Dive Rite XT Fins Diving Features
It’s no secret that I am a fan of Dive Rite equipment. My backplate, wing, and harness are all Dive Rite, and my stage regulators are straight from Dive Rite too. I knew the Dive Rite XT fins were high-quality, but they were never on my personal radar. I generally prefer a shorter, stiffer blade type.
I took them to the pool for testing, and they performed nicely. They absolutely fly while using the frog kick, which is what they are designed for—they move water. To me, they felt closer to their traditional, paddle-style fin contemporaries while flutter kicking. They had more wobble than I was used to and I had to change the way I kicked.
The same goes for back-finning and helicopter turning. They did okay, but with their length, it was hard for me to generate a good back kick. This seemed to be more of an issue that would work itself out with enough practice.
The foot pockets are a little wider, meaning you can use them with either neoprene boots or drysuit rock boots. That’s a big positive for me—not having to switch fins depending on what conditions I’m diving in.
They also run a little lighter than some other fins on the market, so they make for decent travel fins. The weight, combined with the wider foot pocket, make for a comfortable fin that almost every diver could benefit from.
Dive Rite XT Fin Straps
The heel straps on the Dive Rite XT fins are made from marine-grade stainless steel, complete with a comfort heel pad and removable pull tab. These straps are both rugged and comfortable. They will last for years to come, and they are easy to put on and remove.
Dive Rite XT Blade
A design that was introduced in the 1990s sticks around for one reason—it works. There’s a reason these fins are on the feet of all kinds of divers, from novices to tech divers. Made from injected, molded monoprene and a monoprene center strip, the blades of the Dive Rite XT fins provide rigidity as well as flexibility, a characteristic that Dive Rite calls “stiff, with plenty of snap.”
The blades vary in length and weight, depending on the size.* The individual weights are not published, but Dive Rite lists that the XT fins weigh between 4.7 and 6.3 lbs. (2.1 kg to 2.9 kg) per pair. The XT fins are a traditional paddle-style fin, so they are a bit longer. However, they feel as maneuverable as shorter channel fins.
*Length: S: 22.5 in. (57 cm); M: 23.5 in. (60 cm); L: 26.5 in. (67 cm); XL: 26.5 in. (67 cm)
Dive Rite XT Fins Colors & Accessories
Dive Rite keeps its design simple. They stick to their base design—it’s not flashy, but it still looks sharp. The XT fins come in black (with a black center strip) and red (with a black center strip). While they are harder to find, if you search hard, you might be able to snag them in blue.
When it comes to other gear, you won’t go wrong with the Dive Rite Hydrolite. This is a great BCD for those who want the feeling of a backplate/wing setup, but are worried about the weight. It is great for travel, and works well as a transition between a traditional jacket-style BCD and a BPW.
Dive Rite is also known for its lights. They make both good primary and secondary lights, including the Dive Rite LX 20 dive light.
Dive Rite XT Fins Price/Quality Ratio
The Dive Rite XT fins are comparable in price to other high-quality, high-performance fins, and they are a great all-around fin, so they rate quite high on the price-to-quality ratio. You get what you pay for, and then some. The same fins that divers wore in the 1990s are just waiting for you to give them a try.
Performance is high and the quality is high, but the price isn’t—especially for what you’re getting. These are some of the best fins on the market for frog kicking. That doesn’t mean those who prefer the flutter kick will be disappointed; they’re a great fit for everybody.
Do we recommend the Dive Rite XT Fins?
We do recommend the Dive Rite XT fins. These fins are great all-around fins that would improve anyone’s diving, from novices to experienced divers and tech divers. The Dive Rite XT fins generate one of the highest forces per kick that we tested, and they work well using all kicking styles including flutter, anything modified, and especially the frog kick.
No matter what you’re looking for, check out our comprehensive fin guide and our rigorous fin test on YouTube, where we put all manner of channel, paddle, and split fins through their paces.
Specs & Features
| Fin type | open heel |
|---|---|
| Blade style | paddle |
| Material | injected molded monoprene with monoprene center strip |
| Weight | 4.7 to 6.3 lbs. (2.1 kg to 2.9 kg); size dependant |
| Length | 26.5 inches (67 cm); size large |
| Sizes | S, M, L, XL |
| Strap style | stainless steel |
| Number of colors | two |
Take a moment to look at this.
