Stats

||| |---|---| | Top Averaged Speed|2.2 mph| | Ergo Score| 68| | Top 5 Points| 9| NOTE: According to Aeris, spring straps come standard on all Velocity X3 fins. The tests were done with standard straps; spring straps would have increased the ergo scores for “Donning/Doffing” and “Adjusting for Fit.”

Specifications

The Velocity X3’s angled blade features a large rubber center section flanked by rubber-reinforced thermoplastic side rails that tie into the foot pocket to add rigidity and pump up the kicking power. The center section has a series of Power Enhancing Vents (PEVs) that give the water pushed by the fin a place to go other than in front of the other fin, increasing kicking efficiency. The combined effect of rigid side rails and a pliable, vented center panel causes the blade to behave similarly to a split fin, with good blade flex and lots of get-up-and-go. The X3 is the only fin in this year’s group with an open-toe foot pocket and the only fin offered in a dedicated XS size –– good news for female divers.

Performance

One of the faster fins in this year’s class, the X3 is easy on the legs when kicking in turbo mode, offering a good combination of flexibility and power. During ergo tests it delivered top-drawer performance in all kicking styles — flutter, frog and dolphin — and was very responsive in the corners. Testers found the foot pocket super comfortable — “I could wear it all day,” said one — and they loved the efficiency of the quick-release buckles. Plus, the nonskid pattern does a good job of keeping the fins under you on wet decks.

Bottom Line

The third generation of Aeris’ Velocity fin, the X3 is the best of the bunch. Fast, stable and easy to maneuver, these fins have the right stuff.