Snorkeling Gear

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Irwin325

Hi all, I like the thread. Its plain practical for us about to go crusin'.

So what about fins. Those with split ends down the middle look like a scam for more money but what the hell do I know about that. Tell me you.

Mostly scam. best fins generally have most blade area. The european brands are best. google freediving fins.

The best snorklefreediving fins will be too long for general scuba diving.

[Pau Hana Daz]

Hardly a scam - It all depends on how you use them. For recreational diving, they're great, for tech diving probably not so much. For general snorkeling they're fine, but for free diving or hunting, long blades may be better.

[downunder]

Agreed. Scam is probably a bit harsh.

As long as foot pockets are comfortable a good basic blade area is generally and generally more cost effective fancy new designs. Over the years there have been many way out designs fins that have not lasted.

A medium lenght and reasonably broad blade area will be better general purpose for beginners to intermediate snorklers and scuba divers rather than the very long fins favoured by the deeper freedivers.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by downunder

1. WRONG - THERE ARE RISKS INVOLVED IN DEEP DIVING AND MANY AROUND THE WORLD HAVE DROWNED. It is useful to understand the theory behind the practise and most have died in ignorance. There are nowdays texts and courses on snorkling to assist.

2. The reason snorklers use snorkles are to are to make it easy to breath and to save energy. There are no risks with a proper snorkle. If you don't blow water out through your snorkle you have to raise your head up clear of the water expending much more energy and oxygen doing so. A person will last much longer with their head down in the water breathing than a swimmer having to raise their head out of the water to breath.

For the average person who is a competent swimmer snorkling on surface enjoying the view and gradually developing their diving skills without hyperventilating there are no issues- enjoy but learn to use a snorkle - it is safer.

Your quote "When otherwise just cruising over a reef or whatever, a couple of deep breaths and a lung clearing breath will do it Rushing things is a bad idea in many ways - raising the chances of SWB included." is correct.

Please don't take me as an overbearing instructor but as someone who enjoys freediving and seeing others doing it safely. It takes time to learn to use a snorkle efficiently but is well worth the effort in persisting.

Start diving deeper as most kids do as their skills develop it's time to understand the physics involved in SWB. Most tourists don't need to but cruisers living on a vessel doing a lot of snokling may need to consider so.

Whilst I taught myself to scuba dive I eventually took instruction becoming a long time instructor reading all I could find. That was in the early days any whilst we may have survived I would not recommend it for anyone.

Enjoy your snorkling/freediving a great pastime and keep safe.

Downunder has the physics and physiology exactly right. Yes if you only cruise around on the surface looking down SWB can't happen. If you only make occasional 10-20' dips for 30 seconds SWB is extremely unlikely. However as your snorkeling (or free diving or whatever you call it) progresses to going deeper and longer then the risk of SWB does increase. For most snorkelers the risk is still very, very small but something to be aware of.

[RBEmerson]

Originally Posted by downunder

Mostly scam. best fins generally have most blade area. The european brands are best. google freediving fins.

The best snorklefreediving fins will be too long for general scuba diving.

It's like debating rigs - there are pros and cons to one or two masts, etc. although most folks find one mast with a jib and main works for them. Flat bladed fins are still the main choice but split fins have their advantages, too. Check back issues of Scuba Diving magazine for some good objective reviews on this matter.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by RBEmerson

It's like debating rigs - there are pros and cons to one or two masts, etc. although most folks find one mast with a jib and main works for them. Flat bladed fins are still the main choice but split fins have their advantages, too. Check back issues of Scuba Diving magazine for some good objective reviews on this matter.

Well said.

Ask 3 different people and you'll get 3 different answers.

Overall, the most consistent answer I've been given on the split fins is that for calm waters they work well and reduce effort. In a current or more technical swimming a solid fin is better. So my summary is that for the general snorkeler, the split fin is decent.

I wouldn't pay more for it though and in most cases you don't need to.

[downunder]

In reality there is no analagy with a one or two masts.

Simply split fins won't be as good. I am not advocating anyone get rid of their split fins it just I could not reccomend anybody purchase them.

Matrix in suggesting they are not as good in a current is another way of suggesting they will not have as much thrust as a good single blade.

Whilst one is able to plan for no current it is always wise to manage for that possibility.

[RBEmerson]

If split fins were trash, they wouldn't sell. They sell and enough buyers are happy with them that more split fins come onto the market. You obviously don't like them. Don't buy 'em. That'll show the makers a thing or two.

The mast thing was only an analogy. Let's plug in Catalinas and Hunters instead - some folks like one, some like the other, they keep making more of each of them. How's that.

It's coming onto spring in Oz, right? Time to go sailing and relax, mate.

[skipmac]

The only reason a split fin is "better" is because the split dispels much of the force making it easier for a weaker swimmer to kick. You could accomplish the same thing by using a smaller or more flexible fin.

I used to do a lot of cave diving which includes large double tanks, lights with large battery packs, spare tanks for deco, etc., basically a lot of drag equivalent to swimming against a strong current. The occasional diver that tried to push this load with split fins found immediately they just don't have the power, no matter how hard you kick.

If you like them fine, just understand that split fins will not transfer as much power to the water as a stiffer, flat bladed fin. For most casual snorkelers this is seldom a problem but even in a casual setting I like to have the option for more power just in case.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by RBEmerson

If split fins were trash, they wouldn't sell. They sell and enough buyers are happy with them that more split fins come onto the market. You obviously don't like them. Don't buy 'em. That'll show the makers a thing or two.

The mast thing was only an analogy. Let's plug in Catalinas and Hunters instead - some folks like one, some like the other, they keep making more of each of them. How's that.

It's coming onto spring in Oz, right? Time to go sailing and relax, mate.

Well I didn't notice anyone called them trash. I agree we should all relax.

On the other hand, just because people buy a product does not mean it is good product. Marketing is a wonderful tool for selling things that look good on paper but do not always work better or are not necessarily made better.