Old diver told me to quit using the cheap fins and I finally listened

I was using these $50 Cressi fins for about 2 years on salvage jobs in the Gulf. A guy named Jerry who's been diving for 30 years straight up told me I was working twice as hard as I needed to. He said my kicks were all flutter and no power because the blades were too soft for the currents we deal with. I swapped to a stiffer set last month and my air consumption dropped by almost 25% on the same route. Kicking against current feels like half the effort now. Has anyone else had a gear change that saved them that much energy?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_fiona1mo ago

Hate when someone drops truth bombs like that, but man it stings because they're usually right. I had a similar wake up call with my wetsuit a few years back. Switched from a cheap one to a semi dry and stopped burning through tank air shivering my butt off. Some savings are just hiding in plain sight until someone calls you out on it.

the_uma1mo ago

Gear upgrades like that show how the little things can hold you back without you even noticing. I see the same thing with people using dull kitchen knives or worn out shoes, they just get used to working harder until someone points it out. Once you feel the difference it's hard to go back to the old way.