Jets vs Slipstreams

**dalehall** · 10-13-2007, 05:43 PM

There wasn't a section for OMS fins, so I'll put this in the Scubapro section. While I was helping with an O/W class last weekend, I noticed one of the students was wearing the Scubapro Jets. I use the OMS Slipstreams and wanted to compare the two, side-by-side. As for basic shape, they are very similar. But when it came to size, Wow. I had no idea the Slipstreams were so much bigger than the Jets. They are longer by a good 3-4 inches and wider by about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. After checking them both out, I was glad I made the choice to get the Slipstreams. The Jets just didn't seem to get as much thrust as the Slipstreams. So, for me, Slipstreams are the way to go, IMO.. To piggy back on that, I would also recommend spring straps for ANY fins. Much easier for donning and doffing.

**MgicTwnger** · 10-27-2007, 11:44 AM

OK Dale, ya talked me into it. My Slipstreams w/spring straps should arrive in a couple of days and I'll have them in the quarry next weekend. My Atomic splits, although I like them a lot, just are not making it with my twin LP 108's, a stage bottle, and drysuit.
I've tried a number of paddle fins, none of which I liked of one reason or another. I sold my Jets a couple of years ago because I hated the weight. This seems like the perfect fin. The one thing holding me back has been size: the nearest dealer is 100 plus miles away and said he would have to order them!

I emailed OMS for sizing suggestions and they said to go to a dealer and try them on!

I took my best guess and got them at Liesurepro.

**dalehall** · 10-27-2007, 02:26 PM

Awesome.. Let me know how they work out for you.. The sizes are weird.. Mine are XL's but I wear a very thick soled boot with my fins so I had to go up a size..
I'll be interested in your opinion of them..

**MgicTwnger** · 10-27-2007, 03:38 PM

They only had XL and 2XL. I wear a size 10 soft boot, so I went with the XL with matching springs.

**MgicTwnger** · 11-04-2007, 02:07 AM

Ok folks, I'm just back from a day of trying out my new OMS Slipstreams.

First, a little history: Scubapro Jet fins and others based on the same design have been around since 1965 and are very populars among military, search & rescue, and tech divers. They deliver a lot of thrust and control but the price you pay is a lot of effort as they are heavy, old fashioned rubber and demanding to kick. Tech guys love their power to push them when wearing doubles, sling bottles, and all their other stuff. Plus they are the hands-down winners for doing specialized kicks like the frog, reverse, and so forth. The standard configuration is with spring straps replacing the rubber ones for ease of donning/doffing and being much longer-lasting than rubber ones.

I had a pair and hated them. They were just too heavy and hard to kick.

The new Slipstreams are the same design but made of a much lighter modern material. They are slightly negatively buoyant with spring straps. Size XL with springs fit my size 10 soft boots just fine, and as of now they are only available in XL or 2XL. The cost is about $15 more than Jets, about half what my splits go for.

I dove them in a quarry today with my twin steel 108's and drysuit. They are a whole other experience, especially when compared to the Atomic split fins I have been diving for the last few years They seem to be about the same weight or slightly less, but there the similarity ends. They are much harder to kick, though not nearly as bad as the Jets, and the power is phenomenal. A long, slow kick was comfortable for me.
Although I can frog kick with the splits, the Slips deliver a lot more thrust for the same effort. Putting a lot for effort into a frog kick seemed like overkill, in that it brought my head up and messed up my trim.

Sitting here now I can feel it in my legs, but that's me, not the fins.
I'll stop now since I'm starting to bore myself, and no doubt you. Go get a life!

**dalehall** · 11-20-2007, 12:59 PM

So, is this a "thumbs up" for the Slipstreams? Have you been able to do any subsequent dives with them since the first? I took mine off about half way through my first day with them because they felt too heavy and cumbersome. But, I tried them again a few days later. They felt much better and since I knew what to expect, they were more comfortable and less cumbersome to me. I haven't taken them off since. Well, except to go to bed.

**MgicTwnger** · 11-20-2007, 01:06 PM

I dove them again this weekend for a much longer time, and I still like them although I am still getting used to them. They require a lot more work than I am used to, but deliver all the performance of Jets, which is what I need.
I'll have a week in the Keys next month to really work on them.

**dalehall** · 11-20-2007, 05:44 PM

The biggest thing I noticed after getting used to them versus my TUSA Imprex Tri-Ex fins was: The ability frog kick. (however "mentally challenged" my frog kick is) and no cramps. I would cramp up pretty easily with my TUSA's but I haven't cramped once with the Slipstreams. That may also be helped by the fact of being able to frog kick with them also. Let me know what you think after more time with them.

**MgicTwnger** · 11-20-2007, 06:21 PM

Something I've got to work on is frog kicking with these. The power drives my head upwards when I kick hard.
I'll be diving singles most of the week so it's going to be hard to compare to most of my diving, which is doubles with a drysuit. I'm going to frog kick most if not all of the time.

Vegas · 07-14-2008, 08:50 PM

why is it that i can only find the slipstreams in XL and XXL?
Are they not made for us smaller-feet-folks?

Is it just more fin than we can handle?