5INW
ARRAN
TY
FI
NST
YL
E
FOOT
POC
SIKEZE
TS

ADE
M

PRICE

MANUFACTURER/MODEL/CONTACT
OPEN-HEEL

www.diveapollo.com

APOLLO SPORTS Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
www.diveapollo.com

ATOMIC AQUATICS Reef Red
www.atomicaquatics.com

MARES Volo Powerwww.mares.com

TUSA Imprex Tri-Ex
www.tusa.com

AERIS Velocity Duo
www.diveaeris.com
VERYGOOD

GENESIS SCUBA Response
www.genesisscuba.com

H2ODYSSEY F-14 Thruster
www.h2odyssey.com

SHERWOOD SCUBA Impact
GOOD

www.sherwoodscuba.com

H2ODYSSEY / TILOS Mach II Turbowww.h2odyssey.com / www.tilos.com

FAIR

MODERATELYIMPORTANTMOST IMPORTANTAPOLLO SPORTS Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series

2ERGO PERFORMANCE
POW
E
ST R VABS.
ST
I
M LIT
RAN Y
ES
EUS
ACVE
C
EL RAFIER BILTIT
A&C TIO Y
O
AL
N
M
T.
FO
K
SU ICK RT
S
R
FA
C
DE
O
SW
NN
AD ING IM
JU /DST OF
NFI
IN
O
NN
GG
SK
FOID
RAD
FI
T
ER JUS
G TE
O DTO
TA
L*

FEATURESFIN FIGHT, P. 72

TILOS Magnifica
www.tilos.com

SCUBAPRO Razor
www.scubapro.com$260Japan1 Year

CONVENIENCEELEMENTS

Split

Open
toe

3544444455489

4544544444490

$225

Japan

1 Year

Split

Opentoe$199

Taiwan 1 Year

Split

Open
toe

4444444454485

$189

Italy

2 Years

PaddleClosedtoe

3444444444484$89

Taiwan 3 Years

PaddleClosedtoe

3444444444383$129.95

Italy

2 Years

Split

Closedtoe

4344434444479$75

Italy

2 Years

PaddleClosedtoe

3344343344373$59.95

China

1-Yr.

PaddleClosedtoe

2343343344471$99

TaiwanLtd.

PaddleOpen
toe3333334343

366$139.95/ Taiwan 2 Years Horizontal Closed
Split
toe
$100

4333333344365

$70

Italy

1-Yr.

PaddleClosedtoe3333323344464$108

Italy

Ltd.

PaddleClosedtoe3333333333363

Split

Open
toe

644544444N/A382

Split

Open
toe

644443434N/A

375

PaddleOpentoe633335334

N/A

264

FULL-FOOT
1-Yr.

TUSA X-Pert Zoom FF-9
www.tusa.com

ATOMIC AQUATICS Full-Foot SplitFin**
www.atomicaquatics.com

GOOD

TILOS Feather

$50

USA
Ltd.

$89
$37

www.tilos.com

TaiwanItaly

Ltd.
Lifetime

5=Excellent, 4=Very Good, 3=Good, 2=Fair, 1=Poor*HOW WE DETERMINE TESTERS’ CHOICES ScubaLab Testers’ Choices are based on the adjusted scores for ergonomic performance (actual scores x 3 for “Most Important” categories,
actual scores x 2 for “Moderately Important” categories, and actual scores x 1 for “Convenience Elements”), plus numerical scores for speed, slalom and efficiency course runs.

Fit & Comfort: Of foot pocket. > Alternate Kicks: Ease and effectivenessof frog and dolphin kicks. > Surface Swim: Both face-down and while> Stability: How much the fins wobble, slice from side to side or hit eachother during the kick cycle. > Maneuverability: The ease of turning, ason the back.

well as getting in and out of tight places using fin power; i.e., backing up,changing or reversing directions, using small fin movements. > Acceleration: During an underwater swim, the ability to quickly pick up speed.
MODERATELY IMPORTANT

CONVENIENCE ELEMENTS
Donning/doffing: Prior to dive, after the dive. > Adjusting for fit: Ease ofusing buckles and straps, both in and out of the water. > Nonskid: The
sense of security on a wet boat deck geared up while wearing fins.

L A U R A C . S . WA L K E R

MOST IMPORTANT
Power vs. Stress: The perception of power produced vs. effort required.

** Please see editor’s note, page 79.

1061455-106-107 1

SCUBA DIVINGNOVEMBER 2004

4/2/07 10:35:49 AM

ISPEE
DSLAL
OEF M
FICIE
NOCBJY
EC
TIVO
EVETO
TO RATATA LLLLOBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE

55515104

45514104

4451398

43

41195

3

34109334411903341083

322778322773312671

2

32771

N

DE

PTH

THE SPEED COURSE
Six test divers, using the flutter kick at an average depth of 10 feet, took each fin on three speed runs. The highest sustained speed,
as measured by digital underwater speedometers, for each fin, was taken from each diver, then averaged for the following speeds.
In addition, test divers did one run each using the frog kick and the dolphin kick to get a sense of the fin’s relative speeds using thesealternate kicks.
When applied to real-world diving, the difference of 1/10th mph is insignificant. Speed data should be used in conjunction withmaneuverability, efficiency and ergonomic results for a complete picture of a fin’s performance.
MPH

FLUTTER KICKMPHFROG KICK*MPH

3.0 Apollo Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series
2.7 Apollo Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
2.6 Atomic Aquatics Reef Red
Mares Volo Power
2.5 H2Odyssey Thruster
Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex
2.4 Aeris Velocity DuoGenesis Scuba Response
H2Odyssey/Tilos Mach II Turbo
Sherwood Scuba Impact
2.2 Scubapro Razor
Tilos Magnifica

2.3
2.0
1.9

1.6

OPEN-HEELS
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
Atomic Aquatics Reef Red
Mares Volo Power
Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex
Genesis Scuba Response
H2Odyssey F-14 Thruster
Aeris Velocity Duo
H2Odyssey/Tilos Mach II Turbo
Sherwood Scuba Impact
Tilos Magnifica
Scubapro Razor

2.8 Atomic Aquatics Full-Foot SplitFin**
Tusa X-Pert Zoom FF-9
2.5 Tilos Feather

2.1
1.9
1.8

Atomic Aquatics Full-Foot SplitFin**
Tusa X-Pert Zoom FF-9Tilos Feather

1.8
1.7

DOLPHIN KICK*

2.4 Apollo Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
2.2 Atomic Aquatics Reef Red
Genesis Scuba Response
Mares Volo Power
2.1 H2Odyssey Thruster
Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex
2.0 Sherwood Scuba Impact
1.9 Aeris Velocity Duo
H2Odyssey/Tilos Mach II Turbo
Tilos Magnifica
1.8 Scubapro Razor

FULL-FOOTS
2.4 Tusa X-Pert Zoom FF-9
2.2 Atomic Aquatics Full-Foot SplitFin**Tilos Feather* These are interest items only and were not factored into the scoring. For more results of fin performance using alternate kicks, see the ergo performance chart.

2226

69

4

4

4

1294

4441287

872

32

3

THE SLALOM COURSE
Six test divers, using a flutter kick, swam an obstacle course
in approximately 10 feet of water. While on the course, divers’
hands clutched either weight belts or BC straps to ensure all
maneuvering power was generated by the fins. Divers swam
two circuits per fin, timing their runs with digital stopwatches.
The fastest time for each fin was taken from each diver, thenaveraged, to come up with the following course times.

35363738

Six test divers, using a flutter kick in approximately 10 feet ofwater, swam a straight-line course 65 feet long, including a15-foot “runway” to allow them to achieve their most efficientkicking rhythm before starting their digital stopwatches. Divers completed two runs for each fin. The best runs for eachdiver for each fin were then averaged.
Note: This test is new to our fin protocols, but the data is remarkably
consistent with our established tests for speed and maneuverability. As
with our other tests, we don’t recommend using this data alone to makeyour fin choice. It should be used only in conjunction with speed, slalom

TIME (in seconds)
30
31
32
33
34

THE EFFICIENCYCOURSE

OPEN-HEELS
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
Atomic Aquatics Reef Red
Aeris Velocity Duo
Mares Volo Power
Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex
Genesis Scuba Response
Tilos Magnifica
Sherwood Scuba Impact
H2Odyssey F-14 Thruster
Scubapro Razor
H2Odyssey/Tilos Mach II Turbo

COURSE TIME (in seconds)
OPEN-HEELS
20
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro Yellow
21
Apollo Bio-Fin Pro XT/C-Series
Atomic Aquatics Reef Red
22
Tusa Imprex Tri-Ex
23
Aeris Velocity Duo
Genesis Scuba Response
Mares Volo Power26
Scubapro Razor
Sherwood Scuba Impact
Tilos Magnifica27H2Odyssey F-14 Thruster
H2Odyssey/Tilos Mach II Turbo

FULL-FOOTS
3336

Atomic Aquatics Full-Foot SplitFin**
Tusa X-Pert Zoom FF-9
Tilos Feather

222324

FULL-FOOTS
Atomic Aquatics Full-Foot SplitFin**
Tusa X-Pert Zoom FF-9
Tilos Feather** Please see editor’s note, page 79.

NOVEMBER 2004

1455-106-107 2

SCUBADIVING.COM

107

4/2/07 10:35:51 AM