AtomicPirate WE COME FOR THE BOOTY

APS Mantaray Fins

The first time I used the APS Mantaray Fins, it was on a rocky shore
dive here in Maine. It was a windy day with a storm offshore and the breakers were crashing
about 30 yards off the beach. My buddy and I, both technical divers, knew this would be a
rough dive. We decided to venture in, and used a classic surf entry, essentially getting in and
under fast. With whitecaps crashing above us, my first thought was, these fins don’t look like
they are going to have the power I need. They slipped on very easily with the Universal Fin
Strap, but I was concerned that with a mighty undertow and ferocious surge in a dry suit I
would over kick them. That is not what happened, not at all.

These fins are terrific; it’s as simple as that. I’ve used them in a variety of conditions, from
difficult shore entries to boat dives; recreational dives and technical expeditions; with singles
and doubles and while pushing a large camera through the water. In every instance, the APS
Mantaray Fins were absolutely the best fins I have used. It is odd to find fins that work equally
well for recreational as well as technical dives.

Fins are a matter of taste, and I have tried more than a dozen designs in the past few years, looking for the perfect combination of power, ease of use, and rugged design. Frankly, no other fins come through on all fronts like the Mantarays.

While I was testing these fins, I loaned them to a friend who has a bum knee. He swam around for a few minutes and got out of the water saying they were the first fins he had tried that didn’t stress his leg. He ordered a pair the next day.

For traveling divers these fins are light and extremely easy to pack. They are about half the
size of my blades and much, much smaller than the jets I used to regularly use. For technical
divers, they are sleek and the universal fin strap is brilliant, and small enough to carry an
extra strap in a pocket. As a cave diver, I am always looking out for catch points on my gear
and these fins are about the best I have seen. I’ve witnessed cave divers tangling lines in
spring straps, that won’t happen with the Mantaray Fins and the Universal Fin Strap.

There is virtually no discernable drag with the APS Mantarays, and that makes for an easier
swim and my SAC rate actually seems to have improved since I switched. In fact, I have had
to adjust my swimming to allow buddies to keep up. They work with all the kicks I use and
are extremely efficient with the frog kick.

As a disclaimer, I am not connected with APS Mantaray other than the company did provide
me a set of their black fins to try out.

I thought it would take me a while to adapt to the Mantarays but after the fist dive I knew I liked
them…a lot. These are now my default fins, and in fact, I’ve pretty much hung up my other half
dozen sets of swim fins. If you are looking for new fins, these are definitely worth a try.

You can read more testimonials and reviews, as well as see more of the APS Mantaray Fin by visiting their website at apsmantaray.com . ~JT

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