of using a fin like....Cressi Closed Frog or Pro Star, Sporasub Cruise, Mares Avanti. Any thoughts?

_aha.

 

[Huan]

Sounds like the Picasso Start may be good for the shallow dives you do 30-50ft. The longer fins are more efficient than the scuba type fin that you suggest.
Deeper dives suggest a fibre/carbon fin may be a little better.
Really the only way is for you to go to the shop and try a few.

 

[subaquaticus]

Cressi Gara 2000 HF (58 cm) - is a great deal on Diveinn (but I worry that they will be too narrow for me). Cressi Sub Gara 3000 - Longer, and sounds like it's stiffer than the 2000. Cressi Sub Gara 3000 LD - Not as stiff. How does it compare with the 2000 HF?

Be careful ! I own Gara 2000 HF and these fins are the stiffest ever made to my knowledge...

They are very much adapted to vertical diving since you need a strong push from the surface to go deeper and from the bottom to go upwards...

For dynamic apnea they are already too stiff... and for surface swimming useless...

Last season I used them for doing 16 X 50 m kind of training sessions... they occasioned me a good tendinitis at the knee I had many difficulties to get rid of...

For doing a 400 m finswimming I used a normal pair of scuba diving fins...

Then your 2000 HF will be useful for you only if you stick to your cable doing constant weight...

The 2000 LD (LD = Long Distance) is more flexible and allows you to swim horizontally...

The GARA 3000 is a try at correcting 2000 HF's excessive stiffness... they are a bit more supple, but though remain very stiff... the 3000 LD should be more flexible...

I bought recently the Variant Comp ; they seem to be a good compromise for all freediving disciplines and also finswimming as well...

 

[aha]

Unfortunately, I don't have a shop near me (that I know of) that has any of these fins. I'll probably try the Picasso Starts and see how it goes. Thanks again everyone.
aha.

 

[cdavis]

aha,
If you are planning to use the fins for diving, not pool work, get long fins. The difference in efficiency is so great that almost any longfin will be superior to almost any shortfin (unless you have a very high premium on manuverability)

Connor

Connor

 

[aha]

one last question...footpocket sizing seems to really depend on the brand. I'm a 40/41 - Should go with the smallest size Picasso (40/42). I'd like to go bare foot or use a thin sock.

Any Picasso users that can comment?

 

[Jon]

I have a size 43 foot and own a pair of size 42-44 Picasso Black Teams. I can eaily wear a 3mm sock with them.

They are stiff and I prefer a Sporasub fin with a plastic blade, for the same price, since they are much easier to swim in- plus you can easily change out blades with many other fins on the market. Having said that the start's are softer than the Black teams and may work just fine for you.

On the difference between the Classics and the Pro's from Specialfin's I would go with the Pro since they have an angled blade- which the classics don't.

I've used both and the Pro's are my favorite. For surface swimming, and dives to 60', a medium stiffness would be more than enough. If your small enough a pair of Soft's may do just fine. If you just want to go for depth then a pair of hard's may do it for you, but I would always lean towards a softer fin- after learning this the hard way by getting fins that were too stiff at the onset.


Jon

 

[roy_nexus_6]

Thanks for the advice.

Roy_Nexus - I checked out Specialfin...would the Classic (medium stiffness) be a good first start? Or were you speaking of the softer Pro blades. I'm curious how Classic compares with the Picasso Start.

For several hours of shallow (30-50ft) barefoot diving, it seems like there is a mix of opinions about the worth of using a fin like....Cressi Closed Frog or Pro Star, Sporasub Cruise, Mares Avanti. Any thoughts?

_aha.

If you are planning to spearfish and to freedive get the medium siffness (for accelaration when needed during speafishing) , if you are doing pure freediving just for sake of freediving get the soft. I got the "B/W Special" the bright BLUE colored ones with the OMER foot pockets.

I recomend you e-mail Juri from specialfins and let him know your weight hight, your freediving experience and what it is you are intending to do with the fins. They will tweak the lamination process to "customize" the blades specially for you.

best of luck

 

[Batman]

Also looking for which fins?

My sporasub H Dessault size 44-46 are too small, and uncomfortable for my feet. Not very soft footpocket. One blade is broken, so I figured a good time to get new spearfishing fins. I have a very wide foot, size 12 4E foot. 210 lbs, 6'4". . Any ideas. I heard something about a c fin. I suppose a soft footpocket would be nice. Also, what about the cressi 3000 LD. In reading posts a softer foot pocket and a medium fin seems to be in order minimizing fatique. The sporasub fins I have suck. Any ideas? Thanks for all input!

 

[cdavis]

Welcome to DB, Batman,

The cressi foot pocket is much softer than the sporas. Several posters indicated that cressi's plus neopreme socks get narrow very quickly as the socks get thicker. Your wide foot might be a problem. I wear a 10 1/2 to 11 D shoe and cressi 10-11s fit just a little loose, very comfortable barefoot. My Cressi 2000hfs are pretty stiff as longfins go; I got to compare the 3000 and a 2000hf in a shop recently. There did not seem to be any difference in stiffness. I've been told that omer pockets are very wide, but also quite stiff. Check the thread, fin lineup, long but very good.

Connor

 

[roy_nexus_6]

Batman, if you have very wide feet I would reccomend for you to try OMER footpockets.