Monofin Review: Sopras Apnea

[Triton-Mahtlinnie]

So for Christmas I got a new monofin, and it's one I've never heard of.



The Sopras Apnea. Sopras is a company that makes scuba and freediving equipment, so this is a professionally made fin intended for "spearfishing and freediving" according to their website. It comes in 3 sizes, 6-7. 8-9. 10-11 (I assume these are US men's sizes.) I got the smallest size (6-7), although I probably should've gotten a size larger. (blame my mother for buying something without asking me for my shoe size)

The footpockets are soft molded rubber (no ankle strap), attached to a polypropylene blade. One thing I love about this monofin is the shape of the footpockets. Most fins have your foot resting against a flat surface, but in the Sopras, the bottom of the footpocket curves up in the toe area. This makes me feel like I get more power out of it, extending the push all the way through my toes, and I really love swimming in it. It does make the toe area slightly more bulky though.



In terms of size, the Sopras is slightly smaller than a Finis Rapid by about two inches lengthwise, and is the same width-wise. I found that they are about equal in terms of power, however. (The Sopras is also a much more pleasing shape)



Price and Availability: The Sopras Apnea is sold on Amazon, and runs about $130. This makes it more expensive than other monofins in it's size (the Rapid and the Hydra, predominately). I do love it's slightly smaller size (I'll be using this fin in any fabric tails that I buy) and the footpocket design.

One thing you'll notice if you look up this fin online is that it's touted to have a "Detachable blade". And, indeed, if you flip it over you'll see that the footpockets are held on by six screws.



I have not attempted to remove my footpockets yet (will update if I do), but if they come off cleanly this could be the first decent-sized fin (that I've owned, anyway) that I can fit in a suitcase.


And to close things out, a swimming video! I swam in the fin both by itself, and in a Fin Fun tailskin (to which I added a small ruffle to hide the monofin)