Personal Equipment Report: Fins

Fins. Function? Simple. Increase the area of your feet to greatly increase efficiency so as to provide mobility underwater.

The standard equipment report disclaimer: I'm not a representative of the products mentioned and neither am I given any incentive to use them.

The most often asked question regarding fins with newer divers is always, paddle or split? The answer always varies. From a personal point of view, I do not like split fins when I dive in open water. My wife swears by them. I own a pair of splits, a pair of TUSA X-Pert Zoom full foot fins which has been replaced with the X-Pert Evolution. Similar though. I only use these fins in the pool when I conduct classes or practice skills. In open water I still use the same pair of fins I started with which is the TUSA Platina Plus. They are open heel paddle fins. That I've not wanted to replace them pretty much means I got lucky as a newbie and got a pair I liked straight off the bat. The wife uses the TUSA X-Pert Zoom which are open heel split fins.

The most often quoted line with split fins is that they aren't any good in a current. The wife seems quite happy in currents so I can't really say much against them in this area. What's evident is that they greatly reduce finning effort. They don't lack speed either. I'll lose a straight race with the wife as I've been overtaken and left behind in her bubbles more than once (goodbye wave optional). I've tried them, I hate them. I like the feedback from paddle fins. I don't like not having the feeling of the water pushing back. There is also one more big disadvantage the split fins, especially TUSA split fins (will elaborate soon) have compared with paddle fins. They are not the easiest fins to use to go backwards. As most underwater photographers will tell you, this is a required manouvre at times. TUSA split fins are also angled slightly downwards to offset the angle of the ankles so the fins are parallel with direction. This makes it even more difficult. Great for going forward though. I very much prefer the control, feedback and versatility from paddle fins and I'm quite block-headed stubborn to changing my preferences.

Next thing to consider is open heel or full foot. Full foot fins are pretty much slip-in/slip-out fins with your bare feet. Open heel fins require that you wear booties with them.

Short booty er.... bootie section. Booties are generally boots, slippers, thin soles, thick soles. Boots are high-cuts which I find are quite beneficial when walking on sand. It doesn't totally prevent sand from getting in but is helped by wearing long wetsuits which is pulled over the top of the boot. If you're diving exclusively from a boat and not stepping on sand, the slippers will be the way to go as they're easier to slip in and out of them. I prefer using thick soles as they have a proper sole to them instead of the thin layer of rubber which can be uncomfortable as you can feel about everything you're walking on. Needless to say, I wear TUSA booties which come only with thick soles. I have both the boot and slipper. I'd pack the ones based on what I know of the dive locations. If I'm unsure, I'll pack the boots.

It's quite important that when you're buying fins, to try them on. With open heel fins, you definitely should bring along your booties or buy them with the fins after trying them together. Wearing open heel fins, your foot should not be completely in the fin. Your heel should still be sticking out the back and you should not have too much side ways motion in the fin if at all. Check with your friendly LDS staff for advice and fitting.

Creed

Preach safety. Initiate awareness. Teach responsibility. Encourage etiquette. Emphasise environment.

Personal equipment report: Masks

Well, I've been basically ordered to get on with this blog. Can you believe that?? As an act of rebellion my first report will not be on trips but rather the equipment I use and my opinions and comparisons. Let's not forget that even as a dive pro, I am still a consumer when it comes to my equipment. I paid cold hard cash for all my gear so I expect to get bang for buck as well. Unfortunately, I am a very different type of consumer than other divers. You'll begin to see a pattern soon enough. For the record, I don't get paid to wear any brand of gear, I am definitely not sponsored either. I buy all my own gear.

Face Masks
Let's begin with masks. What are you looking for in a mask? It's simple enough. You'll need to see underwater. In the great spirit of compromise, you either get a big field of vision or low volume. Having a big lens on your mask means having greater peripheral vision. It also means the mask will be bigger and therefore have a larger volume. All this means, simplified, is that should you need to clear the mask of water, there's more water to clear. I wear big masks with big lens. Mask clears don't bother me in the least but then again, mask clears for regular everyday diving hardly ever happen. Most dives you'll probably never need to clear your mask. With proper fit and plenty of spit, you'll be fine. However, if you're still going to freak out if water gets into your mask, then by all means get a low volume mask. There's no guarantee a careless diver isn't going to kick your mask off accidently and remain blissfully unaware of what's just happened. I don't like oblivious divers but for the record, my wife hates you buggers!

I should say, those clever people in the R&D departments have been creating masks which have good visual range and (not but!) are reasonably low volume. They're getting better at it too model after model.

I use a low volume mask when I conduct training. This is because I'm not a big guy (and don't have big lungs) and I don't want new students to be under the impression that it takes more effort than 'simple' and 'childishly easy' to clear a mask. I have taught both children and adults. Children are so much easier to teach although strangely enough, all my young students all come from the same school. It's like my own little personal farm. But anyway, back to masks. So for training, I use a Low-Volume-Mask, a TUSA Platina. I have a Big-Ass-Mask (all the better to see you with m'dear), a TUSA Visualator which I used immediately after getting certified up until recently when I bought my Very-Cool-Mask which is a TUSA Visio Pro.

The other big difference you are going to notice is the colour of the silicone skirting. It's either black or it's going to be clear. What's the diff? Not much in my opinion. Clear skirting allows light to enter the mask from the sides as well while black skirting has light entering the mask only from the lens. It's mostly preference. One is not really a lot better than the other and compromise is minimal. I prefer black skirting. Every mask I own has black skirting. True, it may be like looking down a tunnel but black skirting doesn't yellow with age and use like clear does. Clear masks seem to help those who feel claustrophobic wearing face masks. Others like the apparently brighter effect. I successfully converted my wife from clear to black. I bought her a TUSA Concero. A mask she has been happily using since and she sees absolutely no reason to change. She previously used two other masks but wasn't entirely satisfied with either. One was too low volume and therefore too restrictive visually and the other didn't fit exactly. Also, the fact the Concero matches the colour of her fins helped I'm sure! It fits very well which I suppose should be the number one criteria. I should be using a mask with clear skirting for training though. I realise this. This is simply so students can see the exhalation from my nose during mask clearing demos. And the boogers and snot too!

The Platina was my first mask. It's got two things going for it, it's low volume and it has dual piece lenses. Having a mask comprising of two lens pieces quite often means that better manufacturers also provide corrective lenses for the mask. I've even heard of bifocal lenses for masks. Single window lenses don't have corrective lens options.

I bought my Visualator when I noticed as a new student diver that it was a bit difficult to read my SPG when it was clipped to the BC. I have since educated myself and gained a whole lot of comfort being underwater but never mind. The point is that the Visualator has a very large single piece lens. Peripheral vision is very good, great but sometimes it takes an additional breath to clear it fully from being completely flooded.

Lastly, there's my new Visio Pro which is basically plain showing off as it's flashy and the latest and greatest. Its R&D triumph is its lens. It filters out 100% of UV light and lets in 10% more light than other masks. I've held it up next to other masks to light and it does appear a bit brighter than the others but really, is it necessary? I had not ever really noticed any real difference in underwater vision wearing this one compared to my other masks. I bought it because it's still got a large field of vision and is lower volume than my Visualator. Bottom line though, I bought it because it's flash. There, I said it. It looks awesome and I love it.

Does the local TUSA dealer love me? Heck yes. Anyway, I find TUSA masks to be very comfortable and a high quality product. Also, being designed in Japan probably does make it easier to fit smaller Asian faces. At least that's the myth and I suspect, one that TUSA themselves would be happy to cultivate in this region. I happily repeat this whether it's true or not. Regardless of brand, choosing a mask should balance your needs where volume and field of vision are concerned. Number one though, is that the mask must fit! How do you know if it fits? It's in your PADI Open Water Diver Manual too. Put the mask to your face without using the strap. Make sure your hair is not caught in the skirt. You won't need to be diving for very long to realise that water will follow even one strand of hair into your mask. Take a short suck with your nose and hold your breath. The mask, if it fits, will stay on your face without losing suction. Wait a little while to check if air is slowly re-entering the mask. If it does, choose another mask. The shop guy will be happy to assist you. If the flash mask doesn't fit you, you have my sympathies. Choose another one or get real good at mask clears!

A new work regime

I've been called back to the dive centre to staff Mondays and Tuesdays. Most of the time I am bored brainless waiting for something to happen. There are only that many tanks to be filled from the weekend. I should use these two days to catch up with this blog as I have abandoned what seemed like a good idea at the time. The inspiration was trying, and failing, to find online information on dive destinations, operators and sites. I've decided to provide an informal dive trip report on the trips I have done. Have no idea whether I'll be able to keep it up but we'll see....

Trips I have done this year:
1. Malapascua Island, Phillipines with Thresher Shark Divers
2. Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia with Borneo Divers
3. Pulau Sembilan, Malaysia with Quiver Dive Team
4. Pulau Tenggol, Malaysia with Tenggol Island Beach Resort

Previous Trips:
1. Similan Islands, Andaman Sea, Koh Lanta, Thailand with GoDive Lanta
2. Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia with SMART
3. Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia with Sipadan Water Village
4. Pulau Tioman, Malaysia with Fishermen Divers

Everything else has been staffing and teaching. I work for the Seamonkey Dive Centre. (edit: Since April 2013, I have joined Global Scuba in the 1Utama Shopping Complex) We are based in Petaling Jaya and we have a dive operation in Merang, Terengganu from where we run trips to Bidong Island, Redang Island and Yu Island.

A diver's blog

Hi there. I used to blog a few years back. It was called Brain Spillage. I even owned the domain name for a bit. Nothing that interesting, just what I was thinking and doing at the time. It kinda died a natural death although I have to note that my experiences getting my PADI OW certification was faithfully blogged at the time.

Since then, I've gotten married, made some money, dived a bit, enjoyed life and became a dive instructor. Now, I figured that when I go on dive trips, I sometimes lack information or am wanting for more. A dive trip isn't just the dives and what can be seen, it's also the room, the facilities, the people, the service, the food, the boat, the surface interval, the non-diving activities, etcetera. I obviously am only able to blog about places I've experienced first hand myself but just maybe it'd help someone somewhere sometime. Good enough.

I do realise a blog is mostly reaching out to the rest of the world with some degree of anonymity. I guess I'm trying to be significant one way or another as a diver. The impending separation from my wife probably influenced my decision somewhat. That's another story and a heck of a complicated one. One I think, I will keep that one to myself since it's got nothing to do with diving.

Oh yes, I suppose it's a good time to start this blog. On this day, exactly a year ago, in 2010 - I certified as a PADI instructor. I think I deserve a beer. Cheers!