Indepth > Fin Reviews > Picasso Spuma

By Jason Hijirida - Hawaii Skin Diver Product Reviewer

Picasso introduced the brand new Spuma Fin last year. Initially, one might question its design, as I did. The Spuma has a unique tear drop shape, making it look more like a tennis racket or snowshoes rather than a pair freediving fins.

My interest in the Spumas piqued when I met up with Tim Nakamura at this year's DEMA show. All he could talk about was how great the Spumas were. Tim is a very experienced diver from Hawaii, who has been known to snap fins because of his powerful legs. I began to inquire about the Spumas and was eventually given an opportunity to test a pair. The Spuma Fin was created for the professional or expert freediver. The blade of the Spuma is made of carbon fiber, reinforced with strands of Kevlar. The blade is about five inches shorter than most other freedive fins, resulting in reduced drag. The blade is very responsive and recovers almost instantly, adding thrust to your kick. A definite advantage! The blade is also rimmed with rubber trim, eliminating noise resulting from contact with rocks.

The Spuma has a very comfortable boot that did not cause any blistering. The boot has a rigid heal and bottom so the boot does not absorb any of your leg's energy. That means, all the energy is transferred directly to the fin, resulting in a powerful kick and maximum propulsion. By contrast, a soft boot is very comfortable, but they flex too much, absorbing some energy.

I've noticed reduced lap times in the pool. Although the Spumas were designed for hunting in shallow water or near the surf line, I was surprised that the Spumas worked equally well at great depths. These fins look fragile, but are pretty durable. I've walked with them on and did a lot of kicking off the bottom. My pair is six months old, has a lot of nicks and scratches, but has not failed me.

During the 2000 United States Freedive Spearfishing Championships, GLACD, the 1997 and 1998 United States National Champions, Gerald Lim, Rene Rojas, and Bill Ernst used these fins for the competition along with Dayne Fujiwara and myself. Everyone was so impressed with its performance they could not say enough about how great these fins were. "Supa Fin" is what I call the Picasso Spuma.