Northwest Dive Club

I'm in the hunt for another set of fins, and considering the Mares Power Plana fins. I use a Mares Volo right now, and I really like their sizes and their foot pockets. Fits any of my drysuits just perfect. Are there any on this board using the Mares Power Plana fins? I like it due to it's size and it's not as heavy as the Jets, Hog, and/or Turtles.

And, NO, I'm not considering the Hollis F2's.

Thanks.

I've heard the Hollis F2's are really nice.

I haven't tried the Power Planas yet, but I really like my Mares Excel+ fins. Compares to the Power Plana, the Excel+ is a bit longer and narrower. It's light enough for travel and an excellent tech fin with good power and feedback for precision maneuvering.

Another fin to consider if you're looking for a lighter fin is the Dive Rite XTs. Big foot pockets, stiff enough for good thrust, and very light.

http://www.diverite.com/products/catalog/fins/es420

Not actually looking particularly for a lighter fin. As a matter of fact, I want a heavier, sturdier fin to accommodate the modified kicks. I've been diving my Volo for at least 5 years and am very happy with it, other than situations where I really have to perform a back frog kick or helicopter kicks cause it just bends. Other than that, so satisfied with it with other kicks and is very light. I was looking at the OMS Slipstreams, but it's about one of the hardest fins to buy due to availability. The Mares line of fins, IMHO, has the most accommodating foot pockets with different sizes in the industry. Their Power Plana is their version for technical diving scenarios. I fitted one yesterday, and it really felt good. I'm not quite sold about the rubber bungee strap though. Hence, I'm asking for advice from power plans users.

Thanks for the advices and opinions. Perhaps, I'll buy one this week and give my own assessment after I use it for a while.

Hollis F1's....not F2's...

Jeremy wrote:Hollis F1's....not F2's...

An F1 on the left, and another F1 on the right, makes it an F2. Got it Brah! Duh!

coulterboy wrote:Not actually looking particularly for a lighter fin. As a matter of fact, I want a heavier, sturdier fin to accommodate the modified kicks. I've been diving my Volo for at least 5 years and am very happy with it, other than situations where I really have to perform a back frog kick or helicopter kicks cause it just bends. Other than that, so satisfied with it with other kicks and is very light. I was looking at the OMS Slipstreams, but it's about one of the hardest fins to buy due to availability. The Mares line of fins, IMHO, has the most accommodating foot pockets with different sizes in the industry. Their Power Plana is their version for technical diving scenarios. I fitted one yesterday, and it really felt good. I'm not quite sold about the rubber bungee strap though. Hence, I'm asking for advice from power plans users.

Thanks for the advices and opinions. Perhaps, I'll buy one this week and give my own assessment after I use it for a while.

I've been trying to source OMS slipstreams as well. I contacted OMS a few weeks ago and supposedly they are doing a production run on slipstreams in the near future.

I dive a pair of the OMS Slipstreams, and really like them. They are pretty stiff, maybe more so than Jets, but are neutral to slightly positively buoyant. I use size XXL with my size 10 DUI rockboots, and would say the sizing runs pretty similar to the Jets.

I've heard they can be hard to find, but they appear to be available at a pretty decent price at OMS Closeouts.

If you're looking for a smaller, light but firm/stiff fin, look at the Aeris Accel fins. I took a pair of these to Hawaii and they performed very well. Extremely lightweight but stiff blades that will fit in a carry-on bag, and worked great with modified kicks. We compared them side-by-side with F2's, and felt they performed better.

coulterboy wrote:Not actually looking particularly for a lighter fin. As a matter of fact, I want a heavier, sturdier fin to accommodate the modified kicks. I've been diving my Volo for at least 5 years and am very happy with it, other than situations where I really have to perform a back frog kick or helicopter kicks cause it just bends. Other than that, so satisfied with it with other kicks and is very light. I was looking at the OMS Slipstreams, but it's about one of the hardest fins to buy due to availability. The Mares line of fins, IMHO, has the most accommodating foot pockets with different sizes in the industry. Their Power Plana is their version for technical diving scenarios. I fitted one yesterday, and it really felt good. I'm not quite sold about the rubber bungee strap though. Hence, I'm asking for advice from power plans users.

Thanks for the advices and opinions. Perhaps, I'll buy one this week and give my own assessment after I use it for a while.

Cool. If you're at all interested in trying out the Dive Rite fins, I have a pair I'm not currently using. If you cover shipping to/from, you can borrow them as long as you like.

Thanks Spatty for the very generous offer. I'll let you know if I'll take you up on it.

I was just at Tacoma Scuba today and they have Power Plana fins.
I think Josh said they have them as rentals.
You might want to give them a call, he could give you some info.
I need new fins also so I may try a pair in the next week or 2.

Peter and I have been using the Power Planas. I absolutely love them. I have several pairs of Jet fins and a set of the Dive Rites, and I like the PPs better than either. They are stiff enough to do all the precision kicks, but a little more flexible in the center, so it seems to me I can swim MUCH faster with them than with the stiff blades. Peter loves them, too; we have one set and fight over who gets to use them.

LCF wrote:Peter and I have been using the Power Planas. I absolutely love them. I have several pairs of Jet fins and a set of the Dive Rites, and I like the PPs better than either. They are stiff enough to do all the precision kicks, but a little more flexible in the center, so it seems to me I can swim MUCH faster with them than with the stiff blades. Peter loves them, too; we have one set and fight over who gets to use them.

Thanks for your input on the Power Plana Lynne. I knew there was somebody on this board that love using those fins.

My only gripe is that they only come in black.