The Brilliant Idea of Fishing Underwater: Types of Spearfishing Fins

One of the most overlooked pieces of equipment when it comes to spearfishing and freediving, is the fin. The value of a quality fin can’t be overemphasized, considering that the time spent wearing it takes place in a sometimes harsh and foreign environment to the human body. Fin manufacturers have spent a lot of time talking to experts, putting in the research, considering the physics and testing various types of designs and materials to create the perfect spearfishing fins.

There are three popular materials used for constructing spearfishing fins: plastic, fiber composite and carbon composite. Here’s how they differ from one another.

Plastic a.k.a Thermoplastic or Polypropylene

These fins are generally mass produced and are either permanently fixed to the rubber foot pocket or are removable. Buying an universal foot pocket and a removable fin is a great investment as you can upgrade to carbon fiber or composite blades. Plastic fins are decent for entry-level spearfishing and will do the job just fine in most conditions. They’re usually the most cost-effective blades, but there are some brands that are more expensive than fiber and carbon blades.

Fiber Composite a.k.a Carbon or Pure Carbon

Fiber blades are constructed from fiberglass and epoxy resin, which when combined, allow for a far more responsive fin than plastic. This makes them a great choice for any type of diving as they perform well in swimming against strong currents as well as surfing. They can normally be fitted to universal foot pockets and are interchangeable. They can be custom made per the diver’s request although there are many off-the-shelf models with predetermined stiffness.

Carbon Composite

This type of blades is manufactured from carbon fiber layers on the outside combined with fiberglass layers on the inside. This combination makes them the lightest type of fins, but they very much look-alike and have the properties of carbon fiber fins. This can lead to confusion, and it’s hard to tell the difference by simply looking at the blade, so you should always ask the manufacturer or retailer about them – they should be able to tell you what they really are made of. Carbon composite fins are extremely popular because of the advanced properties of carbon, and are more affordable than pure carbon fins. Furthermore, they’re ideal for boat diving and spearfishing, and are a step-up from carbon blades.

Buying online is always advisable, as there you can see the specifications of the fins and all the necessary details before making a purchase. Moreover, you can directly chat with employees on the web site you’re shopping from to get a better understanding about the products you’re buying.