Do Different Fins Really Make a Difference ???

[BobArnold8265]

Here's a very fundamental question for everyone. Can you really tell the difference in fin performance. I bought a pair of Scubapro split fins when I took my open water class about 5 years ago and have been happy with them ever since. However, according to Scuba Diving magazine, my fins are not nearly as efficient as many of the other brands.

So basic questions are:

1. Will I really notice a difference in the water between the different brands of fins or is the difference so slight, that I may not feel any difference ?

2. Is the performance of say a Apollo Bio Fin worth trading in my Scubapro's ???

[subsur]

i was also wandering the same. i do know that split fins are different from non-split ones. non-split ones have better acceleration properties and can be better at fine maneuvering. also they don't get tangled up in a line. split fins can propel you quite well. now, some fins are made of rubber and plastic and some just of rubber (apollo bio fins, scubapro), plastic may make fins more buoyant so i'd get rubber ones. i would be interested in what others will say.

[meesier42]

depends on many factors, if you are a lazy diver and don't speed your way around, then probably not

If you are a photographer or wreck/cave diver etc... that requires you to constantly manuever or maintain position in a current then you will probably see the difference in how tired you get and how long your air will last.

Basically what I am saying, if good enough is good enough, then better is still only good enough and their is no advantage. So it all depends on what you need out of your fins.

For #2- If your not having any problems then you are upgrading for the sake of upgrading (common problem for me), if you are having issues then your not really upgrading your just dumping faulty equipment (poorly fitting or otherwise equipment that doesn't work for you is faulty). Personnally, I would go with the Apollo Bio's before ScubaPro twins. But I am a pretty avid ForceFin guy and have never found myself wanting.

[MSilvia]

In my experience, yes... definately. Among the differences that have been significant enough for me to notice are these:
Buoyancy, effort required to accelerate, effort required to maintain speed, how well they perform a variety of kicks (flutter, frog, helicopter, modified frog, modified flutter, backward frog), how likely they are to cause fatigue/cramping, availability of foot pocket sizes, how small they pack, how responsive they are, and how fast you can swim in them.

My personal favorites are Mares Avantis. If I could fit my boots in them, I'd love to wear them with my drysuit. They have great response, tons of power, and they're good with all the kicks I've tried in them. The biggest downsides are that they require good leg strength, they're a little long for some luggage, and of course, the foot pockets don't run large enough for my drysuit boots.

Scubapro TwinJets are among my least favorites of the ones I've tried. They don't require much effort to use, but I feel like I can't get any power out of them when I want to, and they're terrible for anything other than a flutter kick. Of course, if a flutter is all you use, and you don't mind that you can't get the instant acceleration a paddle fin will give you, they perform well.

[thor]

For me it has always been about comfort. Bio Fins are the most comfortable fin available,.. for me. If you like your fins, don't worry if there is a higher performance fin. When I was looking to get a new BP/W, my LDS asked me what was wrong with my BC that I wanted a new one. I told him that I wanted to switch to a BP/W, for potentially higher performance. He told me to save my money and said "If it aint broke, don't fix it "... If you enjoy your gear, don't worry if there is better gear out there.

[floater]

I would put too much stock in what Scuba Diving Magazine says. Fins are very hard to test objectively and it depends a lot on what kick style you prefer. Splits are best for flutter, blade fins are best for frog kick and force fins have they own niche too.

In addition you may see significant differences in terms of propulsion, maneuverability and your air consumption between different fins. Short heavy stiff fins tend to be best for maneuverability in my experience. Long stiff fins excel in propulsion but may require significant effort or leg strength.

As for air consumption I'm not sure, but I think fins that allow you to kick and glide rather than having to constantly kick are more efficient. Flexible fins tend to be easier to kick, but if they are too flexible then propulsion suffers and you lose any efficiency gains you had from the lower kick effort required.

But it's one of those thing that you have to try different fins yourself and learn different kick styles before you can really say what's best (for you at least).

[ScubaToys Larry]

Back to an answer to the original question... we used to sell scubapro splits, and when people compared them to the bios - they virtually all took the bio fins... but unless you can find someone to give you a pile of money for your scubapro's, even I (who obviously would love to sell you a new set of bios... how about some spring straps on them? Need a digital camera to go with that??)...

Even I would tell you that while the bios are better - it won't be night and day for you like it would be for someone who is going from paddle fins to splits.

[Zenagirl]

I think there's a difference between different fins. Some fins are stiffer than others, some have more comfortable foot pockets, some are longer/shorter, etc.

That's why I think it's important to try as many different types and styles as you can before you buy. However, if you already own fins and like them, why bother to look for something "better"?

[Scubastud16]

Sure! The design, the blade, the blade angle, the stiffness, etc. all make a difference in how the fin performs/feels.

[CompuDude]

Are they better? Probably. Are they better enough? Only you can answer that.

Personally, if you're really happy with your fins, I don't see much reason to get new ones unless there is an actual need (such as the need for paddle fins for technical training).