Vermilion Fin Buyers Guide
Fin + Forage is ecstatic to announce that we have received our first order of custom freedive fins born from a collaboration with our partner, DiveR. The beautiful design, a creation by the wildly talented Dylan Stewart of Bold Coast Burns, was made to highlight our diverse Pacific (Mid) Northwest environment. Beneath the surface you’ll find kelp, an iconic giant pacific octopus, a prized vermillion rockfish, a sneaky lingcod, an abalone shell and the often tumultuous swell. Above the water, the beach bonfire shines with the warmth of community, adventure and the catch n’ cook lifestyle. Steep cliffs divided by a goat trail leading up a redwood capped mountain landscape are silhouetted in a deep orange sunset, complete with seabirds admiring the view.
The fins come in 5 offerings: Composite fiberglass in soft and medium stiffness, pure carbon fiber in soft and medium, and the high end Innegra (spread tow) carbon fiber. Many people don’t know the difference between spread tow and standard carbon fiber weaves, so we have highlighted the unique performance aspects of each fin composition below. If you want to learn even more about fins, take a look at this article which takes a deep dive into plastic vs. fiberglass vs. carbon fiber.
Composite Fiberglass Soft
DiveR fiberglass has a well-known reputation for being comparable to other brand’s carbon fiber. The blade is translucent, which gives the artwork a glowing stained glass appeal. The unique look of the composites has inspired “ohhhh’s” and “ahhhh’s” from everyone who has seen them so far. As far as performance goes, there are already several team members that swear by the fiberglass soft for the type of diving we do in central to Northern California. Of the 5 fin types we offer, this one is the softest and has the least amount of staged flex (learn more about staged flex here). In short, staged flex means that the portion of the fin closer to your foot is stiffer than the end of the blade. Similar to fins that a competition freediver would use, these soft glass fins use the full length of the blade to create the hydrofoil shape, which in turn allows divers to get the maximum work out of the fins for the minimum amount of energy expended. These fins tend to be softer (easier to bend) than progressive flex “spearfishing” fins because the entire benefit comes from the diver’s ability to deform the blade. If you have never used these fins before, you’ll want to focus on your technique, or better yet have a freediving instructor critique you during a freediving class. Once you dial in your kick cycle, you’ll increase your underwater time, dive deeper and use less energy doing it. These fins are incredibly durable and will take a beating for years. In fact, when Phil Herranen (a local legend) contacted us to buy a pair, he mentioned that it’s time to retire his old pair of DiveR fiberglass (soft) after 13 years of use… 13 years – well beyond the 3-year manufacturer warranty.
Composite Fiberglass Medium
There are several reasons to choose medium blade stiffness over soft. World renowned photographer and F+F teammate, Joe Platko opted for these blades over any other blade we offered him because he wants the “horsepower.” This means it takes a little more leg energy to complete a kick cycle, but with the benefit of immediate power transfer and propulsion. Joe carries around a bulky camera housing, and needs the fin power to stay in place while fighting surge to capture his mind-blowing photos. Spearfishers who don’t necessarily focus on deep dives and technique, but want to cover ground quickly like you do while hole hunting, might choose the mediums. Those who are larger in size might also require these blades to make the most of their time in the water. Also, these fins would be great for diving in areas with more current like Hawaii, Channel Islands or Baja.
Pure Carbon Fiber Soft
These blades are insane. Let the sun hit them and you’ll fall in love as it sparkles off the carbon fiber and through the vibrant colors of the artwork. Apart from being one of the best looking blades of the 4, it is an excellent blade for the diver who is ready to own their new favorite fin. DiveR carbon fiber is known to be incredibly durable, so if you worry about needing to be extremely cautious with carbon fiber blades, don’t be. It is lighter and more responsive than fiberglass, offering a progressive flex that is ideal for spearfishing. The base of the blade near the foot is stiffer and provides propulsion, while the tip of the blade deforms into a hydrofoil. This combination dramatically increases a diver’s efficiency while also providing enough backbone to translate harder kicks into forward motion which is ideal for hole hunting, swimming in current and surge, or hauling a load of fish back to shore.
Notice the bend in the middle of the soft composite fiberglass blade due to less of a progressive flex.
The apex of the curve on a fin with more progressive flex will bend about 2/3 of the way to the tip of the blade.Innegra (spread tow carbon fiber) Medium
If you compared the DiveR fiberglass blades to a sports car like the Porsche Boxter, and the carbon fiber to the Porsche 911 Turbo, the Innegra would be in the Porsche 918 Spyder Super Car class. Analogies aside, let’s take a moment to make a quick fin comparison. If swimming with bare feet is valued at an efficiency scale of 0, scuba fins might be a 15, plastic freedive fins around 40, fiberglass 75, carbon fiber 90 and the Innegras take the ceiling at 100. The Innegra mediums compare closely to the pure carbon fiber soft blades in stiffness and progressive flex, but are lighter, stronger and more responsive than traditionally weaved carbon fiber.
Lighter. Spread tow carbon fiber fabrics are woven from fiber tows that are spread into thin tapes. Tape area density is inversely proportional to spreading width. Whereas the lightest traditional carbon fiber fabrics weigh 90 g/m2, spread tow fabrics can achieve densities as low as 40 g/m2.
Straighter fibers. Compared with traditional reinforcement fabrics, spread tow fabrics have practically straight carbon fibers. Straight fibers have a higher rigidity in tension than undulated fibers (which have more kinks from the multiple weaves) and result in a stiffer fabric. Since their buckling (kinking) is not initiated, straight fibers also have a better resistance to compressive stress, making them far more durable than traditional fibers.
Higher fiber-to-matrix ratio. Since spread tow carbon fiber fabrics are extremely flat, they require less resin than traditional fabrics to be impregnated. This results in composites with a higher fiber-to-matrix volume ratio and overall better mechanical performance.
Because they have practically straight fibers and a woven structure, spread tow carbon fiber fabrics combine the stiffness of non-crimp laminates and the reduced delamination risks of woven fabrics.
The spread tow fabric is then impregnated with TeXtreme® - A technology that is able to maximize the benefits of thin ply principles where research studies have shown the maximum strength until breakage is more than twice as high when comparing with conventional carbon fiber fabrics.
TeXtreme® can be found in Formula 1, America’s Cup, NASCAR and Le Mans racing, bicycles, golf clubs, surfboards, tennis racquets, table tennis blades, rowing shells, skis, snowboards and ice hockey sticks as well as various industrial and advanced aerospace applications.
What this all means to the average spearo is that Innegra produces a blade that is lighter, more durable and more efficient than anything else on the market.
Where to Purchase
We did an initial batch for the team and a couple shops that were interested in carrying the unique fin design - you can find the links to purchase below. We will do another pre-sale in early January, so make sure to follow our social channels to make sure you get your fins ordered!
For Composite Fiberglass soft and medium blades, reach out to Bamboo Reef (831) 372-1685 or www.bambooreef.com
For Carbon Fiber Soft blades, DM Fin + Forage on Social Media or use the Pre-Order page.
For Innegra Spread Tow Carbon Fiber medium blades, contact Blue Water Hunter (805) 294-0013 or www.blueh2o.com
No matter which blade you choose, you will love them. There is a reason DiveR is one of the most widely used brands in the world. If you have any additional questions about which foot pockets to pair your blades with, when the next order will be made, or want to see more from the artist, let us know!
A NOTE FROM THE ARTIST:
“The collaborative effort to create these fins was intended to portray a love for the ocean and its inhabitants. The sustainability focus paired with an ocean minded education are what drew me to partner with Fin + Forage on this particular design. My hope is that the art, paired with the state of the art DiveR fin, and the environmental ethics of Fin + Forage will propel divers wherever the ocean takes them!
The inspiration for my work comes directly from thousands of hours spent in and on the water. More often than not, my daily conflict is how to balance my time in the water diving and my time out of the water woodburning, illustrating and creating. The constant discoveries that come with exploring and connecting with the ocean are what excite me most in life.
I have a background in art and design and have had an evolving path as an artist and designer. I've worked with several mediums including pen and ink, pencil, computer graphics, watercolor and wood carving. Marine life is my passion and also the subject I am eager to explore in my artwork.
When I am not found in my studio, you can find me freediving and spearfishing on the Maine coast peaking in caves for Tautog or waiting for a school of Pollock to pass me by.” - Dylan Stewart
Be sure to follow Bold Coast Burns (your eyes will thank you) and purchase up some of his insane art for yourself, a loved one or a dive buddy!
