Jet Fins?

[Terry Vickers]

Originally Posted by JamieG

I know I've not been diving for a while but when I left the water Mares Avanti Quatro ruled the sea, but now I see many folk into the old black Jet Fins. Whats the score have I missed something and should these be my next pair of fins?

I like the look of those spring strap things as well.

Istarted with jet fins 27yrs ago and have not lasted very long with other makes and still dive with jets. may be some of the others have woken up to how good they are. my wife has been diving with them since we met and she finds the spings easier. I still dive with the originals- no splits or replaced straps and never been cought in line thay are the best

[sheepless]

I once borrowed my friend's Jetfins to see what all the fuss was about and found that they were so damn heavy that keeping good trim was like fighting an endless battle. Didn't suit me so I've stuck with my Mares X3s since.

I say borrow a pair and try them first.

[sheepless]

Oh, forgot to mention that spring straps are THE bees knees! Makes it so easy to get in and out of your fins. Would never go back to those clip buckles...ugh!

[hyweldavies]

Originally Posted by sheepless

I once borrowed my friend's Jetfins to see what all the fuss was about and found that they were so damn heavy that keeping good trim was like fighting an endless battle. Didn't suit me so I've stuck with my Mares X3s since.

I say borrow a pair and try them first.

There's something in that. I have Jetfins (strictly speaking Turtle fins, but much the same) and really like them for UK caving, having previously had Marest Quatros, which also seemed fine. Regarding careful maneouvering, the Jets are significantly better, and being shorter, are handier inside wrecks etc. I can nearly if not convincingly fin backwards too! I also find them at least as good for normal finning along, especially for frog kick.

However, I took them on my first stripy fish holiday dive (shorty wetsuit), and had the trim problem the previous poster mentioned. More than trim in fact as it made my feed heavy and even when overall trim was OK, my legs got tired just holding lifting my feet up / out to swim along. Admittedly this was with a comical arrangement wearing a pair of old shoes in them, but still - just like rockboots after all.

So if I go stripy fish diving again, I'll buy another pair of quatros.

The only other flippers I've tried where some cheap borrowed ones, and these were decidedly poorer on all counts.

So admittedly based on my limited experience and limited sample of two different "good" flippers (turtles & Mares), I'd say the Jets / Turtles are superb for UK drysuit diving, but not much cop for stripy fish diving in warmer climes.

I haven't bought the metal straps yet, but probably will when I get round to it. Also, for information, I've never used ankle weights in my drysuit, and didn't have "floaty feet" with Mares nor the heavier Turtles.

Hywel

[hyweldavies]

sorry, mixed up my sports - "diving" not "caving" and I don't cave-dive either, at least not yet.

Hywel

[Frankie Price]

I bought a pair of Jets yesterday and dived them for the first time today.
Must say they are quite a bit slower than my Quatros but good for back finning etc. Also noticed how heavy the felt in the water when finning but didn't notice any difference on my trim.