Well Mr. Fish, Welcome to the long fin club. I have been using the green
Esclapez fins-36" (mine are longer than yours are ;-)) for several
years. Can't imagine why you haven't tried them before. My solution to
the long fin baggage problem is a tent pole bag within a tentpole bag.
Wetsuits and bcs and booties go in there too.I got my full foot fins
large enough that I can wear them with a pair of nike watershoes just
fine. never a problem.Since I usually dive with the same bunch of folks
I don't get many strange looks when I pull 'em out of the bag. Plus the
dms on Careyitos all wear them too. I also have converted several of the
club member to the long fins and they, like me, will never go
back(though I do carry a spare pair of short ones along). The double bag
mentioned above makes a pretty tough piece of luggage.
Jack
 00
> From: Reef Fish <[log in to unmask]>
>
> As of July 21st, I am now a dual resident of SC and TN, having
> redistributed some of my home furnishings to Choo Choo Town (aka
> Chattanooga) while I search for a permanent house.  Meanwhile, my
> home office and bedroom in the apartment share the same room, so
> now I can truly say I sleep in my office ALL the time!  :-)
>
> At any rate, when I returned here (SC) to check what's ongoing in
> Scuba-SE, I found a very quiet neighborhood except for a thread on
> several fins, ALL SHORT and weeny ones, especially Ralf's F*rce
> (where * is the first alphabet) Fins!  :-)  However, I do believe
> that's a perfect fin for Ralf, because he seems like a "F*rce"
> himself.  0^)
>
> The Mares Quattro (there're half a dozen versions) got several
> endorsing votes and appears to be a worthy contender.  I was given
> a lecture by a former Olympic swimmer, now scuba instructor, on
> the hydrodynamics of the LATEST Quattro and HIS own pair for me
> to try for two weeks in Coz, when I was looking for a LONGER fin
> than the LONG fin I have already used for a couple of years, the
> VERY efficient Akona.  It didn't take me long to conclude:
>
>               LONG live the LONG fins!        :-)
>
> I now use the 34" Cressi (2000HF;  2 lb 4 oz), which is 7" longer
> than the Akona (2 lb).  Both LIGHT and efficient.  I would race
> any of you youngsters in Cozumel currents (from 25 yards to a
> mile) using my Cressi, against any of your short ones.  Ralf?  :)
>
> The obviosu PROS:  Light and efficient.
>
> The ONLY CONS I can think of using the 34" LONG fins are:
>
> 1.  It's longer than most scuba gear or luggage bags.
>
>     Solution:  they fit DIAGONALLY in my 30" x 21" luggage case;
>     let them stick out the fin pockets of my 28" tall gear bag.
>
> 2.  You won't have any thick booties to keep your toes warm.
>
>     Solution:  quit being a Cold Warm Wimp and be a WWW!
>
> 3.  The user should have excellent buoyancy skills and have no
>     wasted fin motions while diving coral reefs.  Otherwise,
>     these long fins could wipe out an entire reef in the feet of
>     some divers I have seen.  A reasonable TEST of your buoyancy
>     skills:  ascend from 40 fsw SLOWLY, make a 5 minute safety
>     stop at 15 fsw, WITHOUT MOVING YOUR FINS or using your
>     inflator/deflator hose!
>
> 4.  When you DO use those fins for quick spurt SPEED or sustained
>     SPEED (as in a mile-swim), all UW, there is considerable
>     difference in the KICKING STYLE (that's different from using
>     the short ones) which you must acquire to make near-optimal
>     use of the LONG ones.
>
> If the LONG fins don't work for you, it's YOUR damned fault!  :-)))
> Sorry if that disqualified most of you.
>
> Just my $.04.
>
> -- Bob.
>
>