Omega Fin VS Force Fin round 2

I have unique perspective on fin performance. As many know I had a hip replacement five months ago. I am still recovering and rebuilding my strength and fitness levels.  I went from unable to walk with out a walker, to needing a cane, and finally walking four miles unaided. This is to point out my level of fitness for this test.

In the second month of recovery I was still too sore to put on my own shoes or stand unaided. Part of my Physical Therapy was taking laps around the house in slippers with my walker. One morning I used the PT session to go and slide a fin over my slippers. I wanted to see if I could articulate a fin at this point. I could not lift the Omega Fin off the floor completely with my foot; the pressure from my instep to my thighs and hamstrings was too much and the tip of the fin stayed on the floor. On the other hand, I was able to lift the Force Fin straight up. However, I could not manipulate the fin up or down with my ankle in any fashion at this point. I believe the Force Fin has a mechanical advantage being there is not stress on the full length of my foot.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I was able to do a test run in a pool. I will point out I was kicking on my back, but not in a tube. I kicked the length of the pool and back, 32 feet up and back, which is 64 feet. Dead still start, sprint to the deep end, reverse direction, and sprint back to the starting point. Three times each, one fin then the other, with plenty of rest in between sprints.
Force Fins in 44, 43, 44 seconds.
Omega Fins in 52, 53, 53 seconds
From this test I could easily see the FF is easier to start moving through water, making it quicker for certain. The Omega displaces too much water for me to get it up to speed in short distances. I believe the Force Fin requires less energy to use.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

At Lake Perris I did some timed runs between buoys spaced at 35 yards or so. I had nothing to measure with so this is just a guess. I could feel myself going anaerobic at the 45 or 50 second mark and started losing speed there as well. On this test my best time was one minute and 20 seconds, or 80 seconds, to cover the distance with either fin. Interestingly, the slowest time was one minute and 24 seconds for the Omegas on the first run with them. The Omega felt slower to start, but was faster at about the 50 second mark, I could visibly see my position on the water. I was burning the lactic acid after 45 seconds as well and would just run out of energy and lose time after that. I can honestly say the Omega Fin feels like it is faster at all times, but the clock tells a different story.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

From all tests the Force Fin clearly requires less energy to move me through the water. The Omega Fin can reach a higher speed for a short distance, but this speed put me in a more fatigued state after 50 seconds of kicking. Likewise, after 35 or 40 yards at top speed the advantage goes back to the FF.  I would like to also point out after the tests I went and fished some more. I was too fatigued to continue using the Omega Fins, but I took a break and stayed another hour using the Force Fins.

I hope this helps

Here is a link to my first review of these fins.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you Jerdon ... WOW!!
It sounds as though your healing is coming along nicely!

A terrific lab test on the two fins Sir! I luv my Force Fins!

SP Dan <"))><

Wow that is great nice to know you are doing well and that is a great review. Those times show some great details for most of us to learn from.

Great review!

I've always wondered if the easier kicking wasn't just because it was moving less water and therefore less thrust, but clearly it's not that simple. Thank you for the thoughtful and well written review!

Here is a pic of some fins I have used over the years.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The fins on the left are better than barefeet. The fins on the right are better than the fins on the left for the float tube.

PS:
You can add Churchill fins to the left side as well.

Ornery Bob wrote:Great review!

I've always wondered if the easier kicking wasn't just because it was moving less water and therefore less thrust, but clearly it's not that simple. Thank you for the thoughtful and well written review!

If you look at the Voit Duckfoot, top left, it is angular top to bottom as well. That and the Churchill fins, also lot's of angles, are not as effective as the large flatfin.

Jerdon, you ARE the man! That picture is brilliant!

For me, the way you have the force fin directly across from the dive fin answers every question I've ever had about Force Fins.

From the pictures I've seen, I always thought the Force Fin was small, more like a Voit or Churchill, but the blade looks to me like it might be slightly bigger in total area compared to the dive fin. The width of the Force Fin is signigificant.

The physics of it are simple; the more water you push, the more you go.

To push more water, you need more fin blade area, but by making the blade longer, you make it harder to push because of leverage, not just because it's bigger. It's like having a weight on the end of a stick. The longer the stick, the harder it is to lift the weight.

With the Force Fin, they're adding blade arena in the width, which keeps the leverage closer to the foot. It totally makes sense to me now the way it's possible for the Force Fin to move more water AND be easier to push.

I knew you guys had to be right, I just couldn't figure out how. Now I know.

Well done, Jerdon, I hope your recovery continues to go well. I know what it's like to be incapacitated and it sucks.