Dano Kahriling of Mako spearguns has surpassed my expectations with Mako's new line of carbon fiber fins. Mako's lineup of fins that they have been introducing over the past five years has been a process of improvements through research and development. Lucky for me this has been my role in helping to do the research and provide feedback to Dano, who then implements this info into the development of the next generation of fins. Being an instructor with the Vertical Blue school in the Bahamas has given me an incredible opportunity to put all these fins to the test. Not only in deep diving the line in Dean's Blue Hole, but also in the hours that we like to spend spearing out on the reefs. Working at a freediving school like Vertical Blue puts me in contact with divers from all over the world and gives me the chance to try their equipment and have them try mine. Through this exchange of information I have given it my best effort to provide Dano with feedback to help develop the best fin possible.
The first fins Mako brought onto the market was their classic plastic fins. These fins are just about the only long blade freediving fin you can find on the market for under $100. Combine their attractive pricing with the durability of a plastic blade and you have a winning combination which has been the reason for them being one of Mako's best selling piece of equipment. Next in the progress of Mako's fin lineup was their fiberglass fin blades. Initially the first production of fiberglass fins were a little too wide causing the blades to knock each other while fining and the softest flex blade was still too stiff. Reporting this info back to Dano had him altering the next batch of fiberglass blades to take this into consideration. It is at this point that I must compliment Dano and his willingness to listen and be open to change in order to make the best product possible. I feel this attitude has brought Mako to become one of the top freediving/spearfishing equipment manufactures in the world in a short time frame. And so it is only natural that Mako has waited to release their top of the line carbon fiber fin blades.
After years of research and development first with their plastic fins, then with their fiberglass fins, all of this fine tuning and tweaking has lead to the creation of their carbon fiber fins. They are the perfect combination of length, width, and flex to allow you to have a relaxed kick and still be moving nicely and when you need to put the power to it the blades will respond like a sports car and get you out of there. I feel the flex and power of the blades is where I have the highest praise for these fins. They seem to match exactly the amount of energy that you put in and respond with the most speed and power of any fin I have ever tried. With other fin blades that may be too soft when you need a boost of speed and power and you put that extra force to the blade they are so soft they flex like a limp noodle and don't provide the necessary “snap” to translate your energy into forward movement through the blade. On the other end of the spectrum, when you have a blade that is too stiff they have tons of power and force as long as you are putting a lot of power and force to them. The downside is when you are needing to conserve your energy with a relaxed kick on your decent or on the surface while fining against a current these stiff blades preform poorly requiring you to exert precious energy. So the perfect balance comes somewhere between the two and this is where Mako's research and development has paid off to provide such a balance.
As a side note I would also like to help inform any Mako customer who is looking to purchase fins or footpockets of what I have learned with their sizing chart. All of their footpockets are sized to be worn with thin (1.5 – 3mm) neoprene socks. Since most of my diving is in the tropical waters of the Bahamas I don't like to wear neoprene socks with my fins. I also like a nice tight fitting footpocket for the best transfer of energy (the more slop and movement of the foot in the footpocket and the more wasted energy). Therefor I have went down one (1) size in their footpocket due to not wearing neoprene socks and my desire for a snug fitting footpocket. I wear a 10 ½ US (44-45) shoe size and with the Mako 10-11 (44-45) footpocket they fit great with neoprene socks but have a bit of room barefoot. With the carbon fins I went with the next size smaller which is an 8-9 US (42-43) and have been extremely happy with the results. Although they were a little too tight the first few dives it seems that now that they have softened up and almost taken on a custom form to my foot providing me with a good snug fit while being soft enough to remain comfortable for all day excursions. So my advice is to think about whether you will be diving in cooler waters where you will need the warmth of neoprene socks and/or if you just like the cushion of wearing a sock even in tropical conditions where ordering a footpocket to match your shoe size will be perfect. On the other hand if your like me and choose not to wear neoprene socks and dive in warm water, then ordering a footpocket one size smaller might provide you with the best results.
I hope this helps those of you out there researching different fin options and looking to take your diving to the next level with a pair of carbon fins. Take a look at the whole lineup of fins Mako has at www.Makospearguns.com and safe diving.
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