Aqualung Express ADJ Review - Diving Squad Report:
Diving Squad Rating:
The first thing you’ll probably notice about the Aqualung Express ADJ is that they’re quite a bit shorter than most other scuba fins.
This makes them extra compact and a breeze to pack but make no mistake – though they may be small they are mighty! Seriously – these fins are surprisingly powerful.
They’re also incredibly comfortable. Some divers don’t like the feel of big long fins on their feet – if that’s you then these bad boys might just be the answer to your underwater prayers!
In this review, we’ll take a look at the design of the Aqualung Express ADJ fins – we’ll describing their features, highlight their pros and expose any hidden cons.
And awaaaay we go!
“I really like my Aqualung Express ADJ fins – especially as they’re so short – I don’t feel like I have these big clunky things trailing behind me like I do with normal dive fins.
Being so short makes them incredibly light and also fantastic for enclosed spaces like shipwrecks or diving through caves and tunnels. They’re really good for manoeuvring and frog-kicking.
With their vibrant colours they stand out a lot and I’ve often had dive buddies tell me they can tell it’s me just by the florescent yellow colour of my fins!
I’ve had these fins a long time and so far they’ve worked like a charm”!
Tsvetelina llieva – Diving Squad Contributor
^ Tsvetelina scuba diving in the Maldives where she first met Diving Squad!
FEATURES:
Other Specs:
- Range of colours.
- Three sizes
- Finger loop on spring heel straps
PROS
- Attractive, stylish looking fins.
- Powerful – provided you use them right
- Comfortable
- Short – great for confined spaces
- Compact and easy to pack
CONS
- Requires some experience and fitness to get the most out of them
- Can be a little more positively buoyant than other fins
1. Short Blades with Elasticated Membrane:
As we’ve already covered, the blades of the Aqualung Express ADJ’s are considerably shorter than that of many other fins.
This makes them highly manoeuvrable in tight spaces and also great for frog kicking and helicopter kicks.
Some divers actually prefer the feel of shorter fins which is another advantage of the Express ADJ’s if that’s you.
Short they may be, but powerful they still are. That’s because covering the blades is an ultra-elastic rubber membrane which accumulates energy on the downstroke and releases it at the end of each kick cycle.
There’s also rubber ribs on the side to help channel the water past the ribs and reduce drag.
Some reviewers have commented that the elasticated membrane actually makes these fins have extra positive buoyancy – just something to be aware of!
Ultimately these are powerful fins – however you do need to have some strength in your legs and diving experience to get the most out of them.
They’re not for complete beginners but also you don’t have to be a seasoned pro or have calf muscles of steel.
A decent level of fitness and diving experience will suffice to get the most out of these fins.
2. Spring Heel Strap:
The Aqualung Express ADJ scuba fins feature a marine grade bungee heel strap which automatically adjusts to changing pressure to ensure a constant and comfortable fit.
This is extremely useful as fins with conventional straps (i.e. NOT spring-heel straps) can get progressively tighter as you dive deeper and the pressure increases.
Do make sure when you buy these fins online that you’re purchasing the spring heel strap versions as there are some older models available as well.
Also the spring heel-straps feature a finger loop at the back which makes them easy to pull back in order to take on and of (known in scuba talk as donning and doffing!).
3. Foot Pocket:
The foot pocket is comfortable and comes in three sizes – small, medium and large…make sure you get the right one.
On the inside of the foot pocket there are differing zones of thickness which help secure your foot inside allowing for maximum transfer of energy when you kick.
Another really nice feature are the anti-slip rubber pads on the bottom of the feet – these give you grip when moving about, which can be much needed especially if you’re on a slippery boat!
FINAL VERDICT - Diving Squad
The Aqualung Express ADJ fins are a great choice for divers who want a pair of short (ish) fins and who already have a decent level of fitness in order to get the most out of them.
Provided that’s you, you should find these to be powerful scuba fins, whilst also compact enough that they’re easy to pack for travel and light enough that they don’t take too much effort to kick (provided you have your technique down!).
If you’re looking for a pair of really hardcore short fins – then you might want to consider the more expensive Apeks RK3 dive fins.
However the Aqualung Express ADJ fins are much cheaper than the Apeks RK3’s and some divers will prefer their overall look and design more.
