Split Fins

[Eddie]

Hi guys, whats the general opinion about split fins? Using them myself,I find them not to be as good as they are made out to be.... anyone got any views on the Mares Volo??

[divedog]

Have not used the split fins myself Eddie, but heard lots of reports that fit the bill you say, I have tested out the Mares Volo though, if you can borrow them off someone to try then do that before you buy them. I found them extremely light which make them an excellent travelling/Holiday fin and they are very thin and flexible which relieves a lot of strain on your ankles, calves and knees, the down fall with them been Thin and flexible is that if they are left in the heat they can distort easily, I find that they didnt give me that initial thrust and that was in Mediterranean waters, god knows what they be like in a 2 / 3 knot drift if you needed to fin to the shot line on a wreck when you need to, and for the price they are a little steep.
If I was you I would look at the Dacor Tiger which are a patented design - exactly the same as the Mares Volo - but at 65 quid around a 25/30 quid cheaper - or a cheaper alternative but not so identical are the Dacor Panthers which retail around 35 quid


Im sticking to my trusty pair of NASAs which I bought in 1989 for 14 Quid

Regards
Divedog
:profile:

[Jay]

Another set worth looking at are the new ones from Oceanic. My instrustor has traditionally been very anti specialist fins (i.e. why spend £80 when a £30 pair will do just as well) but he has now switched to the Oceanic split fins and swears by them. Not tried them myself but rest assured, next available chance, I'll be whipping his for a dive!

Regards

[Ammers]

I've tried scubapro twin jets and the split fins, but the splits have a hard blade and you need strong leg power to get anywhere. Advantages are that it will give you a lot of propulsion in a current if you have good leg strength, disadvantage is sore muscles next day! Twin jets a stunning fin in slack water - blades soft and take no effort yet you are flying past your buddy - disadvantage is that they are not as effective in current. I use the old black rubber scubapro jetfins with spring straps - bomb proof, strong and fast, great in a current as I recently had to tow someone about 150 metres against a strong current to the shore and they were excellent.
They're also outstanding for frog kicks and the downward thrust doesn't rake up silt.

[Eddie]

Thanks guys en gals for the information, the prices are very high in the UK compared with here in Holland,the Volo from Mares are about 65 pounds here, I must admit that the Dacor Tiger sounds like a good buy, might just try them... :shades:

[Bantam]

The only thing I will say about the Mares Volo is that I have heard (and seen) of problems where one of the blades snap at the point where it joins the foot pocket, leaving you with half a fin. I've had experience of 1 person having had it happen, and heard of about 5 other people with the same problem.
I personally use a pair of Mares Avanti X3's which are brilliant. When it comes down to it, fins are really a personal preference, and as with everything, YMMV!!

[Bantam]

Further to my last post (and FYI);
Dacor Tiger = Mares Volo (just yellow, not graphite)
Dacor Panther = similar idea but cheaper.
Tiger = £68, Panther = £34!!
(prices from diveinn.com)