Jets = Back kick - Turtles = Nothing.

[mwhities]

Ok, so I bought a paid of XL Jets awhile back and all of my pool dives and one OW dive with them, I was able to do a back kick... roughly...Sometimes I'd float there and look like I was trying a new dance. Others, I'd really move backwards. I was happy with that, never thought I'd be able to do it.

Bad thing is, my XL Jets were really to tight for my feet so I had to get rid of them.

So, I was told that Turtles are "in between" the XL Jets and XXL Jets. I tried a pair of XXL Jets on and even with my size 16 foot and my regular everyday SHOE, it was still to big. My 3mm boots wouldn't even come close.

So I sold my XL Jets (I probably shouldn't have.) and bought a pair of Turtles. I slipped my 3mm boots on and my feet slide into the pockets of the Turtles with no problem. (*) The ss springs that came with them slipped right over the back of my feet. PERFECT! So I thought....

A few days after getting my Turtles, I go jump in the pool with them on. i have to say, they felt very weak. I tried doing a frog kick I couldn't really "feel it".... I tried to do a helicopter turn, couldn't do it. (I had no issues with the Jets, I could do it easily.) Then, I thought, if I can't do these easy ones, I know I can't do the back kick. I tried it and I was correct. I couldn't even "feel" how my feet were moving let alone actually kick backwards.

Talking about frustrating. I could so easily do the kicks with no problem whatsoever with the Jets. Si I get up to the side of the pool and doff my bp/w. I pull the fins off and I start looking at them. I first notice that they are REALLY soft. Very flexible. I remember the Jets being super stiff. The Turtles almost felt like my Volos.. ugh, crap.. anyways. It seemed like every time I kicked, I wasn't really going anywhere. Even with a flutter kick, it felt like I needed to kick twice as much to get going. I know when I'm diving, I don't want to sprint here, sprint there but, I had to try to sprint just to get moving.

So here is where the (*) comes into play. I notice that the ss strap isn't really "tight" against my foot. I do have some "play" with my foot in the foot of the Turtle. Maybe if I bought some new ss springs (Thinking WayWardSon.) that it would tighten everything up and then I could "feel" the fin better like the Jets..

What are your opinions? Comments? Questions? Need something clarified?

Michael

[dherbert]

Sounds like a sloppy fit.

I had a similar issue when going dry. I used XL Jets for diving wet and the POS attached rock boots on my DS wouldn't fit the XL. I went with XXL and they were sloppy as... well, they were very sloppy. Turtles helped a lot, but they are still a bit too sloppy. Turtles are fine, as long as they fit.

[JeffG]

I hated turtles. I swapped out the boots on my DC drysuit to turbosoles just so that I could go use XL jets with my drysuit.

[dherbert]

I'll be doing the same.....

Of course, if I had size 16 feet, I might not need fins.

[mwhities]

Sounds like a sloppy fit.

I had a similar issue when going dry. I used XL Jets for diving wet and the POS attached rock boots on my DS wouldn't fit the XL. I went with XXL and they were sloppy as... well, they were very sloppy. Turtles helped a lot, but they are still a bit too sloppy. Turtles are fine, as long as they fit.

That's kinda what I am thinking too. My feet fit well into the pocket but. maybe just a little lose. If I wore a pair of thick neoprene under my 3mm boots, do you think that would thicken it up and they'd fit better? Or would I just get hotter than what I already do for no reason?

I may try getting a pair of ss straps that fit (these do look a little worn out) and see how that works.

I appreciate it.

Michael

[mwhities]

I hated turtles. I swapped out the boots on my DC drysuit to turbosoles just so that I could go use XL jets with my drysuit.

Can anyone recommend a boot that's thicker soled or thicker in material? Maybe if I bought a pair like that, they'd fit better and I could start back kicking again. Or any boot that's REALLY thick and I can go to a XXL Jet.

Michael

[mwhities]

I'll be doing the same.....

Of course, if I had size 16 feet, I might not need fins.

Watch out now!

Michael

[Rainer]

It's the fit, not the fin (comparing Jets and Turtles). If you have slop, you won't like either. I use Jets wet and Turtles dry. Don't notice a difference in my kicks.

[mwhities]

It's the fit, not the fin (comparing Jets and Turtles). If you have slop, you won't like either. I use Jets wet and Turtles dry. Don't notice a difference in my kicks.

Ok, I hope that's what it is. They feel lighter and are shorter than my old Jets. I'll see about getting ss straps that fit and will snug my foot up into the pocket.

Thanks,

Michael

[LCF]

Michael, you can try what I do to be able to use my Jets when I dive wet. I bought a pair of Converse High Tops, and I wear a pair of polypro socks under them. They fit in my Jets perfectly, and they've lasted through about 75 warm water dives so far. Look funny, but work great. And they were cheap.

[Tanked Monkey]

You might want to try different combinations of fin/spring straps.

I wear a size: 9 (not size: yeti) and use XL jets with the L spring straps. For my foot size, the XL spring straps where just to big and everything was too darned sloppy. But the foot pocket of the XL Jets fit well. It took some experimentation to get this just right. BTW-this is for both wetsuit booties and drysuit turbosoles. I use the same fins for both.

Mike

[Cam]

Of course, if I had size 16 feet, I might not need fins.

LOL!!

I use turtles with my DUI rockboots...they work well for me because I have a pretty wide foot. The Turtles and their huge cavernous foot pocket favor the wider-footed diver. For Jet Fins of similar size, the foot pocket is taller and skinnier, and makes my foot swim in the pocket. I guess it all comes down to foot width, and whether Rockboots or turbo sole option in your drysuit.

I do love my jet fins for wetsuit diving! Actually, I like the more stiff rubber material in the Jets...but I really don't see any alteration in my kicks. Go with a fin that fits!!

[TobinGeorge]

I'll be doing the same.....

Of course, if I had size 16 feet, I might not need fins.

Caterpillar calls that "low ground pressure"

Tobin

[KMD]

Michael, you can try what I do to be able to use my Jets when I dive wet. I bought a pair of Converse High Tops, and I wear a pair of polypro socks under them. They fit in my Jets perfectly, and they've lasted through about 75 warm water dives so far. Look funny, but work great. And they were cheap.

Just remember to bring your skateboard when wearing them.


I seem to remember one instructor putting neoprene booties over their DS feet to make them fit.

[kidspot]

As someone who uses both Turtles and XXL Jets I agree with your assesment. I love the "snap" my jets have, and even though Turtles fit better the blade just feels "sloppy" I find it much easier to do different kicks with my Jets, even though I can get them to work in Turtles.

I had to search high and low to find boots that would fit in my XXL Jets (size 14's) My favorites (If you can find them now that the company went out of business) are High Tide brand Ranger boots. The next best fit I've found are a thick soled boot from Pinnacle.

My recommendation is to find some 7 mil boots with really thick soles (I don't have any problem with them overheating even diving in 84* water.)

I tried XXL Jets with size 16 converse and found the foot pocket way too big for the shoes :( They really need an inbetween size for Jets. I've actually considered melting the footpocket and shrinking it down a bit (or enlarging my XL's)

Best wishes, Tim

P.S. if it helps check out the Jetfin/boot chart on my site http://www.alohashoredivers.com