Figerglass fins and wetsuit discussion

Fiberglass is normally less expensive than carbon and is supposed to be more durable. The advantage of carbon is that it's lighter. We found carbon fins that are as durable as fiberglass under normal use. They are lighter and faster than fiberglass. Once you try these carbon blades you don't go back to fiberglass https://spearfishing.store/fin…rbon-freediving-fins.html

I am using C4 Falcon 30 fins for 8 years now (the same pair...). Now I bought the newest model; VGR T700 Mustangs. Expensive but worth every penny, especially the footpockets, that fit like a pair of Nike's.
If money is not an issue, get the C4's. They are not fragile as many people says. I think it is an urban legend based on other manufacturers poor quality. My friend Carmelo has a pair of 10 years old C4 fins. He bought them used from Ricky (the italian that participates here every once and then).
Rodolfo also has a pair of Falcon 40 fins. Ask him.

I also have a pair of fiberglass fins (Xxone) and have tried the Nemo's from Finswimworld, which I think are the original manufacturer of all the fiberglass fins sold in the USA. They're not bad, but C4 outpreforms them without any doubt.

Do you all that say that Carbon fins are not worth have tried them? I mean, the right stiffness and the right footpocket for you? I have tried both and I don't change my C4's.

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM OMER. It is all poor quality - high priced chinese crap. All their Bat fins have breaked. Ask Rodolfo!

Regarding wetsuits, again, if money is not an issue, get a custom fit Elios from Italy. If you want to stay on budget and still get a good wetsuit, Spetton is very good quality/reasonable priced and I have also heard good things about the new brand Mako, who uses the same neoprene as many European manufacturers (Nam Liong) and they have a nice camo pattern. Beuchat are not bad, but there are better priced options out there with a similar quality.

Having the fins mounted in the right footpocket and choosing the right stiffness is crucial. If the footpocket is either too stiff or does not fit your feet well, much of the energy supposed to be transfered to the blades is lost "somewhere".

If you want a good compromise between price and quality, get the Nemo's from Finswimworld (140$ plus shipping), but the shipping is the same for one or 5 pairs. Or wait until you get here and I let you try three of my fins: Falcon 30 with Spora footpocket, Xxone #3 stiffness with Spora footpocket and Mustang 30 with their own new footpocket. Rodolfo has the Falcon 40 with Omer footpocket and Fernando has the Nemo #3. Then you get an idea yourself and buy whatever suits best for your needs and pocket.

I haven't tried the new Mako's fins, but seem to be good (and reasonable priced) too.

I'm pretty happy with my Edge fins - vast improvement over my plastic Cressi 3000's --- especially at depth.

You end up bicicle kicking when the blades are too stiff for you. Now the tendency is to use the softest blade that moves you in the water. Especially if you shore dive or swim long distances.

i agree the #3 fiberglass get cumbersome after swimming on the surface for a while.

I heard the spetton carbon fiber Mat-Mas are excellent fins, they are just as light as c4's but much more

durable. i think that they might be my next set of fins. price is also better than c4

If you shore dive or cover some distance, then you don´t need freediving fins. The harder the fin, the deeper the dive. Saying that you need softer blades, cause they are more comfortable It´s like saying that you prefer a 22 over a 30/06 rifle cause it has no recoil. That depends on what you want to do. if you fish in the 70´s plus, then a harder stiffness is the way to go

Monster, Marco is right, you go with the softest fin that will move you/or that you won't overpower.

Quote from monster slayer

If you shore dive or cover some distance, then you don´t need freediving fins. The harder the fin, the deeper the dive. Saying that you need softer blades, cause they are more comfortable It´s like saying that you prefer a 22 over a 30/06 rifle cause it has no recoil. That depends on what you want to do. if you fish in the 70´s plus, then a harder stiffness is the way to go

Every mind is a whole world and I respect your point, but in my modest opinion, if there are strong currents, you won't go anywhere without a good pair of freediving fins.

I used to think like you because I used to dive in some specific spots like wrecks and FAD's, where the only thing I needed to do was diving down to the bottom (way deeper than what you mentioned) , do a short aspetto and then up for breath, but once I started diving in broader spots like reefs, where you have to swim around, many times against strong currents, a softer (but still reactive) blade was a better option. And bediveleive me, I don't like to talk much about depths, but I normally dive "deep".

I don't know much about riffles or firearms, but I imagine that you don't use the same riffle to shoot buffalos and pigeons, do you?

On tha other hand, when you REALLY feel the difference between a GOOD frediving fin and a "regular" one is when you get used to the good one and for some reason have to wear the "regular" one. That happened to me once I traveled abroad and borrowed a pair of plastic freediving fins (Sporasub HD black). I felt like when riding a bike and the chain goes out from the gear! :0 :rolleyes1:

Now, I always take my fins when I travel.;)

Good post Marco, I agree with everything.

I didn't even realize scuba was a factor in this discussion. You are right, long glass or carbon fins are awkward for sculling and other unorthodox movements. In freediving you have to plan all your movements in advance so as not to break form. Still with the glass blades I do not have to worry at all about pushing off the bottom or accidentally catching a rock on a stroke. With carbon fins you better worry about that.

I agree with Marco as well. Hard stiffness (still talking about fins here :D) are good enough for one thing : Rocket your way up and down in a deep dive. Like in a FAD or a deep pinnacle as you pointed. That´s why i use Riffe (soft) and Nemo (HArd) for any applications, just like shooting pigeons or buffalos.

I now use medium DiveR blades and love them. They are longer than most freedive fins and I found a curious thing after using them a couple times. When diving deep (80 feet is deep for me) I can make a couple regular kicks to get started up and then I can do very small amplitude, low effort, kicks and keep moving up quickly through the water column. It's like the fins develop a sin wave along their length propelling me forward with VERY little effort. They work will for surface swimming too and since the blades are fiberglass, not carbon, I don't have to baby them around the rig legs. ,

Years ago I tried to buy just the glue on rubber rails to add on my plastic omer millinniem blades. Last week I finally found a source for the glue on rails, like the blade rails on Riffe Silent Hunter plastic blades. Yesterday I got to try out my new glue on blade rails for the first time. I had to look back several times to make sure that I was wearing the same fins:0 The added power and control is amazing:D At the sea bottom I simply kick hard for 1 or 2 cycles and I am shooting for the surface. Amazing. Me and another spearo were swimming in and towing our yaks from the 3rd reef yesterday and hit the sand area between reef so I just started steady swimming across the sand desert. As I came to the edge of the 2nd reef I looked back and the other spearo was in his yak and paddleing towards me. 10min later when he got to me I asked him if all was OK and he replied that he had to get out and yak to keep up with me:0
So IMO if you have cheap plastic blades like me and need much more power and fin control, try these $8. glue on blade rails first.
Just my opinion.
Hope this helps