There is much confusion in which is the best fin blade to select and which firmness should be selected. This guide provides some relatively unbiased assistance but with an emphasis towards our DEEP FIBREGLASS BLADES.

It should be noted that this guide is meant for those interested in a performance fin blade for spearfishing as opposed to freediving. Spearfishers in general prefer to cover as much area as possible in the quickest possible time. Spearfishers are generally more aggressive in their dive style, dive mainly shallower water, and perform frequent shorter dives over a session.

We recommended that divers select the FIRMEST fin blades that most closely match their overall stamina (or energy threshold) and diving style. Another way to put this is that we recommend a blade that is soft enough that you can kick without over exerting. This generally translates into divers selecting primarily DEEP MEDIUM blades, closely followed by MEDIUM/SOFT blades, and to a lesser extent FIRM blades.

Note that it is essential to first start with a comfortably fitting footpocket. Without this your performance will certainly suffer. Ignore specific brands, consider only the width and shape of your foot and select accordingly. Best performance will be attained from footpockets that are relatively stiff towards the sides and base of the foot and relatively soft over the toes, and around the foot entry - this dramatically affects energy transfer to the blade.

It is also important to allow the fin blade to function unimpeded to get the most from the taper of the blade. Footpockets tend to have quite stiff side rails which restrict blade flex and actually make the blade feel stiffer to kick. There is a growing trend to reduce the length of footpocket side rails by cutting off a portion or removing the rails altogether. There have even been some fins released with special designed footpockets without rails for this reason.

A key performance feature of a blade is the design of its taper. It should be solid and stiff towards the heal, thin and flexible towards the tip. A high quality blade, when kicked, should demonstrate a nice parabolic curve with the curve tightening its radius as it approaches the tip. Its curve should not appear as though it bends at a tight radius at the end of the footpocket rails or any other position lower than towards the tip.

A slight angle at the heal of a blade allows for a more natural, more energy efficient kick stroke in both the forward and backward thrust of a kick. Some suggest that a steeper angle (say 25⁰) is better, arguing that it is easier on the ankles and helps keep heels further in the water. Others prefer a shallower angle (say 15⁰), arguing that it tips the blade further into the water improving grip to create more thrust, and also that this angle matches the angle on most footpockets (keeping the blades stress free at rest). There is merit in both options but the angle itself is really not as important as some may think; the fact is that one will adjust to a particular blade after an initial honeymoon period.  Blades without an angle are, in our opinion, not recommended.

We feel it also important that a blade be designed with a rounded tip.  Reason being is that the float line from one's float rig will become caught in swallow tail or squared off tipped blades which can be quite annoying.

Before switching to higher performance fiberglass blades most divers will be accustomed to using heavier, stiffer, polymer blades, and can generally dive all day with them. When switching to higher performance fiberglass blades it is important to select a blade that feels slightly softer than the stiffness of your plastic blades. To do this correctly will ensure maximum possible performance for less energy expended.

Switching to a blade that is too soft has the long term effect of reducing a diver's energy threshold to a level where it becomes balanced with the energy requirements of the particular blade. This has the affect of removing potential performance from a diver. Another way of looking at it is a soft blade will provide improved performance over a plastic blade but will limit a divers potential if a firmer blade were to be more suitable.

FIRM blades provide the maximum thrust but it is essential that one can use them without over exerting otherwise performance will be adversely affected.

Should a strong diver, now accustomed to using a softer blade, decide to move up to a firmer blade for more power, such diver will find it more difficult to dive as hard for as long as previous until their body's strength resources improve to match the requirements of the new blade. This can easily be overcome with regular diving and/or training.

Be cautious when others make recommendations and judgments about particular blades and blade selection.  It should be stressed that such comments relate to an individual's particular situation and should really only have a minor bearing on one's blade selection decision. Consider your own situation, limits, and requirements.

Divers who have been using traditional thermoplastic blades will find DEEP FIBERGLASS BLADES easier to use and will experience an dramatic improvement in their diving performance. Common improvements include an improvement in their average dive depth, an increased average dive bottom time, an improvement in swimming through current, and an improvement in area coverage.

Divers switching to DEEP FIBERGLASS BLADES who have previously been using softer, and/or longer fiberglass blades for long periods will develop an improvement over the shorter term. This is because their body's energy threshold has dropped to meet their current blade requirements and may therefore need to work up to the higher level of the DEEP FIBERGLASS BLADE. They will however be rewarded with improved performance in a short amount of time.

Some usefull rules of thumb:

• A softer blade requires less energy and more technique to effectively work it
• A firmer blade will generate greater thrust but requires more energy to work it
• A large bodied diver may not feel comfortable and safe using a softer blade as it will take longer to achieve an acceptable level of momentum on ascent from a dive.
• A diver with an aggressive diving style will likely lose patience with a softer blade.
• A more technical style diver will feel more comfortable with a softer blade.
• A powerful diver will get the most out of a firm blade
• A weaker diver will struggle with a firm blade
• A diver moving to a firmer blade after being accustomed to using a softer blade may tire more easily and may experience some ankle pain. In this instance, some training will be required to build body resources to effectively work the firmer blade.
• A diver upgrading from plastic blades [generally firm] will get the most from a firmer blade.

For further information on DEEP FIBERGLASS BLADES please refer to the product information in the catalogue. Should you require any further information on this product or other quality gear then we may be contacted by email or on telephone numbers provided.