Why do you like Jet-type Fins?

[paperdesk]

I was given an old pair of jet fins. I used them till the rubber cracked and had to throw them away. They worked fine for me, but they were really heavy, and not too good for snorkeling. I switched to a pair of really cheap US Divers fins, and was as happy with them as the jets, with a totally different feel than the jets of course. I have tried force fins as well as several other types of fins, and I felt that while the jets worked fine for me they weren't as versatile and seemed much more difficult to travel with than most other fins. Now Ii'm in the market for another pair of fins. With so many choices available, I'm wondering why so many people still seem to love the jets so much?

[IndyDiver]

Good question.

I thought they were heavy and ill-fitting. The XL was too small and the XXL had room for my foot and a family of four.

I ended up going with OMS Slipstreams.

[paperdesk]

What do you like about the slipstreams? Would you still call them a "jet" type fin.

[Gombessa]

Originally Posted by IndyDiver

the XXL had room for my foot and a family of four.

I love all the creative descriptors people come up with for the ridonculous cavern zone of the XXL jets.

To answer the OP's question, I like the jets because they're virtually indestructible (I know yours bit the dust, but like steel tanks they often outlast the diving career of their owner), work very well for a variety of kicks, including big-power-stroke frog kicks and backwards kicks, are negatively buoyant (which helps a bit with head-down doubles), and have a generally good level of stiffness.

As you mentioned, the main downsides are that their buoyancy doesn't always work to your advantage with less exposure protection, they're big and heavy to travel with, and their sizing convention is really odd ("L" is really medium, "XL" is really large, and "XXL" is really extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-large-large-large).

[CompuDude]

Jet TYPE fins are popular for the reasons Gombessa mentioned. Add to that: They're quite cheap, compared to the latest and greatest fins with extra bits that don't help anything other than a marketing powerpoint. And the fact that they're long-lived means you can actually make some money selling your Jets used should you choose to get rid of them at some point... or you could save a few bucks buying used Jets, and still be reasonably assured of Jets with a good bit of life left in them.

Jets are especially popular with the tech crowd, because the extra weight can help balance out floaty feet in a drysuit, as well as counter-balance the dubs, as G mentioned.

Finally, they're a good paddle fin that can deliver some real power if your leg muscles are up to it (think power flutter kicks, imagine scenes from The Guardian with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher). As for the paddle fin aspect, here are some more advantages: They're relatively short. Read: Good for caves, wreck interiors, and other confined spaces. They're also wide, so when doing "scooping" kicks, like the frog kick, they move a LOT of water. This is especially important when you're pushing big doubles and multiple stages through the water. Their rigid frame is excellent with the other common technical kicks, such as the back kick and helicopter turns, as well.

In sum, there are a lot of little advantages that add up, and there are very few fins of other designs that can compare on every level.

The main areas they fall down are travel (they're heavy... but now with SlipStreams, this is less of an issue), size (the foot pocket could certainly be better designed, but between Jets and Turtles, they still can accommodate a majority) and long-duration flutter kicking. But once you really get into the frog kick groove, most people use it almost exclusively, and VERY rarely flutter kick anymore, because it's just not the best solution in most cases. Other than with splits... with splits, flutter kicking is the best by far. But splits fall short on so many other criteria that Jet-type fins are sought for, they're just not an acceptable alternative for most folks who have learned to get the most out of their Jets.

[MSilvia]

Long story short, I liked them (actually, I traded them in for Turtles, which are in-between XL and XXL Jet size, and recently gave those up for Hollis F1s) because they're great for diving doubles with a drysuit. I never travelled with them (or my drysuit), and I never would have considered them for snorkeling... Mares Avantis were my preferred fin for that (now also retired in favor of Hollis F1s).

[IndyDiver]

Originally Posted by paperdesk

What do you like about the slipstreams? Would you still call them a "jet" type fin.

They are pretty much the same as the jets as far as design is concerned. I tried them both out on the same day and they didn't leave any noticable impression on me as having much difference in stiffness or thrust capability. The big issue with the jets for me was the weight. I dive wet and am "foot heavy" when trying to get my trim set. The jets just made this tendency much worse. The SlipStreams are a plastic compound, not rubber, and are pretty much neutral in the water. This just worked much better for me.

The slipstreams give the impression of being very sturdy and I expect them to last years, but whether they are as indestructable as the jets remains to be seen. I will post results in ten years or so

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by paperdesk

What do you like about the slipstreams? Would you still call them a "jet" type fin.

Here's a photo of XL Jetfins and XL Slipstreams and XXL Slipstreams.

If you covered the logo, how easy would they be to tell apart? Weight, and the slightly stiffer plastic of the Slipstreams, are the only differences.



I like the lesser weight of the SlipStreams. Ironic, since when I first started diving Jets with my drysuit, I liked the greater weight because it helped with floaty feet issues (never too severe, but no issue at all once the heavier fins were on). Now my drysuit is dialed in to the point where the extra weight on my feet makes no difference, but it's less than ideal diving wet (or worse, in a thin wetsuit/warm water) so it's easier to wear one kind of fin for all purposes. (especially from a travel weight standpoint)

[paperdesk]

[quote=Gombessa;291047]
To answer the OP's question, I like the jets because they're virtually indestructible (I know yours bit the dust, but like steel tanks they often outlast the diving career of their owner),quote]

Well, mine could have been 100 years old when I got them. I have no idea . . .

[paperdesk]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Jet TYPE fins are popular for the reasons Gombessa mentioned. Add to that: They're quite cheap, compared to the latest and greatest fins with extra bits that don't help anything other than a marketing powerpoint. And the fact that they're long-lived means you can actually make some money selling your Jets used should you choose to get rid of them at some point... or you could save a few bucks buying used Jets, and still be reasonably assured of Jets with a good bit of life left in them.

Jets are especially popular with the tech crowd, because the extra weight can help balance out floaty feet in a drysuit, as well as counter-balance the dubs, as G mentioned.

Finally, they're a good paddle fin that can deliver some real power if your leg muscles are up to it (think power flutter kicks, imagine scenes from The Guardian with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher). As for the paddle fin aspect, here are some more advantages: They're relatively short. Read: Good for caves, wreck interiors, and other confined spaces. They're also wide, so when doing "scooping" kicks, like the frog kick, they move a LOT of water. This is especially important when you're pushing big doubles and multiple stages through the water. Their rigid frame is excellent with the other common technical kicks, such as the back kick and helicopter turns, as well.

In sum, there are a lot of little advantages that add up, and there are very few fins of other designs that can compare on every level.

The main areas they fall down are travel (they're heavy... but now with SlipStreams, this is less of an issue), size (the foot pocket could certainly be better designed, but between Jets and Turtles, they still can accommodate a majority) and long-duration flutter kicking. But once you really get into the frog kick groove, most people use it almost exclusively, and VERY rarely flutter kick anymore, because it's just not the best solution in most cases. Other than with splits... with splits, flutter kicking is the best by far. But splits fall short on so many other criteria that Jet-type fins are sought for, they're just not an acceptable alternative for most folks who have learned to get the most out of their Jets.

Excellent write up! You should submit this to a dive magazine for publication!