Salvimar Delta-one foot pockets review

    I finally received an answer from Salvimar. This was my question

    Quote from Dan

    What is this thing inside the footpocket slot on the bottom that doesn’t allow me to push the blade into the footpocket?

    This is the answer I got.

    Quote from Salvimar

    Hallo Dan,
    I don’t understand wich problem do you’ve: inside the the slot there is a wall in the middle to couple with our blades, but standard blades don’t arrive to touch this wall...
    You can fit easily every kind of blades on our footpocket.
    Let me know, regards

    Looks like Larry was right. Whoever's using the Salvimar footpockets with standard blades is simply leaving them at the tab. I guess I should've taken a picture of the fit of the blades inside the footpockets before I threw them out, but it's too late now. To give an idea the tip of the front lip of the footpocket barely reached the angle of the blade. For contrast here's a pic of the H Dessault footpocket with the new Speardiver fiberglass blade. You can see the front lip completely covers the angle.




    I have looked at the Persistent pockets/fins and the Hatch....they look very much alike. I also would never buy the "One" footpocket due to that notch in the back as I like having the heel closed in. This is just my personal opinion. :)

    So the Salvimar foot-pockets work fine with most regular blades and will your blades work correctly in the Salvimar foot-pocket?

    Edited once, last by Kyle c ().

    No they will not work fine, the tab inside doesn't allow blades with a standard back edge, such as the Pursuit C90 in the pic, to go in deep enough.



    Another issue that I forgot to mention is that the T slot inside the tendons of the Salvimar footpockets ends too early, using the tip/end of the tendon as a starting point. The holding power of the footpocket tendon over the blade is reduced. What this translates to in simple terms is that the small tendon rails that I would glue on a blade to install in a Salvimar footpocket would be shorter than for any other installation, they will start and end approximately where the red arrows are.


    Depends on how you see it. The manufacturer saying the footpocket works fine with conventional blades makes me think he's either trying to pull a fast one, or doesn't understand fins well. If you can be happy with a fin where the blade doesn't go all the way into the footpocket then you may agree with him.

    Thanks for the clarification Dan. Hope you don't think I was trying to stir anything up just wanted to understand what was going on a little better. :thumbsup1:

    I said earlier I'll do a write up on what makes good rails, here it is http://spearfishing.world/fins…ing-and-tendon-rails.html


    A pic of a Hatch blade that's paired up with the Salvimar footpocket. The groove in the back edge of the footpocket is not as deep as the tab inside the footpocket. IMO the blade will still be stopped short of going all the way into the footpocket.



    Old thread I know......
    Dan, did you ever get these wet and kick them around in the sea? Or did you stop testing after freaking out because there have a slot in the middle? I read through all this thread for the first time today, but still do not understand the big deal with cutting the slot in the blade. Lots of folks have told me verbally how much they enjoy the fit and feel of these. People have used them with Dive R's, Carbono GFT's, Makos and various other blades without issue.


    They look well done, it would have been great to get an update after you swam with them for a few weeks.

    Dustan Baker



    Wow man,what a destiny of these pockets!
    I must say that it's Salvi's fault they dont worn that the pockets are compatible only with their blades,they have this chanel at the end.They should compensate you.
    But apart of that,this shape is the most comfortable and ergonomic I have ever tried.This is personel,of cource.I used for many years a pair of the same pocket but branded "Effesub".One of the ribbs broke after years of use and I still miss them.They didnt have this limitation inside the pocket but was made exacly in the same mold.I think the rubber was slightly softer and vanilla aromatised,verry refreshing to my equipement and atracting fish:laughing:

    This thread is now 4 years old. Everyone who's sold/promoted fins with the Salvimar foot pockets (Hatch included) has long ago stopped, I haven't heard a peep about them in years. Looks like my initial assessment was correct.

    Yes you have some reasons but I liked my Effesub more than everythig.
    I intend to experiment making my own carbon blades soon and was wondering what pockets to buy.Now I think to try the Salvi Delta and find out is it different than the original Effesub.I will just cut the rubber stopper inside(if they havent remove it during these years)

    I'm kicking around a dead cat! Wished I would have read this thread before I got these pockets. I initially had same size problems as Dan but next size up and 4 mil socks solved that problem. Next I have medium stiff carbon blades that fit these pockets but I cut back the pocket rails till I hit the 'sweet spot' at 5" from the toe. But here is the big problem and I'm surprised no one mentioned it, the heel tabs!
    They constantly grab your lines and when they 'grab' they actually pull the line down into your heel as you try to shake it free. It got to the point of loosing my temper every dive. Float lines, fish bag and flag lines, and particularly shooting lines when fighting fish. I'm fishing 5 to 6 days, 6 hrs a day and am tough on equipment, I almost had a 'Dan moment' and was ready to cut them up. I did cut the tabs off and dremeled the edges smooth--------- end of problem! In my opinion I don't believe this heel design is safe for spearfishing.
    It's all good now, liking the fins in strong currents and comfortable for long hours BUT definitely not recommend anyone go through the experience.

    Reviving and old thread. My Pathos foot pockets on my Moana fins are dry rotting a bit. I wanted to get another foot pocket to change them out. JD, of Moana, recommends the Salvimars.
    He says he can wear them all day with no socks, and get no blisters etc. And he recommends cutting the tendon a bit shorter, but you don't have to.
    He said he can send installation instructions and glue etc.


    Is there any new news since this last year old post?

    An update.


    I needed new pockets because my Pathos pockets were dry rotting. They don't seem to like the sun, or the fact that i had heated them to reshape them?
    Anyway, the new Salvimar pockets don't have that ridge inside the footpocket. There is no need to cut a groove in the heel of the blade.
    Also, on JD's recommendation....I went ahead and got a pair. They are as comfortable and soft as the Beauchats I had years ago. I think I can wear these with no socks.


    I'll get some pics later.

    Maybe they read your posts Dan. It seems they took your advice. There is nothing inside the pocket where the heel slides into.


    JD sent some glue but maybe the post office drained the bottle? Nothing there. So I bought some Gorilla Glue, same company that makes Gorilla tape. It took a little longer to dry than Crazy Glue but I wrapped the fins in Gorilla tape to hold the tendons in place. It looks like shit and you'd give me a ton of shit...:laughing:....but I think it will work. There's also a couple screws and plates that hold the heel in place so I had to drill two holes in each blade using the holes in the pockets as guides. But it lined up perfectly and fits nice.
    And really soft pockets. Nice fit.....But I'm off to Hawaii tomorrow. Won't get to try them for ten days or so. It'll give the glue plenty of time to dry.


    Regarding the soft tendons, JD actually recommends cutting the tendons shorter....to only 4-5 inches to give the blades better action. He uses them for performance diving and says they are more efficient. But....I dont know....still learning. Most of my time in the water is taking small "flicks" of fins, or even modified frog kicks to move around on the surface. I'm only diving 50-70 feet so I don't need the perfection of competition free diving fins. But if he's right, and they don't work with the long tendons. I can always cut them. We'll see.

    Edited once, last by hank ().

    Gorilla glue.. :rolleye2: good luck anyways.


    Thanks for calling it advice, but we all know it was unrestrained criticism. At least it's validation I was right. Still I don't think much of these foot pockets because of the soft tendons. I don't remember if the sole was stiff enough. I also don't think much of Salvimar in general. I've seen some of their other gear and the impression I get is gimmicky, they add unique looking details that make things complicated without providing a benefit. Well, I'm sure it's to someone's taste.


    Cutting the tendons is equivalent to the tendons being even softer, and lessening the water channeling effect which is equivalent to destabilizing the fins. I don't understand the necessity of this unless the blade is very stiff. It irks me to see people mess around like this (I've already done the messing around to prove to myself there's no point to it) when there's already a perfectly good foot pocket and blade combination available. Just choose the right foot pockets and the right stiffness blades.

    If a carbon blade is designed to work with soft or no tendons, it doesn't need them to "support" the blade. Actually, rubber or whatever material tendons are made is less reactive than carbon and will diminish the blades performance.
    My 2c. ;)


    Btw: had the chance to try Salvimar fp last week. They're not bad, but not my favorites. I think it has more to do with personal feet shapes.

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

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