After having presented and tested the Cressi Gara Turbo Impulse, which represent the point of reference among polymer blades fins, here are the top level version, the Cressi Gara Turbo Carbon.
The evolved Turbo foot-pocket
Just as the Turbo Impulse, the Cressi Gara Turbo Carbon utilize the new updated Turbo foot-pocket instead of the Modular one.
The newly evolved foot-pocket by Cressi, the Turbo, has much shorter lateral rails compared to the Modular model. This generates a different behavior of the blade, which is now less influenced by the lateral rails of the foot-pocket. At the same time, the new Turbo foot-pocket maintains all the excellent and unique qualities of the Impulse.
It is in thermoplastic rubber specifically studied by Cressi. There are two different stiffness compounds (light grey softer, 65° Shore, and dark grey harder, 75° Shore). The patented Self Adjusting system perfectly adapts the foot-pocket to the diver’s foot, especially hosting at best the instep. In addition, a third material is used to integrate the clips on the lateral rails which secure the blade to the foot-pocket. Such solution is particularly easy to use.
Also, important is the inclusion in the range of the smallest size, the 36/37, up to the size 46/47. In addition, two anatomical insoles, right and left, made in recycled semi-rigid plastic, can be inserted into the foot-pockets. This makes an even better match with the foot. Such solution is excellent also considering the different thickness of the socks used between the hot and the cold season.
Insoles
As already present on the Cressi Gara Modular Impulse and Turbo Impulse, the foot-pocket is complete with an insole. The latter can be cut to measure and has a left and right design. The effect is to better adjust the foot to the foot-pocket and also fine tune the fitting.
Blade material
The strength and know-how of Cressi is definitely in the in-house designed and manufactured polymer products. Still, the quality and experience by the 100% italian company can be transferred also to the carbon fiber blades. Cressi underlines the extreme satisfaction in the results obtained with the new Cressi Gara Turbo Carbon fins.
To excel once more in the quality of its products Cressi has selected a carbon fiber importing it from Japan, and manufactured by Mitsubishi to strict qualitative protocols. The shaped sheet is then processed in a specialist plant in Turkey. Here, the know-how in the aeronautical and aerospace fields is extremely high. The use of a special lamination process is done in autoclave at extremely high pressure and temperatures, using special glass moulds. This process generates a more uniform structure of the composite material, with reduced tensions and so greater resistance to breakage. The final result is a 100% carbon fiber blade of top quality, performance and resistance.
Design and dimensions of the blade
Differentiated thickness
The design of the Cressi Gara Turbo Carbon fins goes even beyond the materials used. The first aspect, still linked to the functioning and bending curve of the blade, is its high engineering quality differentiated thickness design. It all comes from the study of the design of the blade starting from a finite element calculation program. Such solution permits to calculate the forces applied and the consequent deformation of any material.
S-shaped curve
The design though finite elements calculation permits to design the blade to flex more in the central part without braking obtaining the S-shaped double curve. Such solution is today considered the most efficient solution. The S-shaped curve generates a first push and then a second one which result in extremely high propulsion, together with reduced applied force needed and minimal fatigue.
The angle of the blade is 29° as the most modern solutions and trend. Such high angle helps the diver with a more relaxed position of the ankle and better transmit the force from the leg, to the foot and to the blade.
Integrated water rails
Another key aspect of the design of the Cressi Gara Turbo Carbon fins is the fact that the water rails are one-piece integrated with the blades. They have a specific variable height design for best performance. The length is 29 cm while the variable height goes from 0 to 1.8 cm maximum. They are made of thermoplastic rubber of 50° Shore, which is soft enough not to influence the correct reactivity of the blade.
After the processing in Turkey in fact, the blade is subsequently finished with an industrial co-molding process directly at Cressi’s Genoa plant. The elevated chemical bonding achieved between blade and rail, effectively creating a single piece, has permitted the elimination of the rigid glue that prevented the carbon fiber blade from flexing naturally. The thermoplastic rubber used for the water channeling rails is extremely flexible and soft so as not to undermine the intrinsic characteristics of the carbon fiber. The blade is therefore less fragile and more protected by the rubber.
Design, dimensions and weight
The flap has a dovetail design for best control and directionality, avoiding lateral sliding. The blade maximum length measured from the curve under the foot-pocket goes from 63 cm laterally to 59 cm centrally. The maximum width of the blade measured internally to the water-rails is 20.7 cm. These are the exact same dimensions of the Cressi Gara Turbo Impulse blades.
The thickness of the blade is 1.5 mm in front of the foot-pocket and 0.5 mm at the tip of the flap.
The weight of each blade, including the integrated water rails, is 320 grams, the foot-pocket size 42-43 weighs around 500 grams and the total weight of one fin, including connection screws and clips, is 830 grams. The additional sole weighs 65 grams.
