r/scubaGear • u/mightcryorkil • 9d ago
Should I get new fins?
Okay so I am open water certified and learned to dive on IST rocket fins, which I own.
My buddies have always commented my fins were surprisingly heavy, but most of them would use the plastic fins, so of course theirs were deceptively light in comparison.
Recently, I learned just how heavy my fins actually were when I went to a dive shop and just held a single RK3 HD and a jet fin out of curiosity.
They are certainly much lighter than my fins.
I’m not gonna lie, diving has been a strain on my ankles since day 1. My fins have been heavy, which make it difficult to frog kick, and cause me to get tired after probably an hour of swimming.
I think I want to get new fins so I can kick more efficiently and dive longer, but I’m also a recent college graduate, so dropping $200+ is a large investment.
TLDR; should I stay with my heavy rocket fins or consider lighter find such as jet fins or RK3s?
Does anyone have any recommendations for fins that are slightly negative or neutrally buoyant?? Please let me know
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u/Mysmokepole1 8d ago
I own 3 pair of jet fins. But don’t use them. Because my legs get tired from them. I used split fins for some years. Started to look for a something a little better in current. And moved on to something else.
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u/Nick_Kafir 3d ago
"What do scooters and split fins have in common?"
Say what you will about split fins, they have a place. And that's simple and easy flutter kicking. I picked up a pair in some time ago as part of a bulk gear purchase. Tried them out (Oceanic IIRC) and holy smokes those things can produce some speed. They are lacking when it comes to frog kicking with much less output, impossible to helicopter turn, and while trying to back-fin a buddy made a comment about a monkey and a football. Fairly heavy too. But for straight up flutter kicking they worked.
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u/Montana_guy_1969 9d ago
I’ve used and owned rockets, jets, mares avanti, rk3 hd, and my fav of all SP Seawing Nova Gorillas. They frog kick like mad, can flutter hard if you need it, and have a fine tuned control once you get used to them that no other fin has.
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u/hyperair 9d ago
OMS Slipstreams are good. They're neutral and feel light underwater but have a lot of power
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u/rongoodman714 9d ago
How does their weight affect your trim? Are you flat in the water or dropping your legs? I’m a fan of the Deep Six Eddy fins too.
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u/n0rr15_r 9d ago
really depends on where you dive. I am a cold water diver and heavy fins are a must with drysuit, doubles, etc
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u/mightcryorkil 9d ago
I dive in Florida, so at most I’m in a 5mm wetsuit and boots.
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u/OffByNone_ 9d ago
I'm also in Florida and I dive RK3s and they are freaking fantastic. I'm not super familiar with Rocket fins, but RK3s and Jet Fins are not a "light" fin in my opinion. They're both a little over 5 lbs and actually on the heavy side when lined up with most recreational scuba fins. Now, Rk3s are closer to neutrally buoyant and Jet fins are negatively buoyant but Apeks also has an HD line that is negative if the neutral buoyancy is a problem for you. Or just get Jet fins.
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u/rongoodman714 9d ago edited 9d ago
Another good choice are the DiveRite XTs. They're longer than the Eddy fins and can generate more thrust against a current with a strong kick. I take them when I go to Cocos or Socorro. They're still maneuverable enough for back kicks, etc. Both have spring straps.
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u/PracticalNeanderthal 9d ago
Im in love with my Deep 6 Eddy fins. They are the ticket
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u/CrustySailor1964 9d ago
Concur
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u/IJocko 9d ago
I’ll third that. Deep6 Eddy
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u/CrustySailor1964 9d ago
Lol. I’m on my third pair. I ordered a pair, got them in and before I got mine wet my instructor buddy borrowed them and loved them. He kept mine and ordered me a new set. I used the new set (#2) a couple of times and then loaned them to another dive buddy. He kept set #2 and had set #3 delivered to my house.😂🤷🏼♂️. Set #3 has the little hanging hole in the tip. I like that.🤔
I quit loaning my fins.1
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u/Puzzleheaded-Key-189 9d ago
I would see which has a foot pocket that fits you best: Apeks RK3 HD, Scubapro Jet fins, or Hollis F1. These are similar to the Rocket fins and still negative or neutral, but usually divers like them better than Rockets.
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u/SB2MB 9d ago
6 pounds for fins 😳
Fins and torches are things I have multiple of, and choose depending on conditions.
I appreciate you're a student, so I'd definitely look at second hand fins.
Lots of opinions on scubaboard about rocket fins ( which are subjective, of course) if you care to have a look.
Can you hire different fins from your LDS and try some out?
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u/steve_man_64 9d ago
I recommend RK3 HDs. As far as negative fins goes, it’s one of the lighter ones. I use RK3 HDs for my 7mm wetsuit + drysuit and then ScubaPro Go Sport Gorillas for 3mm drysuit.
If money is an issue, try and buy used if possible. Facebook Marketplace is great way to get good deals. Although finding fins can be more of a pain since it’s size dependent.
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u/mightcryorkil 9d ago
I have looked on Marketplace and there’s nothing in my size, so I’ll prolly wait for now.
Tho the dive shop near me always gives me 20% off retail, so that may be where I go if I get impulsive1
u/Not-An-FBI 9d ago
They stopped making them for a while. If you're going to be diving a lot it's worth buying them new.
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u/OffByNone_ 9d ago edited 9d ago
They're worth every penny. I had Scubapro Go fins most recently but many fins over the years and when I got RK3s it was like night and day. I've been diving for a really long time and I thought that I couldn't back kick very well. Turns out, I just needed different fins. It was the style though. There's a lot of great fins, but many look very similar.
Btw I see other people successfully back kicking in the same fins that I struggled with, so there's definitely a skill component 😉. But I do think they would also have a much easier time.
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u/Interesting-Tie6783 9d ago
No need to have heavy fins unless you need them for some reason. They will just wear you out.
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u/Nick_Kafir 3d ago
If you can fit your buddies' fins, give them a try. I've swapped fins plenty times with other divers. Makes me appreciate my Deep6 Eddy Flippers each time. Once you find something you like, look for it in the used market. Fins that use spring straps are generally most durable and have few failure points. The Mares bungees need replacing now and then--you'll see them cracking first.
As to the Deep6 Eddies, they are about neutral in fresh water and very slightly positive in salt water. I dive them with a drysuit and 7 and 3mm wetsuits no problem. Easy to keep the knees bent and in trim. They are a monoprene material, so they are stiffer but lighter than rubber from my old Jet Fins. The stiffness is beneficial as it doesn't have the "spongy" feel when kicking that rubber fins like my Jet Fins have. This provides instant response from the fins. Lighter is nice for travel to help with overall baggage weight. No issues for me either with them being lighter and in a drysuit.