Mares Avanti Quattro Fins Review
Summary
One-liner: Comfortable and powerful fins for warm water wetsuit dives and travel—my original and still favorite fun dive fins.
Dive Types: Warm Water + Wetsuit + Travel, Warm Water + Wetsuit + Local
Price Tier: $$
Ownership: Personally owned and used for all warm water travel dives
Overall Score: 8.3 / 10
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great propulsion with minimal effort | Not precise for back kicks or fine control |
| Comfortable and flexible blade | Slightly negatively buoyant in freshwater |
| Light enough for travel | Not suitable for drysuit or technical diving |
Why I Chose the Avanti Quattro
These were the fins I purchased for my Open Water class, and they’ve stayed in my kit ever since. For warm water wetsuit diving, especially travel dives where I want easy flutter kicking and strong propulsion, the Mares Quattros are still a favorite. I pair them with Converse or wetsuit boots and they’ve never let me down on fun dives.
Performance in the Water
- Trim & Buoyancy: Slightly negative in freshwater, but manageable. Not ideal for strict trim work.
- Kick Styles: Best suited for flutter and casual frog kicks. Back kick control is limited.
- Comfort: Very comfortable with flexible blades that don’t tire the legs during long surface swims.
- Control: Responsive and fast when moving forward, but not great for stopping or hovering in place.
Comparisons
Deep6 Eddy Fins
- Much stiffer and neutrally buoyant
- Better for precise control, worse for relaxed fun diving
- I use the Deep6 when practicing skills or diving in colder local conditions
OMS Slipstream
- More suited for drysuit diving and longer bottom times
- Better control, worse propulsion in flutter kicks
- I only use the OMS fins in cold water with a drysuit
Verdict
The Mares Quattro fins are still my favorite for warm water wetsuit diving. They’re easy to pack, easy to use, and deliver great propulsion without requiring a ton of effort. I wouldn’t use them for drysuit or skill-intensive dives, but for travel and casual use, they’re excellent.
Would I buy it again? Yes—for warm water diving, it’s still the one I reach for.
Deep Dive into the Score
Scoring System: Each category is scored out of 10 and weighted by importance. This model is used consistently across all gear reviews for transparency.
| Category | Score (0–10) | Weight | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Function & Performance | 8.5 | 30% | 2.55 |
| Ease of Use | 9.0 | 20% | 1.80 |
| Versatility | 7.0 | 15% | 1.05 |
| Durability & Build Quality | 7.5 | 15% | 1.125 |
| Value | 8.5 | 10% | 0.85 |
| Brand Trust & Transparency | 8.0 | 10% | 0.80 |
| Total | 8.275 / 10 | ||
Rounded Display Score: 8.3 / 10
Deep Dive Score Explanations
- Function & Performance – 8.5: Excellent propulsion, but lacks control finesse.
- Ease of Use – 9.0: Beginner-friendly, no learning curve.
- Versatility – 7.0: Wetsuit only. Not suited for drysuits or cold water.
- Durability & Build – 7.5: Solid, but not as rugged as technical fins.
- Value – 8.5: Great bang for the buck in a classic design.
- Brand Trust – 8.0: Widely known brand, though not best-in-class for innovation or transparency.