Scuba Diving Fins comparison: Rigid Fins VS Soft Fins | VS Monday

Welcome to the latest instalment of VS Monday, hosted by GUE Instructor, Dorota Czerny. VS Monday is our show where we put two industry standard pieces of equipment against each other, examine the pros and cons and allow you to make the most informed decision possible on which could best suit your needs as a diver. This week, Dorota is examining Rigid Fins VS Soft Fins. But which are the right fins for you?

Jump to a specific point
0:00 Intro
1:19 What's wrong with my favourite fins?
3:02 Soft Fins - PROS
5:30 Soft Fins - CONS
8:19 Rigid Fins - PROS
11:29 Rigid Fins - CONS
16:32 Be Careful of IMPOSTER fins!
17:25 Summary
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VIDEO CREDITS:
On screen: Dorota Czerny
Post Production by Nico Lurot
Music: Awaken Together by Ian41
Photos: Julian Muehlenhaus
Video: Olga Martinelli, Dimitris Fifis, Drone Ops - Faisal Khalaf
Crew: Sima Performing Arts

#ScubaDiving #DiveGear #DiveFins

[asecret]

Hey GUE - isn't it obvious by now we all want to see more Dorota, and quality content like this! Another very well done clip and tank you very much :)

[CaptTubs]

I am a novice diver. I am research fins. You gave a very precise explanation about all the surfaces. Thank you.

[BogdanCristian.Stefan]

Great video, Dorota!!!
Keep up the great work! Amazing content made by the GUE team 💙

[brianrudolph]

Excellent comparison! You are fantastic in communicating and describing your points! Love your detail, experiences and reasoning! First class all the way!

[kjdtm]

Thank you, very good points. i also found Ankle Weight's hat i can attach to my legs, cause I'm doing video under water and extending my hands adds to moving my center of gravity(weight) to the front, and ending upside down while trying to remain still.

[nayaleezy]

Dorota always brings a smile to my face 🇵🇱♥️

[milamotik]

Hi Dorota, just came across this channel! What a gem! This is very helpful thank u so much for the vid🙌🏽🙌🏽

[ahmadal-husaini]

Doro. Great Video.

It was interesting to see the pros and cons of both kinds of fins. Ever since I used the Jet Fins I never though there could be pros for the softer fins. 😅

You were also totally right regarding pain in the lower back with regards to the more Rigid Fins. I had that pain during my start with GUE until I managed to get better at my Techniques underwater.

[CUCABURRAAustralia]

Amazing video, thank you very much! Agree with each and every point.
In my years of diving I have tried a lot of different models of fins, but eventually came to stiff fins with spring straps and loved them ever since!

[richardgebertas]

What fins can't used for spear fishing..thanks..

[DubaiDiver]

Please can you list the GUE recommended fins. It will make choosing fins much easier.

[jorgecorreia]

Excellent approach to the subject, Dorota! To me it has been a must: the "old" Jetfins for drysuits and softer fins with wet/semi-dry suits. And I do not use wetsuits with doubles...Perfet to me, that way. Thanks.

[AnanasaBoy]

I started diving with Jet Fins right after my Padi Open water course and on the Dive #10 which was my very first guided dive i tried them, i never stopped using them ever since :)

Took my fundies and joined the GUE and then started the DIR config.

[simonmirren]

Great summary Dorota. I wish it was mandatory for the exact buoyancy characteristics to be advertised on the rigid fins. I'm a UK trilam drysuit diver (Euro twinset) with neoprene socks and rockboots. I find, especially in the colder months, that very little air gets down to my feet as they are stuffed with really thick socks so am always foot heavy. I have gone from Hollis F1s (from forum recommendations) to Scuba Pro Jets to Apeks HDs and am still finding my feet are too heavy. Trim has improved with each but I'm stuck on the next set to try. Probably need something between OMS slipstream and my current Apeks HDs. So frustrating that its hard to demo these fins and even harder to find out the buoyancy characteristics in advance of purchase! Tends to be just negative buoyancy when it is advertised but that's it. Grateful for any advice on the next rigid fins to buy...

[aaronoaks]

Dorota, great video as always! Really appreciating this series. What are your thoughts on the neutrally buoyant tec fins like the OMS slipstreams or deep six eddy fins when wetsuit diving?

[wildeyestudios]

Thank you for the video. I have to disagree with the statement that most divers are head heavy, it's the opposite, most divers in recreational are feet heavy, which means if they stop finning they'll tilt and end up head up and feet down. This can change with a dry suit but then it's again not most divers. Light fins and positively buoyant fins are generally good for trim. I use 2kg in my bc trim pockets and positively buoyant fins and I'm still feet heavy. My students use weights in the bc side pockets and neutral fins and they're also feet heavy.

Only divers I've seen being head heavy are women with skinny torso and fat legs, they are really floaty from butt to feet, but again this bad shaped divers are also a minority.

[turtle_diver]

Hi Dorota, nice Video. Thanks. Just a question: I understood that you said that rigid fins make trim easier in a drysuit but in a wetsuit they can be too heavy. So which fins do you recommend on (recreational), warm water dives (in wetsuit) if not rigid fins? I don’t think you mean to always use drysuit a, right?

[vitriolo]

Hi Dorota.
Interesting summary, thank you very much.
However, you have not said anything about something important: the type of fastening of the fins. Rubber strips, springs, bunguees ...
I also think it would have been nice to say something concrete about freediving fins, which are sometimes seen in strong current locations.
Greetings from Spain and thanks again.

[rupertsimon]

Great overview of the market. Thanks for that. More ridged fins for better control of one’s movement are definitely beneficial. Unfortunately, they are too heavy for wet suit diving separating the two worlds. Fortunately, Apex offers its RK3 fins in heavy and light rubber. They work really well and close the gap to some extent. So, there are light weight and relatively stiff fins on the market that make proper wet suit diving possible. Cheers.

[TheLoneFreedom]

Hi! I find my fins are pointing upwards when maintaining trim and hovering in a neoprene wetsuit. Does this mean my fins are too positive and should get a fins that are negative. I tried on the RK3 standard (non hd) and the OMS slipstream fins. find the pointing up more pronoun on the RK3. Is it a fin issue or my legs are just not flexible?