Hollis F1 LT Scuba Fin Review

If you know me, you know I like diving in heavy, negatively buoyant channel fins, and not just in a drysuit—I wear heavy fins in a wetsuit, and even in board shorts. So I was super excited to get my hands on the new Hollis F1 LT fins. Hollis is a great company that makes great equipment, so I knew before I even put these fins on my feet I was getting an exceptional piece of gear.

One of my favorite things to do while diving is to explore swim-throughs, whether that’s a passageway in a wreck or a coral tunnel. But you know if you’ve ever done this you have to change your finning style. You must narrow it in as you go through skinny passageways and your kick becomes different.

However, using small ankle kicks generally doesn’t deliver the power you want. This is where the F1 LT fins are different. Shorter and wider than the original F1 fins, the Hollis F1 LT fins are rigid with a slight flex, and they deliver as much power on short kicks as many fins on the market do while using the full kick. The efficiency per square inch is unmatched on the market.

I’m also a big fan of the stainless steel heel straps. I think spring straps are easier to use when putting on and taking off your fins and they deliver the right amount of force to hold your fins on your feet.

While I didn’t test these fins in a full drysuit, I did wear rock boots and traditional neoprene boots. And, to be honest, I couldn’t tell the difference. The wide foot pocket makes it comfortable, but it’s not too wide to where it feels like it’s slipping around while wearing a neoprene boot.

The closest fin I could think of to compare to the Hollis F1 LT is the Scubapro Jet Fin. They are a relatively heavy, negatively buoyant channel fin. They deliver the same fine-finning abilities, but are a touch longer.

I think these fins would be great for any diver who swims in and around wrecks or swim-throughs on a reef. They are a little bit heavier and more negatively buoyant than your traditional fin, but with a little bit of practice I think all divers would notice the benefits of the Hollis F1 LT fins.

The Hollis F1 LT fin is a channel-style blade. As with other channel fins, the F1 LT is shorter and wider, meaning divers have more control while finning. These fins are rigid with a slight flex, making them highly efficient.

The vented channels provide hydrodynamic kicking and every kick pushes the most efficient amount of water away from the fins to ensure you don’t get tired or fatigued after a long day of diving.

While not specified by the manufacturer, the Hollis F1 LT fins vary in length from 24.5 to 25.5 inches (62 to 65 cm).

We do recommend the Hollis F1 LT fins. They are lighter than the original F1 fins, and they’re short and compact, so you can fit in and around those wrecks and confidently treat the coral that you’re swimming through with the caution it needs.

Also, they’re affordable and have the potential to replace multiple sets of fins. You can use them with a wetsuit or a drysuit as they have ample foot pocket room for anything up to heavy rock boots.

Still searching? Check out our roundup of the 10 Best Scuba Fins and watch our entire scuba fin rundown video series, detailing every fin we tested.