Fins : Weight Testing

[@kevingumfory]

If you look on youtube ... this is the ONLY video on fin buoyancy. Everyone else is doing videos from home or the shop. We need more videos from the water. Including computers ! This is great and ty !

[@darthknowl9222]

@@kevingumfory I agree

[@hendrikgabriela]

The best video ever after spending so much time and money on fins finding out my buoyancy......this made it , God Bless!!!!!!!!!

[@slyderace]

This was VERY informative! Every dive center should teach this to their students so they can make informed decisions on what to buy together. + shoe with - Fin, or vice versa :)

[@alexanderschmidt8443]

Great post - exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for so much working on the details!

[@uwaysi]

Literally an in-depth fin test

[@darthknowl9222]

This is a great video. I like how you decided to “Field test “ the boots and the fins

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Thank you, it was a natural progression, as with all training and equipment we break it down into the smallest components and look to maximise and improve on any little thing we can.

[@M.M.M.M.M890]

Great video! So helpful!

[@wang06411]

This video deserves more credit definitely

[@karenling3997]

Great video. Finally understand…. Thanks so much for producing such informative video… sharing this video with my friends

[@wyattduerksen4355]

Awesome vid, I never would have guessed rk3 were that positive

[@anibaldk]

Sincerely, one of the best videos out there with regards to equipment selection.

[@reefhound9902]

I love this review. So many videos out there just want to put a product on a table and yammer on about it without an in-water demonstration.

[@lizaking25]

Good video to get people thinking about how equipment buoyancy affects trim. Depending on your body composition along with type of water, you might actually require a negatively or positively buoyant fin. My legs for example are naturally quite buoyant in warm sea water both at the surface and relatively so at depth. With a wetsuit or neoprene booties I normally need negatively buoyant fins. A more muscular or densely composed person might need to counter that with neoprene or positively buoyant fins to achieve correct trim.

[@m1ch4Lko]

Great video. Super informative!

[@Andrey051089]

So apeks rk3 positive. Great thank you

[@lyleng90]

Great vid! This explains so much why my legs always sink when I relax, thanks for the video! :)

[@josemiguelarias929]

This is gold.

[@jonramsay5123]

Great video, no one checks the details especially in rec diving world.

[@cr7687-d5c]

Good information!

[@elvincecodilla2862]

Great videos.. always been a fan in your channel especially before and after I finished my sidemount class

[@hangyuxu3411]

I like the "先生” - "Sir" at the bottom of the yellow mares fins!

[@anukanuk7649]

Great ! Thank you for the tips ,very different and helpful in information. Waiting for more 🤗🤗

[@gray_wolverine63]

Thank you so much I'm seeing a lot of your videos because you do many great videos I have been learning from you to make me a better diver. Thank you again. 🇺🇲👌🏼

[@BillieLo]

Thanks for sharing ❤

[@nikkiye5115]

This was very helpful, are you able to do a Scuba Pro Series video? Scuba Pro Go Sports, Seawing, etc... since that seems to be a popular recreational diver's choice here in Asia

[@jonuh6159]

Thats a good video! I was actually also very surprised to find out that my RKs are neutral to positive. But thats why i love them😁 But the RK HD is negative.

[@nayaleezy]

I found this very enlightening, thank you! 👌

[@christopherthomas8722]

This was SUPER helpful thank you!

[@PaulCarrington891]

Very informative. Wish I’d reviewed prior to a recent purchase.

[@Reeenald]

So useful, thank you.

[@ahmadkaddoura7060]

appreciate the very extraordinary idea of this video.. I'm a new diver, and planning to buy my own gear, and want your advise which fins to buy among the makes mentioned in the video " I will use them with wetsuit".. really thanks for this illustrative video

[@pinnacledivingco]

Those RK3's are the standard version. Apeks makes an RK3 HD version (high density), which I use all the time, and they're negative.

[@robbiecook5152]

This is so helpful! When I dove in Cozumel and tried to kneel on the bottom with the group, My legs kept floating up. I had to be held down. No one could tell me why. Thank you!!

[@darthknowl9222]

@@robbiecook5152 I dove there in April for the first time. It was amazing. Did you get a new pair of fins?

[@ttb1513]

Kneeling on the bottom?

[@azmieghanie]

nice video...thanks for sharing👍👍👍

[@drdanielvicente]

Loved the vídeo! Thankyou

[@AquaticRod]

Very cool video

[@predatectorx8183]

Yes very interesting information about finns and boots . I bought the new seac propulsion finns with ruber strap...i need to try it this summer ...but do you know someting about seac propulsion/ Nice video and very useful.Thanks.

[@kemaldinc7746]

Thank you so much, great video

[@3mmoOore]

thank you so much !! very helpful video

[@santsupanitayanon483]

Thank you!

[@sssther]

Steve, you're a legend. I bought both the Apex RK3 fins and the Amphibian 4th Element boots. I love them both but, at the beginning especially, I was struggling so much at safety stops to not shoot up to the surface. My legs were so buoyant! After about 6 months using them they're becoming more neutrally buoyant but still not there yet. Any tips from anyone to counter balance this would be greatly appreciated, as I don't necessarily want to get rid of them and buy a different pair of boots and fins, if I can make them work for me. Thanks so much for the effort put into making this video.

[@sidemountsarge]

You could try moving weight lower to counteract the buoyancy of the fin, Apeks do a heavier version of the RK3 (The HD version) which might be worth a look.

[@chrischristofis8501]

Get ankle weights

[@MC-tm2uy]

Super impressed with your buoyancy control. Thanks for the vid

[@hugocirilo]

great and important stress-free dive. what is hour favorite fin for touring dive?

[@annabelmatthews4309]

This was very informative. Do you have the link to your indepth fin test?

[@JacquesGBR]

A bit late to the video, but id be really interested to hear your opinion on the Scubapro Go Sport fins. If theyre any good they seem like they would be great all around fins with a travel friendly size

[@SonSonBabe]

Love this video Please do more kind of fin testing Such as HOG, Poseidon, Dive Rite etc I am looking for a positive fin, i think im going RK3, thanks to this video But i hope to find a popsitive fin and color RED fin Please help me out if possible

[@la5150hi-lophoto]

Just got a drysuit and never thought about the effect of boots or fins until my feet became incredibly floaty:). Needless to say, change fins.

[@ttb1513]

How many bolt snaps do you dive with on your fins? 😂

[@benjaminbeges4588]

Thank you Steve for all the work you share through thèse videos, very interesting and usefull ! Just a question regarding this one: I'm using Quattro fins for years, and I'm very interested to test the bungee used on the white ones... Can you just give me the reference of this strap or something similar, which fits with the Quattros ? Thank you so much

[@BlackPawGaming]

what is the spring strap you using for the quattro? and can you make video on how to do that bungee cord strap you using for quattro. thanks Why with bungee strap quattro is neutral but with bungee cord is negative? The mares bungee strap make it float?

[@rodrigoc.goncalves2009]

I've just bough a fin marketed as negatively buoyant and I realised my feet are always sinking now that I think of it... I didn't even think about trim when buying the fin

[@shahrilghazali]

Great job on the testing. Do you have any info on nova seawing 2 or mares xtream?

[@nocturnal0300]

Hey Steve, I know this video is a couple years old but what do you prefer having used both the Fourth Element Pelagic and Amphibian? Specifically for foot & ankle fatigue as well as comfort in the water. Thanks in advance, much appreciated for the video.

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi, I never like the Amphibian sole is too thick if you had massive foot pockets then guess okay, but the pelagic for sure is the one I would choose out of them too. Cheers, Steve

[@vkrishnahasita4464]

Hello, the video is quite old so not sure if this comment will be seen, but any help is appreciated! For the longest time, I would dive with the dive shop issued scuba pro fins and manage fine. Recently purchased the Avanti with bungee straps. My issue is with the 5mm boots which are essentially making my legs go up and my head go down especially at the safety stop (I’m a relatively new diver with just over 20 dives). How can I make the shoe wear out a bit more so it doesn’t float up so much? I wouldn’t be diving every day but can I soak them in water each day and hope for the best?

[@scubafly]

Interesting, but using a dry suit it actually nice to have negative fins to compensate for the bit of air in your dry suit feet.

[@fridericogatti1213]

where this is tested? in red sea the water is so salty, so can change the bouyancy. would be interesting to know the place where these fins have been tested to have an index reference.

[@sidemountscubadiving]

These fins were tested in the Mediterranean Sea - Gozo, Malta

[@stevecoffey4884]

Perfect. Thanks for posting these observations. Profound contribution to the dive community. I greatly appreciate this post.

[@rolandotrujillo7523]

As a new diver. I’ve been having issues with my legs/feet rising. Throwing me. Although I am a new diver. Its just been making be neutral hard. I have the RK3 and a pair of XS scuba boots. Any recommendations to help. I dont necessarily want to switch the RK3s as I cant return them but if I have too. I Will.

[@shandhiwidjaja8543]

What about OMS SLipstream Fin? Gull GT?

[@liamedge2568]

great video! this explains a lot, i dive in the uk in a drysuit and find i have floaty feet with my rk3's, however im worried other jet fins may be too heavy. anyone got any recommendations for neutral or slighly negative jet fin style fins?

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi Liam, If you like how the RK3's perform then I suggest you get or try the RK3 HD version these are slightly negative and work better for drysuit divers. Regards, Steve

[@doyleyee1992]

hey would like to know what size fins would fit the fourth element amphibian boot? if i am using the scuba jets would it fit?

[@logistictime7846]

Whats the bubbles at back stage ? )

[@joesr31]

Are those superchannels at 1:36? Curious about its bouyancy

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Yes, they are super channels. I would say they are neutral to slightly negative (similar to the quattro)

[@Francois_Dupont]

salt water vs fresh water is also to take into consideration.

[@rcgonzo144]

So I am a beginner currently doing my OWD. I am leaning towards either the mares Quattro or the rk3. Seeing the mares having a neutral buoyancy, should I get these over the rk3's to start with? Thanks!

[@sidemountscubadiving]

The RK3 are an easy fin for most people to learn the range of kicks with I would say. Best is to really test and try out each of these fins, while you learn. It is quite early for you to commit to just one. Regards, Steve

[@rcgonzo144]

@@sidemountscubadiving thanks for the response. I will try both models

[@rcgonzo144]

@@sidemountscubadiving mabye one last question: What is the benefit of spring straps compared to regular bungees besides the added weight? Durability?

[@garywhite6804]

Is this fresh or salt water?

[@davestadnik8739]

Could review the rk3 HD fins from Apeks ?

[@sidemountscubadiving]

Hi Dave, the Apeks RK3 HD are slightly stiffer fin that the standard RK3 and instead of being buoyant they are slightly negative. I actually use a set with my drysuit and I like them for this. They feel and perform the same to me as the standard RK3. Another fin review we will try and do, so I will add it to that and maybe some more details, comparing to others. Regards, Steve

[@davestadnik8739]

@@sidemountscubadiving thank you I ordered them for cold water drysuit, will let you know how they work out for me 👍

[@Mike4Studio]

have you tested the buoyancy of the Oceanic Manta Ray Fins?

[@sidemountscubadiving]

No sorry we have not, my guess after looking at them here www.oceanicworldwide.com/product/fins/open-heel-fins/manta-ray/ I suspect they would be neutral to buoyant fin. Regards, Steve

[@Burritosarebetterthantacos]

Ive only used Jet fins. Was wondering why I kept sinking😂

[@cheethenglee]

Is that RK3 or RK3 HD?

[@abderrahmanegouasmi7556]

Are you in salt water or freshwater?

[@jonnieinbangkok]

Those are lead weights in the background 😁😁😁

[@jhare18]

🥇🥇🥇🏆🏆🏆💙👏👍🏽

[@Repeatedlyreminded]

My RK3 are neutral 🤷‍♂️ (not HD)

[@sidemountscubadiving]

If they are the normal RK3 they will be positive and if RK3 HD they will be negative. They do not have a neutral one as far as I know

[@Repeatedlyreminded]

@sidemountscubadiving that's why I was surprised to see how positively buoyant they appeared to be on your video. It might be that their characteristics change over time too (not sure how that could be explained). As I said, mine are the normal RK3s and they are neutral, slightly negative

[@sarahtravenick3086]

Sensei fins

[@marcinhorodynski6244]

😍

[@christiansvendsenengholm5243]

Would you test and comment on the Hollis F1?

[@MdBoj-n2v]

Prominent

[@randomnav]

That is not a scientific test. There is no way those divers are absolutely level before adding the fins. Not only that they are creating a current by swimming by the test fins not to mention the bubbles from their regs hitting the fins. I have to raise the BS flag on this one.

[@sidemountscubadiving]

haha your comment made me laugh, it is as scientific as it needs to be :) I have a suggestion actually get wet yourself and take these fins in and then let go of them and see for yourself what happens and let me know cheers :)

[@zman9811]

Yeah I agree they also did not factor in the gravitational pull of the moon and the other planets what a shame 😢

[@pinnacledivingco]

Those RK3's are the standard version. Apeks makes an RK3 HD version (high density), which I use all the time, and they're negative.