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MARK EVANS PADI Divemaster 22 years diving experience | MARTIN BRUCE PADI MSD 2 years diving experience | DAVE HOPE PADI MSDT 16 years diving experience | JOHN CARTER PADI Divemaster 11 years diving experience | PAUL ANDREWS PADI Divemaster 6 years diving experience |
Apollo Bio Fin Pro (SRP: £104.95) 2.6kg
Mark: Good thumb loop on the heel strap. Plenty of power with a ‘normal’ kick – and with no real effort – but no good for frog kicks, as they are too floppy. Very, very comfy. A cracking pair of fins.
Martin: I prefer the performance of the Pro to the more-expensive Apollos, the XT. These are good, comfortable fins that are easy to use.
Dave: These fins are a joy to use. Lots of power for very little effort. Very manoeuvrable – a smashing pair of fins, and I like them a lot.
John: Feels like you have nothing on. I didn’t want to take them off. Excellent fins.
Paul: The nearest thing to underwater carpet slippers. Excellent fins – do everything you want.
Atomic split fins (SRP: £99) 2.52kg
Mark: Fantastic performance and stiff enough for both normal and frog kicks. Best clips of the test – quickly and easily released even when wearing 5mm gloves and having cold hands. Very comfy. One of the top pairs.
Martin: Effortless performance and fit like a glove. Great fins.
Dave: Very nice, very comfy. Foot pocket comes to the back of your heel so you get a good return on your effort. The novel clip design works well – it’s the best here.
John: Peerless fin. You hardly know they’re there. Excellent all-round.
Paul: They perform really well, but I’m not sure about the looks, at least in this ‘see-through’ colour. They’re comfortable and powerful, and a nice fin overall.
Force Fin Pro (SRP: £130) 1.76kg
Mark: Force Fins – you either love them or hate them. Those in the latter category generally haven’t taken time to get used to them. They do need a different finning action, but they are powerful, lightweight, you can walk about in them, climb ladders and they pack easily.
Martin: Bizarre is my initial reaction. They would take some getting used to, but they have a unique feel and performance. They are quick with little effort. I’d like to use them a little more.
Dave: Not a first fin for everybody. They take some getting used to, but really do work. You hardly know they’re on your feet, but it’s still a lot of money.
John: You need to get the right fin-kicking style to use these, but when you do, they work fine. If does feel strange having your toes free and not tucked into a foot pocket.
Paul: These are a specialised fin and not for novices. With that in mind, they are a cracking fin, offering a good balance of power and manoeuvrability.
Oceanic V16 (SRP: £95) 2.12kg
Mark: Excellent performance, but not for frog kicks. Not much difference to the cheaper V12, which says a lot about how good that fin is. Nice thumb loop on the heel strap.
Martin: Not a huge difference from the V12, which is no bad thing, though the V16 is noticeably firmer than the V12. This is a very good fin overall.
Dave: Very comfy, with a nice deep fin pocket. Quite powerful and effortless to use.
John: Very nice fins. Gives you what you want when you want it – plenty of power for relatively little effort.
Paul: Really comfortable. Does everything you ask with no problems. Nice fins.
Deep Outdoors Six Gill (SRP: £99) 1.64kg
Mark: I love these fins. You can really feel the water movement through the ‘gills’. The strap looks dodgy, but it works really well. Has a lovely frog kick and lots of power. Very lightweight and great for travelling.
Martin: I really rate these. Excellent design and feels more of an extension of your foot than a fin. You can actually feel the flow of water as you kick. Very nice – the top paddle fin.
Dave: Excellent. I like them so much I bought a pair. What more can I say.
John: Looks like a paddle, performs like a split fin. Power and stability when you want it. The simple-but-effective straps are a great idea.
Paul: I really like using these. Light and powerful. You can feel the water turbulence through the vents.
Mares Quattro Excel (SRP: £100) 2.24kg
Mark: Good clips. The best of the Mares bunch. Still hard work doing doing a normal kick, but frog kick is good. Generates lots of power, but requires lots of effort.
Martin: Quite good to start with when you begin finning, but they are increasingly hard work. The clips are not my favourite.
Dave: Awful lot of money for a pair of paddle fins. They are a lot softer than the Mares Quattro, but I’m not sure that reflects in a difference in performance. You need an awful lot of effort for a decent return.
John: A budget fin at a premium price. I still don’t like the clips. These are not the fins for me.
Paul: Not my favourite by a long shot. I’d go for split fins at this price.
Scubapro Twin Jet Max (SRP: £139.95) 2.64kg
Mark: Cracking fins, but they should be for that price. Lots of power and very fast. It is possible to frog kick, and they are very comfortable, but that’s a lot of money.
Martin: A pretty good fin. They feel like a cross between a paddle and a split fin. Mammoth price tag.
Dave: A lot of money for a pair of fins. They do perform very well. A cross between a paddle and a split fin and will appeal to both markets.
John: Terrific all round. Nothing to dislike. Powerful, comfortable and an excellent fin. Price-wise – ouch!
Paul: I actually preferred the predecessor, the standard Twin Jet. These are comfortable, though, and a good performer.
Tusa Xpert Zoom (SRP: £99) 2.4kg
Mark: Very comfortable foot pocket. Good normal and frog kick. A good split fin overall.
Martin: I really like these – they are up there with the best. Manoeuvrable and a good return for your effort.
Dave: Very very nice to use. Good turn of speed and comfy to wear. Nice all-round fins.
John: Nice all-round fin. Excellent power, comfort and manoeuvrability – I like them.
Paul: Light and comfortable. Not a bad performer – a good all-rounder for your money.
For a review of fins in other price brackets, click -£50 , £50-95 .
