Recently many big companies have launched on the market new generation polymer blade fins, with modern foot-pockets. The result is a real battle in this segment of the market, where indeed the price/performance ratio is today extremely interesting. They are used to start freediving and spearfishing, or for shallower water spearfishing even by experts. The polymer blade fins are extremely accessible economically and still offer a very good performance, unthinkable just a few years ago. Mares indeed has a strong offer in the segment, with the X-Wing fins. They put together a very refined foot-pocket, which gives the name to the fins, and a modern polymer blade that we are anxious to test! Until now, we had already presented the Mares X-Wing Apnea S fins with glass fiber blade. Definitely, the Mares X-Wing will compete in the Best Choice prize by Apneassion in the Polymer blade fins category.
Foot-pocket
The new Mares X-Wing foot-pocket is indeed a very refined and well designed solution. First of all, it is made of two different hardness rubbers, where the light grey one is tougher, while the darker is softer. More specifically one rubber is 80 Shore and the other 65 Shore. This is based on the concept for which the foot transmits the force pressing mainly on the instep and on the base of the foot. Creating a stiffer X on the instep is a very good solution. Also, the central part of the X is visibly thinner than the two bands, which also sum their strength, positioned on the sides of the foot-pocket. This permits to have a stiffer upper part of the foot-pocket, but still not too much on the central part. This is where the navicular bone, the higher one, is pressing. Higher comfort is then insured.
As anticipated, the sole of the foot-pocket is made of stiffer rubber to better transmit the force. The need of a stiffer sole is practically a universal idea on which everybody agrees. Such lighter grey stiffer rubber continues also along the lateral rails. These are short (measured 10 cm), as the modern solutions require, leaving almost all the elastic effort to the blade.
The X-Wing foot-pocket is preformed to 30°. The weight of the X-Wing foot-pocket size 42-43 is 350 grams, surely light.
The Mares X-Wing foot-pocket is very well refined in each detail. It is compatible with the Mares line blades, such as the X-Wing Carbon, the X-Wing Apnea, the X-Wing Apnea S, the X-Wing Pro and the X-Wing, also in the new short version. In addition, it can be adapted well to the other traditional blades, also composite material ones, but might need some gluing. Mares is working to supply soon lateral rails for any blade to adapt without gluing.
Not strictly linked to performance, but extremely nice, are the three colours of the X-Wing foot-pocket: black, blu and military green. These nicely match the colours of the blades. Pink is also available in the short blade version.
Blade
The blade of the Mares X-Wing fins is designed with the advanced variable thickness solution. This is obtained thanks to a complex injection moulding system. The material is a special polipropilene. Such design is key, and differentiates high level polymer fins for more simple and less performing solutions.
The flap has a convex profile which is extremely important in keeping the blade stable and avoiding lateral shifts during the kick. In addition, there are small water rails at the tip of the blade to help stabilize the fins during the kick. The small dimensions, 9 cm of length and 1.2 cm of maximum height (the profile going from 0 to 1.2 cm with an asymmetrical upside down V profile) indicate a limited influence on this aspect. Such water rails are not present on the short version fins, as the reduced length permits a better control during th kick.
The available hardnesses are Soft and Medium, with the X-Wing being the soft and the X-.Wing Pro the Medium. The difference in hardness between the two blades is indicated by Mares equal to 25%. The Pro versions are in the colours black and military green, while the blu is Soft. This year the novelty has also been the Mares X-Wing Short version, also available in pink colour (Soft).
The standard blade is 19 cm wide and 71,3 cm long, while the short version 18 cm wide and 61.3 cm in length.
The base indication by Mares is to choose the standard soft version for freediving, transfers on the surface and light divers. The Pro versions are proposed, in general but it is not a strict rule, for spearfishing.
The angle of the blade is an high value of 30°, just as the foot-pocket. Such high angles are more and more used. They help to fin with the ankle not too stretched straight. This evidently improves comfort.
The weight of the blade in the standard version is 400 grams, while the short version weighs 360 grams.
