TESTCENTRE
A fin for all seasons
SeacSub Propulsion Fins
COMPANY : DIVING DISTRIBUTION PRICE : £ 82 ( SLING STRAPS ) £ 75 ( QUICK-RELEASE BUCKLES ) WEB : WWW . SEACSUB . COM
The fin straps feature a thick rubber bungee with finger loop and heel stop
I
’ ve always been a big fan of SeacSub kit . Established in 1971 , the Italian company has consistently produced top-notch products for scuba , freediving , snorkelling and swimming from their manufacturing facility based in Genoa . Historically , SeacSub seem to have had a lesser profile than some of their competitors , and as a result may have been a little under the radar for many potential customers . Hopefully this is about to change under the guardianship of Diving Distribution , who recently took on the brand in the UK .
Test Centre will be taking a look at several products in their range over the coming months and first up is Propulsion Fins , aimed at recreational diving .
Available with slingshot or conventional buckle-style straps , the fins have a high , wide and deep thermoplastic foot pocket , which easily accommodated fixed drysuit boots and rock boots . As I tend to tuck away my mask , hood and SMB in my fins between dives , I was pleased to be able to continue with that handy method of storage .
I do prefer the ease and convenience of bungee-style straps and the Propulsion ’ s version features plastic removable clips . These are combined with a thick , flexible bungee , terminating in a chunky rubber heel stop . This ensures there ’ s no danger of the strap slipping when underway . It also incorporates a robust rubber finger loop to make pulling on the fins , even wearing thick gloves , a doddle .
Made from a specially formulated techno-polymer blade , the Propulsion has three flexible rubber channels running from tip to toe . These work in conjunction with the more rigid ‘ stiffeners ’ and raised edges , which connect with the foot pocket . This results in a winning combination of flexibility and stability during up and down strokes .
Measuring 68cm long , I found the fins a good manageable size for boat or shore use . The raised , hard rubber protection located on the bottom of the pocket prevented slipping and also guards against potential damage from sharp objects such as rocks . Weighing 1.14kg each , in the water they seem almost weightless ; using a steady flutter kick I was able to progress with little effort , as the water flowed along the channels , exactly as the design intends .
Their form and weight particularly lends them to a modified flutter kick , where bent knees allow a diver to avoid stirring up silt or damaging fragile corals . As fins go , they ’ re reasonably well-priced ; light enough for travel while suitably robust for the rigours of UK diving .
The techno-polymer blades feature a trio of rubber channels
SCUBA SAYS
Seac ’ s Propulsion Fins are aptly named , as their robust rubber / technopolymer construction provides a lightweight and efficient way to travel through the water .
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