FINS: Synopsis -- comparative ratings from all of the tests

by Jim Grier, Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, USA

This page provides a standardized, comparative summary chart for most of the fins that I tested during 2002 and 2003.

For an explanation and details on how the ratings were determined, (left) click anywhere on the chart. For a copy
of the chart, such as for printing the chart only, right click on it. See footnotes below the chart.

footnotes:

a.
    These fins (excluding the two discontinued ones) are only some of the many brands and models currently available. These
    are the only ones that I was able to personally test, being limited by logistics and what I could work with in the available
    time. There are many others on the market, including some prominent excellent ones. Other good fins that I'm aware
    of, such as from the ScubaLab tests (see Rodale's Scuba Diving July and August 2003 issues) plus my other
    experience with fins (but not my own speed tests during 2002-03, thus, they aren't shown above) include the
    ScubaPro Twin Jet black open heel fins, Mares Plana Avanti Tre, and the Aeris Velocity. (For my personal
    opinion of the open-heel Tusa X-pert Zoom [SF-8], which rated number 5 in the July Rodale's Scuba Diving, see the
    next footnote.)

b.
    One's attention is naturally drawn to the highest and lowest ratings. In the process it is easy to overlook some of the others
    and some otherwise interesting comparisons. For example, note that both of the lowest performing split fins, the
    ScubaPro Twin Speed-open heel and Twin Jet monprene blue fins have high performing siblings, the ScubaPro
    Twin Speed-full foot and the Twin Jet monprene black fins! The only difference between the Twin Jet blue and
    black is in the materials used; they are otherwise identical -- out of the same mold! Similarly, the TUSA full foot split fin
    was the highest performing fin of all that I tested, but it's open heel counterpart does not perform nearly as well in my
    opinion. (I have tried the open heel version several times, but not during my independent testing during 2002-03, hence
    they are not included in the chart above.) Performance depends on several factors and even fins that look alike
    or have the same name will not necessarily perform the same.

c.
    Force Fins remain somewhat of an enigma to me. They appear to have a greater learning-and-familiarity bias (both for and
    against, by those divers who like or dislike them, respectively) than other fins. When I (and other non-Force Fin users)
    tested them, the fins did well but were not exceptional and had other aspects of feel and fit that we did not like. However,
    I know many divers who love them. One person who I recruited to test fins side by side with other fins and alongside me
    (with us diving as buddies at the same time), and who has years of experience using Force Fins, did very well with them --
    better than with the other fins, including the bio-fins (although the bio-fins were the next-best fins for him). I am interested
    in eventually doing further paired tests with Force Fins, including with other experienced Force Fins users, using more
    sophisticated efficiency tests to better evaluate and understand them.

back to Fins Main Page

James W Grier
North Dakota State University              

23 November 2003