what has led you to these as your finalists...I ask because I don't know much about either and I was wondering what led you to these two
The good thing is that when he'll want to upgrade he can switch out the blades and keep the same footpockets.
Fishmaster, regardless of plastic fin performance, the fit of those two footpockets should be quite different, so make sure you try both.
The good thing is that when he'll want to upgrade he can switch out the blades and keep the same footpockets.
Fishmaster, regardless of plastic fin performance, the fit of those two footpockets should be quite different, so make sure you try both.
I havent fit-tested the picasso blackteam but they caught my eye a while back. i cant find them at my local dive shop, but the riffe silent hunter fins are anywhere you go. The riffe's are nice. I just wanted to make a educated decision before buying one or the other.
Well I know the Picasso's have a lifetime warranty and they generally fit people with wide feet well.
I got my Riffe longfins on september 2006, just after their inception into the american market, I saw them being used by Jay and Julie Riffe herself!!
My Riffe fins have been used and abused, the waves of the pacific coast had bent them over and over 190° plus degrees, and they are just a bit scratched. I own and have owned several fins, Including fiberglass fins on nemo f.p.s green Esclapez, C4´s, Cressis and so on, and I can tell you that the Riffe´s are the most durable and tougher of them all. The footpocket is awesome and the blades are stiffer than cressis ld and softer than Hd´s. Picasso footpockets kill my insteps and the Riffe longblades are way more durable than those hard plastic material used in the picassos. Riffes are the best platic fins in the market today. A lot of people love cressis, and those are nice fins. Riffes are better, Spetton is the manufacturer of R. L.F.s
Right now I have a pair of green Esclapez for long range swiming (foot pockets are really smooth) the fins are great but are made of the same brittle plastic material as the Cressi´s.
A pair of Riffes L.B. which are my go to fins. When I finally wore them out in 5 more years I will get another pair.
C4 falcons. 40. Omer footpockets, those are some serious propulsion aids. Light and powerful. Great to deep dives from boat. (Don´t you ever try to drill holes on them, they are going to snap sooner or later)
You should try and test both footpockets before you buy. The black teams are known to be some of the best plastic blades out there and with the lifetime warranty if they fit they are an excellent choice.
How much can be said about plastic? It can only be so good. Picasso blades are strong durable blades, can't imagine another plastic fin being more durable. I hate Picasso footpockets though, they rub my foot in the wrong places.
cressi fins...enough said
How much can be said about plastic? It can only be so good. Picasso blades are strong durable blades, can't imagine another plastic fin being more durable. I hate Picasso footpockets though, they rub my foot in the wrong places.
Dan, we were shaped alike when this earth was created. All the stuff that fits you fits me just as well and the other way around. I hate B.T. Pockets.
Spetton (Riffe) blades outperform B.T. there´s no way you can snap a Spetton/Riffe fin, those are unbreakable and still softer than the Picassos, tha difference in performance is negligible
for what it is worth...I spent money on some cressi's and I liked them a lot until Ibought my persuit carbon fins...now I wish I had bought the carbons first and kept my $110 (got the cressis used)
there is something to be said about buying one productthat is right the first time...I didn't have the $ for carbons at first and wanted to dive, so I got the cressis, it was the right choice at the time, now I wish I had played it differently.
just make sure you think long term as well.
IMO the blackteams are to most durable plastic blades out there( although I'll always love my original cressi gara 2000). You can abuse them on the rocks and they'll still love you day after day. I know that Picasso introduced their new plastic blades that are going to replace the blackteams and I think that the freediveshop is sold out of the old blackteams. If you find a pair now you should pick them up. I'm sure the lifetime warranty still stands but I assume they will just replace them with the new blade. I remember vanessa said the owner in europe named them "Black Power" fins but the english translation isnt politically correct. haha:laughing4: so they changed it. Goodluck
so try them on and if they fit well then go for it, but if your not sure it feels right on your foot, then shop around. you could also consider trying the different footpockets and swapping blades for whats compatable, a lot of shops and deffintely online retailers sell foot pockets and blades individually. im sure at ur local shop u can try at least omer, riffe, and cressi footpockets, thats a start. look into h dessaults also. ive tryed cressis and omers and prefer the h dessaults.
what is the part on the cressi 2000 that can be damage most from use?
Good question. I've seen 3 out of 4 of Pantoja's cressy fins break at the blade where the tendon of the footpocket ends. Pantoja is hard on gear. The fact that he didn't break (so far) the Pursuit carbon fins is a testament to their durability.
so try them on and if they fit well then go for it, but if your not sure it feels right on your foot, then shop around. you could also consider trying the different footpockets and swapping blades for whats compatable, a lot of shops and deffintely online retailers sell foot pockets and blades individually. im sure at ur local shop u can try at least omer, riffe, and cressi footpockets, thats a start. look into h dessaults also. ive tryed cressis and omers and prefer the h dessaults.
I gotta order them online the dive shop doesnt keep them at the store, only a couple pairs of scuba fins. Kind of crappy when i want to compare a couple fins to make a decision.
the cressi footpocket, part of the fin/one piece, is very soft and I have had two small tears in the rubber of the foot, i just used some marine sealant silicon and they have stayed shut.
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