Hydra

[Merman_Shawn]

Has anyone tried the Hydra Monofin? Is it recommended for Ocean swimming? I might just be brain dead, but all I can find are links to purchase it, but no reviews or anything of that nature. I might just add to my new monofin collection.
http://www.scubastore.com/scuba-diving/so-dive-hydra-clear-flow/31962/p

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Wow, is it actually clear or translucent? That would be too cool!

[Merman_Shawn]

Wow, is it actually clear or translucent? That would be too cool!

Not sure. I'm curious to see it in action... If no one responds, I must just break down and buy it.

[Toxotes]

I have a Hydra, but until now, I did not have a opportunity to try it out.

[Winged Mermaid]

There are a few people that have these! No one's done a review, but I haven't heard bad things about it either! It's polypropylene, so it won't give you the same propulsion that a fiberglass would give. Usually people favor fiberglass fins for ocean swimming so they have enough push to deal with ocean currents and such. But it's up to you!

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

It's too bad you can't really find these things in stores; then you could check them out better before you buy them. *sigh*

[Merman_Shawn]

There are a few people that have these! No one's done a review, but I haven't heard bad things about it either! It's polypropylene, so it won't give you the same propulsion that a fiberglass would give. Usually people favor fiberglass fins for ocean swimming so they have enough push to deal with ocean currents and such. But it's up to you!

Ah, gotcha! I'll wind up either with the Finis Competitor or one of the European ones then.


It's too bad you can't really find these things in stores; then you could check them out better before you buy them. *sigh*

I know! It certainly adds an element of risk with every purchase.

[Prince Calypso]

i think i might buy this for my next tail my mermaid parties/fish butts or merman jesse

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I think it's a good replacement for the Finis Wave, tempo and Rapid as it doesn't have those ribs on them that show through the fabric tails that I have.

[Mer_Adella]

i would love to buy one but have the same problem that Merman_Shawn had....
no one has done a review...i would love to know what size they fit too. i haven't been able to find that either

[Merrow Fair Isle]

Was wondering if there had been any updates on the Hydra...I see it has been a bit since the thread was updated. Has anyone above had a chance to use a hydra? I currently swim with a finis wave, but am beginning construction on my first tail and want to keep the wave as a practice unit and upgrade the monofin for the tail. Was thinking going with the Hydra or the Rapid because I love big tails...and being a plus sizedmer, a bigger tail would actually work better in terms of proprtion. Just thought I'd chec just in case somonehadcordered or used one since Shawns initial post.

Thanks!

( ultimately I want an oceanika fir a silicone tail, but seejng as monofin swimming has changed my body so much in just 3 months, I'm holding off on getting a silicone tail until my weightloss stabalizes. Not that I am complainig about my body changing!! * laughs*)

[Merrow Fair Isle]

again, excuse typos...this tablet is about to get the boot.

[Mermaid Melanie]

Hi Guys,

I recently bought the Hydra and will happily answer any questions on it -

Briefly - It is translucent it also comes in different colours - I chose clear for freedom of whatever ...

The foot pockets are extremely comfortable ... i dont need to wear wetsuit socks in this fin.

The backs of the foot pocket curve up slightly on mine making the heel of the foot quite discreet !

swimming wise- it is lovely to use - I can move gracefully and fast in this fin and love wearing it !

the only criticism I have so far is that my legs feel like they should be closer together as im use to using a MagicTail and my legs touch whereas with the hydra your feet are slightly separated which is fine really still looks nice in the tail !

Also the fin can be cut into a more dramatic Mermaid shape - it is just nicely flexible and I cant see it breaking... I decided not to cut mine as i like the size and will just add on extras to give it the Mermaid shape :)

more info and pics to come as I use it more !

[MerAnthony]

This could be a good invesment.:thinks:I might have to break down and buy one.

[Morticia Mermaid]

Awesome! Thank you Melanie!! I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a review of ANY kind on the hydra. My sister is looking at having me use it for her tail. I may have to see about getting it just to try it out myself

[halesloveswhales]

It's surprisingly cheap! I'm slightly tempted...
Do you get any kind of foot/leg cramps while wearing the Hydra? I get unbearable foot cramps from my Waterway (possibly because it's a little small in the feet). Does that happen to you? Could you see yourself swimming in the monofin for several hours without pain?

[Morticia Mermaid]

I'm going to be making a neoprene tail with a hydra before too long. Thanks to Melanie's review, my sis wants to play guinea pig and wants her tail made with the Hydra :) I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes

[Mermaid Melusinah]

I'm going to be making a neoprene tail with a hydra before too long. Thanks to Melanie's review, my sis wants to play guinea pig and wants her tail made with the Hydra :) I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes


<---Guinea Pig. I'll be sure to let you all know just how it turns out for me!

Also, my only question is (for measuring purposes) about how much do you guess it puts for the gap between the legs?

[Mermaid Melanie]

Hey guys - no problem -

The hydra is comfortable to swim in, I dont get cramps but I am swimming every single day as part of my scuba job so maybe Im just use to it. the gap is maybe a few CM its not a big deal really ( just im a bit short so i feel like i wish it was closer but I'm using fringing ontop of my neoprene to alter the shake of the fin slightly :)

Its very comfortable to use and moves lovely in the water I would recommend it - esp. because it is so cheap !

PS. Got my neoprene tail yesterday - time to start work on the sewing :D

oh yeah would anyone be interested in buying neoprene tail covers, plain ones so you can then decorate and style it how you like ? its pretty cheap but ill need to work out post and packaging ... the joys of Thailand lol

[Mermaid Saphira]

I would try one of these fins out if I wasn't set on saving up for the dolphin shaped oceanika fin :p Well, good luck to the rest of you who try it!

[Mermaid Melusinah]

Hey guys - no problem -

The hydra is comfortable to swim in, I dont get cramps but I am swimming every single day as part of my scuba job so maybe Im just use to it. the gap is maybe a few CM its not a big deal really ( just im a bit short so i feel like i wish it was closer but I'm using fringing ontop of my neoprene to alter the shake of the fin slightly :)

Its very comfortable to use and moves lovely in the water I would recommend it - esp. because it is so cheap !

Wonderful! That's all i needed to know! ^_^ Which means that I can at least get my measurements sooner! Thank you!

[Mermaid Melanie]

No worries guys anything to help ! also soon I may be offering Neoprene tail blanks ( so you can decorate them however you wish - latex, sequin, silicone) I would need accurate measurements - seeing as I have a hydra makes it easier and quicker if you also have one as the tailor already have the pattern :)

[Moonflower]

I'm considering investing in a Hydra, just for test purposes. I adore my competitor, but I'd like a backup, just in case.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

My review on the 'Triton Monofin' from 'Sweammer Monofins':
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4806-Sweammer-Monofins-%28review%29&p=66905#post66905

[MerAnthony]

How do you tell about the foot sizes?

[Mermaid Fenicia]

As I have an EU-footsize 37/38 they fit perfect without the inserts for me. :)

[MerMar]

Hi all,


I'm considering to get a Hydra monofin, the white one!


I'd be my first monofin but not my first fins. My problem is I only can buy it on-line so I'm unsure about its stiffness.


Is the Hydra's stiffness similar to the soft-scuba-diving fins? or Is it softer?


A reference of soft-scubadiving fins could be my actual fins, the very old Mares Avanti Superchannel


Cheers!

[Mermaid Fenicia]

It's way stiffer than a wave/rapid, but it's very nice to swim with ;)

[Mermaid Lilium]

I've ordered the clear hydra but it's on pre/back-order D: so excited for it to get here!

btw I know from the reasearch I did, that mermaid kat over in germany seems to be a spokesmer for the company, and has videos up of her freediving with the hydra xx

[Mermaid Melanie]

I find the hydra pretty flexible and very nice to swim with - and yeah Kat sells her own tails on her online shop and uses the hydra monofins for them they are about the same price as a magic tail - the hydra is a much better monofin than the magic tail ones though

[Mermaid Varshana]

Okay, where can I find one of these for sale on a site that will sell to North America?

Scuba Store wants me to pay $40 in shipping....

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/nope.gif

[Mermaid Allie]

Hahaha nice gif I'm with you kakarotte!

[Mermaid Allie]

Found this one on eBay! Too big for me but less expensive than so dive? http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=350586217442&index=21&nav=SEARCH&nid=85642755656

[Mermaid Allie]

JESUS GOOD LORD MANECHEVITZ I FOUND THEM ON EBAY KAKAROTTE http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=350564089511&index=6&nav=SEARCH&nid=00883814504

[Mermaid Allie]

It's only a ten dollar improvement though :'(
still not enough.

[Mermaid Varshana]

...and shipping excludes North America.

[Mermaid Allie]

GRRRRR I didn't see that

[Mermaid Varshana]

I had a sinking feeling.

[Mermaid Lilium]

I've seen the blue hydra on ebay too http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271107584953?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 - they're all on that guy's shop. Maybe you could message him and ask him if he would ship to north America and how much it would be?

I made the offer to kakarotte but as there are others with the same problem - I wouldn't mind you ordering to my house and then me mailing them on to you (you'd have to cover the money for me to mail it) I paid.... £5.91 shipping for it (I also ordered neoprene socks to go with it) I have no idea at all how much the shipping might be to send it on to you but when mine finallly arrives I'll take it to the post office and have them work it out for me. I would imagine it'd probably be a lot though.

They are a french brand so you're going to end up paying transatlantic shipping unless someone has imported one already =/

Not heard from them yet in reply to my email =/

[Mermaid Lilium]

my clear hydra has been on pre-order with dive-inn since may and I finally got an email from them saying they're expecting stock in 3rd july! :D *fin-dance*

oh and the manufacturers = french

dive-inn (online store that is the only place I've seen the clear for sale) = Spanish

[Taniira]

I originally ordered a Hydra from DiveInn (but ended up returning it when they sent the wrong one). I think US shipping was around $45. I was going to try to have my boyfriend in Scotland receive it and then ship it to me to try to get cheaper shipping, but since it's such a large/awkward shaped package based on the research he did it wasn't really going to be any cheaper to do it that way. He just looked it up online somehow, though, so there could be cheaper options.

[Mermaid Varshana]

I've looked everywhere. There are none. I did find out, however, that the Rapid is, umm, actually much bigger than the Hydra and moves about the same in the water >.>

[Mermaid Lilium]

I've looked everywhere. There are none. I did find out, however, that the Rapid is, umm, actually much bigger than the Hydra and moves about the same in the water >.>

Good to know on the size difference, I guess it's about the size of the wave then? I think the clear plastic is more of an advantage to me. I detest the bright yellow fins D: I'm still planning on taking the parcel to the post office to get it priced for to send to east coast america so I'll let you guys know - unless no-one is really that bothered cause it'll be a huge hassle to get it there XD

[Mermaid Fenicia]

Good to know on the size difference, I guess it's about the size of the wave then? I think the clear plastic is more of an advantage to me. I detest the bright yellow fins D: I'm still planning on taking the parcel to the post office to get it priced for to send to east coast america so I'll let you guys know - unless no-one is really that bothered cause it'll be a huge hassle to get it there XD

My review on the 'Triton Monofin' from 'Sweammer Monofins': Triton is the smallest size of Hydra, about the same size as a wave ;)
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...6905#post66905 (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4806-Sweammer-Monofins-%28review%29&p=66905#post66905)

[Mermaid Lilium]

My review on the 'Triton Monofin' from 'Sweammer Monofins': Triton is the smallest size of Hydra, about the same size as a wave ;)
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...6905#post66905 (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4806-Sweammer-Monofins-%28review%29&p=66905#post66905)

yeah I saw your review before and it helped convince me on the hydra =) and yeah the sizes do go Triton - Hydra - Minos

I got the Hydra with a pair of neoprene socks just to protect my feet cause I blister like crazy

[Mermaid Fenicia]

When I go for a silicon tail, I want it with a Triton in it ;)

[Mermaid Lilium]

When I go for a silicon tail, I want it with a Triton in it ;)

easily arranged ;) hehe

[Mermaid Lilium]

OMFG IT FINALLY BLOODY SHIPPED!!!!!!!

holy hell haha. I got an email the other day saying NOPE NOT THE 3RD, saying instead that it would be in stock on the 8th. And low-and behold, buried in my junk-mail today was an email saying that it had finally been shipped to me! :D HUZZAH *happy mer-dance*

I ordered it 15 April 0.o oh and I have some info for those wondering about shipping the parcel is 3.18kg (I'm going to just take measurements of the box and this weight info to the post office once it arrives)

I shall post photos of it once it arrives! :D
lord if I'm like this over a monofin, good job I'm going to be a tailmaker... I'd never manage to wait for a tail to arrive :')

[Merman Dan]

the sizes do go Triton - Hydra - Minos

Every conversion chart I look at gives me a different answer. What is a US Men's size 10? a 44? I wonder if a Minos would be the best bet for me, then.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

Triton = kids
Hydra = woman
Minos = man

[Mermaid Lilium]

Every conversion chart I look at gives me a different answer. What is a US Men's size 10? a 44? I wonder if a Minos would be the best bet for me, then.

You're a eu 44 or a uk mens size 10 roughly. But yeah generally anything bigger than a eu 38 or 40 and you need the Minos. I'm a uk women's 6/7 and the hydra is a snug fit on me! So jealous that your option comes in Black :P

[indigo mermaid]

I have one of these and I love it. It's a great budget option perfect for pools. It doesn't have the poor ridge design like comparable models such as the Finis Wave. If you're doing a casual ocean dive in 10-15 feet of water I'd say this would be an okay option. If you go any deeper I would certainly be more comfortable in a fiberglass option. It's about half the speed of my fiberglass mono. I work a lot harder in the Hydra which means less breath hold time underwater. But in a pool, I'm still easily pulling 1-2 minutes. An advantage of the Hydra is that I can maneuver in pools much easier than with my fiberglass. It's smaller and has a bit more flex. The foot pockets are farther apart than is typical, but it doesn't bother me while I'm swimming. The ankle strap is comfortable and easy to get on and off. However, compared to my fiberglass ankle straps it does move around a lot. I've never had to adjust my ankle strap on my fiberglass mono and find myself messing with the Hydra strap quite a bit. I've tried other monos that slip around and make it impossible to get a solid kick. This one stays put well enough for me to still enjoy using it. The Hydra is ideal if you want to cut and modify it for more of a mermaid looking fin shape. Nothing beats a fiberglass mono, but for the price and a pool swim, I recommend the Hyrda over comparable models.

[Whitneigh]

I bought the pink colour and it works great! I love it. As for ocean swimming its pretty good but I live in British Columbia and haven't gone on any free diving experiences in the ocean.

[Elle]

I ordered mine a little while ago. The ETA was 3rd/4th of this month. But I was sent an update today stating it was changed to the 5th/6th of this month. I don't yet have a tracking number for it, which I guess means it hasn't been mailed yet. I really hope to get in on or before the 6th because I'm going away and I want to use it in the hotel pool where I'm staying. Fins crossed

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[Mermaid Lilium]

oh btw fyi! they are easy and safe to cut down :) I cut down my black minos with a drywall/keyhole saw (a fairly mean looking knife-saw) and rounded out the middle point and edges with woodworking files and sandpaper. It's holding up well since I cut it and it still has loads of power to it :)

Edited to add: lesson learned: dont' try to use a dremel on them. It only melts, doesn't cut properly and quickly breaks the blade disk as it's a soft acrylic/plastic. I can attach pictures of the saw I used and the finished result if anyone's interested?

[Whitneigh]

How do I post a pic

[Onyx Jewel Catfish]

Shipping on the hydra from dive inn to the states is at 98.42 right now!! Damn! It costs more than the hydra itself.... ⚓️That sinks��

[Echidna]

^^
it's the same for me with the Oceanika, which is why I never got one although I'd really like to have it.

[Onyx Jewel Catfish]

I got my hydra! I am a US size 8.5 -9 and it fits well but if my feet were any bigger I would need a Minos. Haven't got to swim yet but I like the fact that the foot pockets are ergonomically correct for good hip posture. I think I will have to wear it when making the body cast for my tail so I keep the proper gap... Has anyone had issues with that when using the hydra in a tail? Thanks in advance.

[Echidna]

Does anyone have an idea if removing the protection ridges from the fin's base can be done?
Talking about the two black ends sticking out beside the footpocket

36237

I read somewhere removing the braces can lead to instability and kills propulsion, but the blade itself is pretty solid.

[Mermaid Arabella]

Hello, mers! I just got a Hydra, and thought I'd drop some pictures in here.
The Hydra comes in a drawstring bag, plastic on one side and mesh on the other:
3698136982

It also came with plastic pieces inside the booties, I assume to keep them from crushing during shipping. Each footpocket has its own strap, and both can be adjusted on both sides.
36983

Showing off the fit and transparency, but keep in mind there is both a window and lamp behind the monofin:
36984

Comparing to my previous monofin, SunTail Nunui:
36985

I already swam in it this morning, and I love it. It gives great propulsion and was pretty comfy. The tops of my feet did get irritated, but I have unusually high bridges (the top of the foot) so that's not an unusual place for my feet to have problems. I'm considering cutting the footpockets back a bit to accommodate that, but I think I'll give it a few more tries first.

And in case you're wondering, yes, this monofin is cat-approved (in fact, if you look at the right side of the frame in the very first picture, you can see her laying behind it)
3698636987