Seacsub is definitely focusing and strengthening all its polymer products sector, starting from the fins. The new facility in the Italian headquarters has led to amazing quality and efficiency improvement. The recent World Record under the ice by Valentina Cafolla using the Seac BM30 fins represents a confirmation of the quality of the new born polymer blade fins by the Italian Company. The latest born of the line, the Seac W-22 fins, are the 22° angle option of the cousins BM30. Thought both for freediving and spearfishing, let’s see properly all about the new born in the Seac house.
Footpocket
Design
The Seac W-22 footpocket has always been considered an excellent solution. It still utilizes long lateral rails, a more classic solution compared to the short rails of the BM30 footpockets. This footpocket is the super tested one of the Seac Motus fins. The long lateral rails guarantee the best and most secure connection footpocket to blade, and also channel perfectly the water all along the blade. The Seac W-22 footpocket well adapts to blades with a 22° preset angle.
Materials
One of the key aspects of the Seac W-22 footpockets, that has made them an extraordinary and very appreciated solution since years, is the two materials design.
The footpocket is made with a double hardness rubber, 70 shore for ribs and sole (light grey), and 55 Shore for the upper part (black). Moreover, the foot-pocket is complete with differentiated thickness areas, especially on the foot instep, for more rigidity and capacity to transmit force from the foot to the blade. The angle of the footpocket works well to accommodate blades angled at 22°. The connection to the blade is traditional, with two screws on a plastic plate at the tip of the foot-pocket and two clips on the long lateral ribs. The W-22 footpocket sizes available are well indicated in the chart below:
Blade
While the Seac W-22 footpocket is a traditional, reliable, very appreciated and still advanced design solution by the Italian Company, the blades are a completely new offer.
Material
The new technopolymer material is obtained through Seac FRC™ – Fully Responsive Compound technology. It is especially in the use of a new advanced polymer material that Seac fins have in the latest years come closer and closer to composite material solutions. The difference in performance is still evident, especially in constant weight deep dives. Anyhow, the use of polymer blade fins in shallower water and without heavy weights is today absolutely positive, provided one chooses among the best solutions on the market. Additionally, among rocks the technopolymer does not suffer the fragility of carbon fibre. Indeed, Seac has obtained with the latest BM30 and W-22 great performance and quality.
According to Seac, the material of the blade is a unique very light and reactive technopolymer. It offers performance that was unthinkable with materials used only a few years ago. The reactivity and the elastic return are amazing. Seac even states that the blade completely folded returns completely to its straight position (after some time). This means no permanent structural deformation is generated that could compromise performance in time. All of this is obtained thanks to the amazing shape memory of the new technopolymer.
Design
22° angle
The blade of the Seac W-22 fins are inclined by 22°, as the name indicates. Such solution is a more traditional one compared to the cousin fins BM30. This aspect makes somehow the fins easier to adapt to for many divers who have been using for years this kind of footpocket to blade angle, if not lower. The position of the ankle during the dives is sufficiently relaxed and also adapts well to some spearos or freedivers who have naturally hyperextended ankles.
Beautiful are also the surfaces of the upper side of the blade which unite smooth areas with specially designed tridimensional ones.
Differentiated thickness
Together with the material, key is also the differentiated thickness profile of the blade. This is something that only recently has been seen on the market of polymer blade fins. Such design permits a much better flexion curve of the blade with greater efficiency of the kick and performance of the fins.
Water rails
The water rails are one piece with the blade and are extremely small in dimensions (65 mm long x 5 mm high, with variable height). They are positioned in the point of greatest water flow, and so have the maximum effect. Even though small, they prevent the fin from drifting sideways without compromising the correct flexion of the blade. The terminal profile of the blade differs from the concave V shaped one of the BM30, and is convex.
Laterally, the edge which enters the rails of the footpocket is segmented to improve flexibility. The connection is ensured by well designed classic clips, one per side rail. centrally the connection sees two plastic elements and two screws for the final blocking. Both the clips and these two elements are of a nice red which well matches the black blade and the W-22 logo.
Dimensions and weight
The Seac W-22 fins have a total maximum length, including the foot-pocket, of 88.5 cm (AP measure). The length of only the blade is 61.5 cm maximum from the curve under the foot-pocket to the tail. The total length of the blade is 74.5 cm. The maximum width of the blade is 21.5 cm, which is quite a high number. This can give good propulsion without the need of too long blades.
The foot-pocket, size 43-44, without the clips and screws, weighs 450 grams, while the blade weighs 510 grams (AP measures).
The Seac W-22 fins additionally widen the top offer by the Italian company for freediving and spearfishing. This goes from the nondetachable fins such as the sorter Talent, and the longer Shout, to the famous Seac Motus, where footpocket and blade are dismountable, just as for the W-22 and the BM30.
Respect for the environment
In a process where Seac is making huge steps towards the respect of the environment, the Seac W-22, 100% Made in Italy, are produced in the Seacsub factory today powered by solar energy. Additionally, according to Seac, the new technopolymer reduced carbon footprint compared to common solutions used in the sector and has a total absence of toxic elements.
