Force Fins, gear choices, closed minds and open minds

[Lloyd De Jongh]

As far as fins go, they seem to work - I mean, we're all using a pair. For me, Force Fins work better, much better, so I switched. But dealing with the weird stares and odd questions can get a bit much.

So there I was at my preferred LDS yesterday, getting the inflator hose of my new BCD attached to my reg. Already I've been through a little bit of the awkwardness involved with them servicing equipment that wasn't bought there - and being able to beat their prices by going online.

The shop manager asked to see my gear next time I came in, to see what it was I managed to get online, probably looking for evidence of cheap fakes or something. Next thing, I pull out my fins - and the shop manager starts laughing and asks me if I intend to actually dive with those, or do I have other fins for diving, since I have an upcoming dive with their DM.

I tell him no, these retail for $200, which is almost 800 in the local currency, a heck of a lot of money for any fin here. And these are my fins.

The guy can barely contain himself, thinking I must be the world's dumbest diver. Now considering they've been the best of a generally mediocre bunch I didn't take offense, but I could have decided to. They didn't score any points in any way.

So yeah, as long as you enjoy yourself and know how to come back alive I figure it's your business who you trained with and what you dive with. I just did expect more professionalism from my LDS.


Anyone else get out-of-line reactions from their fellow divers and LDS staff when it came to gear decisions, not just force fins? How did you deal with it?

[cummings66]

I've jokingly laughed at my buddies diving Force Fins, yes they work very well for flutter kicks and can leave many fins in the dust, but dang, they look odd. They deserve a good chuckle every so often to keep them in their place.

They work though is what matters.

Reactions, sure. Some shops think a BP/W is strictly technical and don't really care for them, but other than that no reactions.

[wgt]

Originally Posted by Lloyd De Jongh

As far as fins go, they seem to work - I mean, we're all using a pair. For me, Force Fins work better, much better, so I switched. But dealing with the weird stares and odd questions can get a bit much.

So there I was at my preferred LDS yesterday, getting the inflator hose of my new BCD attached to my reg. Already I've been through a little bit of the awkwardness involved with them servicing equipment that wasn't bought there - and being able to beat their prices by going online.

The shop manager asked to see my gear next time I came in, to see what it was I managed to get online, probably looking for evidence of cheap fakes or something. Next thing, I pull out my fins - and the shop manager starts laughing and asks me if I intend to actually dive with those, or do I have other fins for diving, since I have an upcoming dive with their DM.

I tell him no, these retail for $200, which is almost 800 in the local currency, a heck of a lot of money for any fin here. And these are my fins.

The guy can barely contain himself, thinking I must be the world's dumbest diver. Now considering they've been the best of a generally mediocre bunch I didn't take offense, but I could have decided to. They didn't score any points in any way.

So yeah, as long as you enjoy yourself and know how to come back alive I figure it's your business who you trained with and what you dive with. I just did expect more professionalism from my LDS.


Anyone else get out-of-line reactions from their fellow divers and LDS staff when it came to gear decisions, not just force fins? How did you deal with it?

Hey, Lloyd, if your fins or any other pieces of gear serve the purposes for which you chose them, then don't worry about the foolish reactions. The other side of the coin is that we have all seen terrible divers sporting the most popular gear. I would rather dive skillfully using banana leaves than be a dangerous wrecking ball but with my glorious image torn from the pages of a dive magazine. BTW, I used force fins for a long time for photography. They are great for getting in and out of tight spots.

Diving is both serious business and serious fun. All participants should act with their brains in gear and with their senses of humor opened full-throttle (as noted by Cummings). It appears that the operators of your LDS are underperforming in both these domains. Your best interests are thus not necessarily their biggest concern. As with the fins, select the LDS that suits you best and makes you feel safe and comfortable.

[in_cavediver]

Originally Posted by Lloyd De Jongh

As far as fins go, they seem to work - I mean, we're all using a pair. For me, Force Fins work better, much better, so I switched. But dealing with the weird stares and odd questions can get a bit much.

So there I was at my preferred LDS yesterday, getting the inflator hose of my new BCD attached to my reg. Already I've been through a little bit of the awkwardness involved with them servicing equipment that wasn't bought there - and being able to beat their prices by going online.

The shop manager asked to see my gear next time I came in, to see what it was I managed to get online, probably looking for evidence of cheap fakes or something. Next thing, I pull out my fins - and the shop manager starts laughing and asks me if I intend to actually dive with those, or do I have other fins for diving, since I have an upcoming dive with their DM.

I tell him no, these retail for $200, which is almost 800 in the local currency, a heck of a lot of money for any fin here. And these are my fins.

The guy can barely contain himself, thinking I must be the world's dumbest diver. Now considering they've been the best of a generally mediocre bunch I didn't take offense, but I could have decided to. They didn't score any points in any way.

So yeah, as long as you enjoy yourself and know how to come back alive I figure it's your business who you trained with and what you dive with. I just did expect more professionalism from my LDS.


Anyone else get out-of-line reactions from their fellow divers and LDS staff when it came to gear decisions, not just force fins? How did you deal with it?

For the record, I'd laugh too. You gotta admit force fins do look a bit funny. I don't really have any problems with them, they work well for many people, but hey, why miss a chance for a joke about daffy duck feet!

Of course, I'd dive with you and not worry about what fins you like. As long as they aren't in horrible disrepair or horribly inappropriate for the dive, it has no bearing on anyone but you.

Now, if I had an DS somewhere take some bits far to seriously without a well reasoned discussion as to why they feel that way, well, that tells me everything I need to know about their knowledge and their capability of imparting knowledge to me.

[fisheater]

I WOULD have laughed the first time I saw a diver with force fins.

However:

(A) He weighed 330 pounds;
(B) was well over 6 ft. tall; and
(B) he was my instructor.

[meesier42]

I guess I wonder why people laugh when they see them. As I see it not only are the more attractive than most all fins they look like real fins (like the ones on fish). It all the other fins that make me wonder, as I look at them and think why would that work??

[Zenagirl]

I get weird stares all the time when I pull out my Jet fins on charters in tropical locations. I don't care what other people say and when someone makes a negative comment, I usually laugh and say "they aren't affectionately called planks for nothing!"

[Mycroft]

Well, I had just the opposite last week. I was diving St Thomas and St Marteen. One of the DM's looked at my gear (I was the only one who brought my own) and he was in love with it. (Scubapro BC and regs, long hose, and Atomic fins (XL))

And for the first time on the other dive, one of the other divers had my exact same fins, down to color and size. My comment to him was we needed to keep track of our fins, or we would get them confused, especially since we were buddied up!

Force Fins? Not only are they funny, but the designer Bob Evans is a bit of a riot himself. I won a pair on the radio once, but gave them to my step brother. He had no fins, whereas I already had my Atomics. Great Xmas gift.

[Gombessa]

Force fins do look a bit unorthodox, but I have to say after hearing all this hype and endorsements from respected divers, I'd love to try a pair. New ideas should be welcomed, not ridiculed (at least initially)

[MLenyo]

i heard the foot pocket is bigger in a lot of these type of fins to accommodate drysuit boots. you can still just use wetsuit boots with them without any size problems, correct?