Guy Low Price Electronic: 29 Mar 2009

Sunday, 29 March 2009

Leather Banded - watches, quartz

I just received this watch.

To address a couple of concerns from previous reviewers that may have been corrected by Stuhrling and/or Amazon:

-- My watch does say "Swiss Quartz" on the dial. The back of the case also states "Swiss Quartz Movement."

-- Stuhrling did send a one-year warranty extension offer for leaving feedback. There is now NO stipulation that the feedback must be 5 stars to qualify for the extension.

The watch itself looks great--very slim case, with a minimalist design that is very understated. It's certainly not a flashy watch, but it is very classy.

I considered purchasing a Longines or Junghans watch of similar design, but Stuhrling provided the look I wanted, at a much better price point.

The band is a shiny, faux-alligator leather. I was not expecting the faux alligator pattern, but it makes the watch a bit dressier than it would be with a plain leather band. I have a small wrist, and there are enough holes on the band so that I will not need to add another hole.

I can't comment on the durability of the watch yet, but if I experience any problems I will update my review.

All in all, it's a great looking watch at a reasonable price! Stuhrling Original Men's 601.33152 Classic Swiss 'Ascot' Watch

I purchased the watch from Amazon last year and used it for about six or seven months. Then it stopped due to water damage to the movement. On the back of the case, it is clearly stated that it is water resistance, and I used it mainly for work and never wore it to swim or anything wet. My experience suggests poor case quality. Potential buyers be aware.

I am now trying to get warranty coverage for the watch.

Update: I just received a reply from Stuhrling on warranty coverage. I will need to ship the watch back to the company at my own cost plus a $20 check to cover shipping the watch back. I bought the watch for well under $100 and now have spend about $30 more to have it serviced under warranty. This is rather unreasonable.

mine came also without a "swiss quartz" label. returned the watch right away - it is not worth $100.

also - just an FYI - Stuhrling includes a little card in the package saying that if you write 5-star review on amazon.com they will extend your warranty. so much for those few 5-star reviews here...

I bought this watch for my boyfriend for christmas and he loves is. The face is very sleek and uncluttered, and it looks very stylish yet not too formal. I am very happy that he likes his watch since I had no idea what kind to get him!

I only gave this 4 stars because 1.) The picture of the watch on Amazon shows the words "Swiss Quartz" on the face, however in person it does not, and 2.) There is indeed a note in the box saying that if you give the watch a 5-star review on amazon, you will get am extended warranty on the watch. Very shady.

The tiny thing I have noticed, and to me it is a one of the very important things in watch making, 12 o'clock is not pointing true Zero degree. Basically what it means is, the dial face has turned clockwise about 2 degree. After I noticed that, the more it seems obvious, and to a point kinda annoying. Overall, I like this watch don't get me wrong, plain, simple, classy. But with all the self-promote wordings (direct quote from it own box: "Stuhrling Original is an intimately exclusive timepiece intended for seekers of originality and individuality. Every Stuhrling creation is defined through the watch making tradition of technique, technology and craftsmanship, yet sports an artistic edge that redefines perfection."), please go back and focus on making the dial face to the right direction and orientation first. Thanks. My apology to those Stuhrling fans and company, for it is only my personal opinion and observation.

This watch is, I believe, an imitation of a timepiece from the Longines La Grande Classique collection, one that sells for over $1,000. Here's a picture: http://www.longines.com/eng/html_longines/Watches/LGC/longines_LGC.cfm

Anyway, I've had my Ascot watch for a few months now, and I've been very happy with it. This is my second Stuhrling watch (I also own the Uptown Chic, a beautiful watch). The Ascot is very light, very simple, and very elegant. It appears to be well-made, and the leather band is good-quality and durable. I set out to buy a very sophisticated watch at a rock-bottom price. Mission accomplished. I'd recommend this watch and the Stuhrling brand to anybody.

I ordered watch through Amazon Prime with 1-day shipping (needed it for an occasion). The shipment and delivery were perfect as usual with Amazon. No problems with the packaging of the watch as well.

However, the watch itself had two issues (minor but I'm a tad too perceptive):

1) There is a scuff mark on the side of the leather band. Minor but you can notice it with a once-over. Luckily, I do plan on replacing the watch band soon because the leather is a bit too glossy for my tastes.

2) The watch face is not perfectly centered. What I mean is that the watch face is rotated a tiny smidge to the left. Now, I realize this defect would take too much to replace/fix and at the price I paid the watch will serve all its needs. Plus, I can offset it by focusing on the center of the dial and not the edge that touches the bands where the shift is easier to notice.

Other notes about the watch:

1) As mentioned above, the band is glossy faux-alligator skin. Soft leather on the inside but a tad stiff. Of course, it will loosen up over time and with usage.

2) The casing itself is not flat but resembles a shallow bowl. The back panel is about 1/2 the size of the face and the casing sides slope in.

3) 2-yrs limited warranty that can be increased to 3-yrs with a review on your reseller's website (here at Amazon, for me). The review was not required to be positive, but I am very impressed so far with the workmanship and quality of the watch at its price point. - Leather Banded - Quartz - Watches - Dress Watches'

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Remote Garage Door Opener - garage door remote, garage door remote controls

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I just received my garage door opener in the mail. The instructions inside weren't very helpful but I did a quick internet search and found out how to program the remote. It was very easy and the remote works very good. My garage door opener is very old, 1985, so I was not sure if I would be able to find a remote that would work. The old system is a cut wire opener but this remote worked perfectly for it. I was going to spring more money for one that looked more stylish but wasn't sure of compatibility. I am happy with this remote and thanks to the other buyers comments I made the right choice, so thanks to those who left a review. If it helps anyone else I have a Stanley 1/4hp garage door opener and this remote worked for me. Stanley 1050 Garage Door Remote Transmitter

This seems to be an exact replacement of the original opener that came with the garage door. The price was great -- cheaper than I could find at the local stores for a generic opener. It works as it should and has a longer range than the generic opener it replaced.

This remote works with my prehistoric Stanley 1/4 hp cutwire garage door opener. The instructions were clear, and it was easy to program. Not too stylish, and a bit cheap in feel even as far as garage door openers go, but hey; it's a garage door opener.

Stanley is a company my family has used for over 30 years. It's great, it does what it's made to do. The only negative thing is it's long term durability. After say years of use the push button breaks at the tip that pushes the button and then whole flat piece it falls into the case. That's when it becomes a pain, since the button inside is much smaller, I would stick my finger in and would have to feel for it, say if I was coming home at night and it's dark. I suppose since it is made of plastic, it's not surprising that over time it would eventually break.

However, I did find online that they do sell affordable replacement cases. - Remote Garage Door Opener - Garage Door Remote Controls - Garage Door Openers - Garage Door Remote'

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Swiss Quartz

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OK...The reviews here appear to run the gamut between someone who thinks you need to unscrew the crystal to adjust the time [which is not only ludicrous, but would void the warranty; I also have trouble believing this person actually did this, since removing the crystal requires a level of expertise that would include the prerequisite of knowing how to set the time to begin with!] and others who think it is too large and/or question the quality.

I'm here to say that I bought this and gave it to a very happy woman this past Christmas & she adores it. I adjusted the band easily, set the time, and it has been keeping excellent time...and the gold finish is still intact. Plus, the recipient is 5 ft 3.5 in and has a small wrist, and she loves the way it looks and wears it just about every day. Her watch goes well with my Invicta automatic diver, which, at over 40mm, dwarfs hers...it is a woman's size, after all. ;-)

Buy it on sale...they usually run Invicta sales so you can buy it for less than $100.

And, the packaging is very nice...makes for a great gift! Invicta Women's 4867 Pro Diver Collection Swiss Quartz Watch

This watch is beautiful. It comes with full instructions on how to set the time and date. Yes it is rather large but that is what I love about it. I had links removed by a jeweler...it only cost $5.00. Well worth it. It looks great and is impeccably made. Out of all the watches I have had, this is my favorite.

I purchased this watch about three months ago. I loved the look and the big face. Makes it easy to read when you just glance at it. I replaced the battery after a month (thought maybe had been sitting on the shelf and was old). The next thing I noticed a couple of weeks ago is the gold finish is wearing off of the watch band. Today (three months of wear) it quit working again. Considering the price, it's pretty unimpressive! I could have purchased a timex and had better wear!

I needed a casual watch and found a great deal on this one. The first reviewer is incorrect about setting the watch. You use the stem or as Invicta calls it the crown to set the date and time. Foolishly I tried to pull it out. It wouldn't pull. I finally realized it unscrews and then you pull to one or two clicks to set. You do not unscrew the crystal. Yes, the watch is big and it is rather heavy if you are not used to a big watch. Actually I was surprised it was so big. It is pretty much the size of a mans watch. It is supposed to be a divers watch though, so I assume they are made this way intentionally...very sturdy. I have a small wrist and I had to take 6 links out of the bracelet to get it to fit. I'm giving it 3 stars since I believe it lost some days unless the jeweler entered the wrong date. I just noticed the discrepancy. I have reset it and will have to check it again later. It has kept very accurate time. The dial is supposed to be luminescent but it doesn't seem very bright. Just my opinion. Hopefully the watch will last a long time and without me worrying about getting it wet.

I hate this watch! I am a small woman and this thing is just huge and uncomfortable. I will be returning it ASAP.

Another thing to set the watch and adjust date and time you have to unscrew the crystal.... and then screw it back tightly so it will be again waterproof.... my advice... don't even consider it.

The watch is just too large and bulky and trying to adjust it is just to complicated.'

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Hard Drive Enclosure

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Bought this enclosure to use an 80GB Sata HDD that I replaced. The port works fine, and as far as I can tell, temperature is not terrible. The product did not include, however, the small screws that are supposed to go into the top of the mount. Without these, the HDD can just slide out of the aluminum casing. It is not a show stopper, since a piece of electrical tape works just fine, it is just that the product should come with everything needed to use it properly. You get what you pay for... 2.5" USB 2.0 SATA Hard Drive HDD Case Enclosure

I bought this enclosure to recover data from a laptop. Installation is easy. The interface adapter from the old laptop hard drive has to be removed before connecting to the circuit board. I was able to copy the data from the hard drive once the enclosure was plugged in. There was no attempt to mount the hard drive on the enclosure with the two small screws. Will this enclosure last? I have no idea and it doesn't matter. All I know is that I paid $7.80 for this enclosure and it worked well enough to recover data from a dead laptop. The product gets a five star rating for a data recovery job accomplished.

I bought two of these to upgrade two different laptops to SSD and use their original drive as an external.

Both Enclosures failed miserably. I tried the onboard usb 2.0 ports on 6 different laptops and 2 different (core 2 and core i5) desktops and although it recognizes the drive you can't format or use the drive in the enclosure. Even a quick format fails. This is on 3 different 2.5" drives tested. Also tried using a Vantec USB 3.0 Powered Hub and Asus NEC USB 3.0 card, didn't make any difference.

Looking at the cable system I decided to flip the usb cable around, using the 2 sided end on the drive, and it works! Drive is recognized, formats, and can write to the drive. So if you are having troubles, connect the end with the two cables to the drive, then connect the short cable to a usb port and reach the long cable length around back to another usb port.

Made with an all metal construction that could easily short out the hard drive. In addition to that it has a terrible non-mini usb slot on the enclosure and the usb cable doesn't even fit in it because it's made so poorly. All this and when I finally force the cable in and plug it into my computer it dosn't recognize that there is even a drive plugged in. I have never had this problem with any of the other enclosures i've bought. Save yourself the trouble and invest an extra $5 to get a working one.

I bought this item after my laptop bit the dust. My wife and I had several hundred pictures, songs, etc. that we had not backed up. I didn't want to pay for a professional recovery service, so I did a bit of research and decided to give this product a try. I was able to connect it to my old HDD (which was only readable after a trip to the freezer) and recover most of the data we had lost (not all of it, but most). For the price, I don't think I could've done better. Oh yeah, I will be backing up frequently from now on.

Works as advertised. Used a Toshiba 110gb laptop drive from a "dead" machine. No problem getting the drive installed but there were NO instructions included at all. One must remove any drive carriage from the drive itself or it won't fit. 4 screws took off the Toshiba drive carriage and then the drive fit right in. No noise or vibration and the speed is good. It works on our ASUS laptop with Win7 and a desktop with WinXP. Haven't even needed the 2nd USB power plug on the included Y connector.

This is a seriously cheap piece of hardware. For a one-time recovery of a hard-drive from a fried laptop this unit is an excellent choice. The hard-drive in question had both an xp (ntfs) and linux (ext3) partitions. There was no problem accessing either partition - they pop-up on screen as a reqular USB device in both xp and linux.'

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Music

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This recording of "Over the Rainbow" comes straight from the soundtrack to the motion picture, "The Wizard of Oz." Judy Garland never sang any better; her voice is so fine it's like listening to silk. Indeed, after just one listen it's very hard indeed to resist listening to it all over again! Moreover, Judy handles the initial, big upward jump (between the first two words "Somewhere" and "over," I think it's a full octave) with panache and I'm very impressed. As the other reviewer correctly notes, this IS timeless music, charming and an unforgettable jewel.

Judy Garland had already amazed movie-going audiences when she sung her heart out with songs including "Dear Mr. Gable/You Made Me Love You" from "The Broadway Melody of 1938;" but this trumps even that flawless performance! Although Judy would go on to record countless superlative interpretations of songs, ballads and vaudeville style tunes, this particular recording of "Over the Rainbow" almost certainly shows her genius at its best; and this is still her signature song even all these years later.

Thank you, Judy! We will never forget you! Over The Rainbow (LP Soundtrack Version from Wizard Of Oz)'

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Flat Panel - energy, 3d

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This TV is the same as the Samsung UN46C7000 sold through other retailers. Their specifications are identical. However, the UN46C7100 does not come with the stand pictured. The included stand is very appealing, but not the same as what is pictured (pictured is the X shaped stand, the included stand is a stainless steel rectangle).

I purchased this TV to replace a 3 year old Hitachi 42" Plasma (1080i) TV. I had intended to purchase a 42" LED LCD. Didn't realize I would go home with a Samsung 3D LED-TV. I had thought to purchase a 42" Vizio 3D LED Razor model for $999. However after comparing the image quality (clarity, edge sharpness, etc) to the Samsung units nearby my wife and I decided we couldn't do it. Vizio makes a decent TV, but Samsung simply cannot be beat. I had two options, the Samsung 46" LED LCD, or the Samsung 46" 3D LED LCD. Because of a bundle package on the 3D set I went for that. I spent about $500 more than I would have on the 42" Vizio, but the image quality is leaps better.

The picture quality, both image clarity and color reproduction, on this television is phenomenal. And it's very small package (it's only 1" thick with the base/stand removed) is very convenient. The menu is easy to navigate, responds fairly quickly, and contains a lot of user definable functions. The menu even gives you easy access to "Expert Patterns" which allow you to display on screen black & grey images, and color images so you can adjust the Contrast, Brightness, and color settings to make them as accurate as possible. This is great for those who require the absolute best picture (most accurate) possible.

Sound Quality is a huge deal as well. I have yet to turn the volume up past 30% on this TV yet, even when watching movies. When watching TV I usually have it set between 15 and 20%. Movie watching I usually bump it to 25-30% but never higher. I wanted to buy a soundbar with my old TV; but honestly there's not much point in doing so with this TV for my room. It does a great job on it's own!

The TV also allows you to turn regular 2D images into 3D replicas so you can take advantage of the 3D glasses that come with the TV. Sure it's "fake 3D" but it's pretty cool too. Because this is a true 3D capable TV, it utilizes a 240Hz refresh rate which equates to much smoother picture during rapid movement. Action scenes and sports programs are much smoother.

The TV also has built in Internet@TV applications provided by Samsung. This allows you to connect a home network cable for internet access (note there is NO WiFi built in). Although you cannot browse the internet, you can use the built in apps (there are more you can pay to download) to access Twitter, Facebook, Netflix, Vudu (pay-per-view movies), and Pandora (free radio). Since the TV doesn't have WiFi, I'm using a Blu-Ray player that has built in WiFi to access Netflix movies. Since my Blu-Ray player is also a Samsung unit, the TV syncs up and communicates with the player. This feature (Anynet+) allows me to use one Samsung remote control to navigate on screen menus without changing remote functions. Both units power off together from one remote. When I switch the TV to the appropriate HDMI input, the Blu-Ray player turns on by itself!

I've watched 10-20 HD (1080p) movies through Netflix & Vudu on this TV already and the image quality is just astonishing. Even the local HD Broadcast (1080i) feeds look better on this TV than they did on my older true 1080i set.

You simply cannot beat the image quality of this Samsung. Even viewing from close distances (10-15ft) everything is very sharp. Many large format TVs look grainy up close, but Samsung did a fantastic job with this 46". Samsung UN46C7100 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV Series 7 1.0" Thin - Efficient - Energy - 3d - 240hz'

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Powered Usb Hub - compact, hub

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This was a cheap USB hub that I was using to connect a hard drive, printer, and keyboard to a laptop. It worked great for about a month, then I noticed the hard drive started disconnecting randomly (A terrible thing when backups are running). Well this morning, about a month after I bought it, it just died completely.

I have it velcro'd to the desk, so it doesn't move. Wear and tear is definitely not the reason for this, It just died. USB Highspeed 7 Port Hub w/ AC Adapter (Silver)

I keep getting emails asking me to review this item. I do a review and it gets removed. I get another email, I do a review, it gets removed. What is this...groundhogdayazon?

I bought two of these and neither one has more than 2-3 ports that work.

They were really inexpensive, so it's really not worth my time to return them.

Will all 7 ports work on the ones you buy? Maybe. Maybe not.

The 7 port hubs at my local retailer are WAY more expensive than these and I'm guessing you get what you pay for.

I sure did.

This was an inexpensive hub. The pictures make it look much sturdier than it is, it's really lightweight and tips over if you plug things into the back 2 ports. Also, I plugged in 2 external self-powered hard drives, a digital camera, an iPod, a memory stick and a PSP, and when I connect the hub to my laptop, at least 1 of the items is not recognized. I don't know why. What I do know is that I stopped using the hub the day after I got it, so if I were you I would just not bother with this hub, as all it really does is take up a space on my power strip.

I LOVE this USB hub.

I do not know if I just got a good product, or I ordered from a different company, but this product is AMAZING! Unlike some other reviews, ALL of my USB ports work and I can run a flash drive perfectly. It seems faster than the ports on my computer. I simply love this product.

It is also very small. I did expect it to be as small as it was. It fits right in the palm of my hand.

Whether it makes a difference or not, I bought from HDE.

My ONLY complaint is that the USB and power cords could have been a little longer. I am going to purchase a cheap USB extender from my local computer stores.

In conclusion, if you willing enough to shell out a few bucks on a USB hub, this hub is PERFECT!

Looks like I bought this about 8 months ago or so... it was a good price, and I have too many external USB optical and hard drives that I always want to share on the network. Right off, if this was connected, the computer wouldn't complete the boot process; the system kind of seemed to get "trapped" looking for Operating Systems, and would hang. No big deal, I restart the computer about 3 times a week, so it was a minor annoyance to plug it back in once the boot process started.

2 nights ago, I went in to my office and saw the on-screen message of a lost connection to the drives that were connected to this while I was off at work. I was simply going to reboot, so I went to disconnect this and found a nice molten pile of plastic that was so hot it had burrowed through the better part of the external DVD drive it was sitting on, and it looked like it was getting hotter.

Good price or not, this is definitely the last product I buy of this brand - I don't know what would have happened in another 10 hours, but am glad I saw it when I did.

1. Within hours of plugging it in, 4 of the ports burned out, leaving me with only 3 left working. These 4 receive power, but no longer connect to the computer.

2. Powered is an overstatement. Depending on the port choice, it can have problems supporting one external hard drive (usb powered) and a USB fan. If the bottom 3 ports on the front (the only ones that still conduct data for me) are used, then more then two hard drives can work... barely. In addition, the included power supply has about 2.5 feet of cord. Not enough to stretch from a desk to a power strip on the ground, meaning I had to rearrange power cords to even get this installed.

3. It's slow. Speed decreases are of course to be expected with a hub, but I think the low power it provides means drives have to spin down more often, meaning seek times are increased.

For 7.50 I probably won't send it back, since it's too much trouble. But I wouldn't buy it again. Here's some I may get when I decide I need all the ports working:

7-Port USB 2.0 Hub, Black

Nu USB 2.0 10 Port Hub (with Power Adapter)

Belkin F5U706 2 in 1 USB 2.0 7-PORT HUB

Yes, all these cost between 20 and 30 dollars, but if you think of this hub as an unpowered 3 port hub, then you begin to understand the price difference.

I bought this "powered" USB Hub to charge an Ipod and a GPS unit. For some reason the power cycled on and off which caused the GPS unit to continually beep and power on & off. Figuring the first unit was defective, I was send a second unit which acted the same.

I don't review often, and so when I do I hope that people read it.

This is a very cheaply made item as the other reviews will corroborate. Important points for me are:

- The cables are very short: power cable is approximately 2 ft, and usb cable is approx 1 ft.

- The item is not reliable. It will turn on and off somewhat randomly which is annoying because: anything plugged into its ports will have to reconnect with the computer AND because of this I would never plug a portable hard drive (or even USB stick) into it for fear of data loss.

- The item cannot stand as pictured -- it is so light that when cables are plugged in it will tip.

The item is good for:

- Connecting/powering non-critical usb devices and low powered usb devices - Hub - Usb Hub - Powered Usb Hub - Compact'

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Diving Fins

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I used these fins on a week-long diving trip and they were great.

Very comfortable--no rubbing or blisters. They're flexible (easier to pack) and powerful. They also held up under tight packing and a lot of use.

While some expensive fins may give you more boost, for the price these can't be beat.

RUNS A BIT SMALL: I recommend you buy them slightly larger than you need. I thought I'd need the Large, to size 11, but I'd tried them on in a store and found them too small, so the 11.5-13 were more comfortable. U.S. Divers Proflex II Diving Fins (Large, 9.5-11.5)

When I first got these I tried them on and was surprised at how

comfortable they were. I didn't have any of that 'rubber biting at

the back of my heel' feel. They fit really well. I'm a size 12, so

I got the 11.5 to 13 size.

As to performance; for the short time I wore them thay seemed more than

adequate. But, not having worn fins for a long time, my calves were

straining with each kick, so I opted to swim without them more than with

them.

I would be perfectly willing to recommend these to anyone considering

them. For the money I thought they were excellent.

If you are a snorkeler, then you know what you need and this fin better be on your list of gear! It gives you maximum thrust for your kick. It's got style, comfort and power. It's design makes it easy to carry and it travels well. You can't ask for much more!

Lightweight, moderate thrust, won't wear you out due to the cut outs if you are not used to fins. If you are looking for maximum thrust, get a solid (no holes), stiff fin that wont flex in half if you try to force kick to swim faster. This is a moderate weight fin overall, good to play with.

The fins are very comfortable to wear. I am shoe size 8 (medium) and my wife is size 5 (small). My only hesitation is that the fins seem too flexible compared to others we've used. We snorkeled for half a day with these and found them effective, though wished they were a bit stiffer. For the price they are really good.

I bought these for my fiance during our engagement trip to Kauai a while back. She's a size 8 and the mediums fit her perfectly. They were comfortable and even after wearing them for several hours she did not feel any discomfort and they didn't leave any kind of mark or blister. The design is great and they are definitely very fast in the water.

I like that they are light weight and easy to pack. My fins on the other hand are bulkier and more of a pain to fit in a day pack.

I would definitely recommend these fins for the recreational snorkeler or diver.

Even in some pretty strong currents in the Belize reefs, these fins imbued confidence. When choosing a size, go to the US Divers web site and see the size chart--it is for men only. Then Google a men-to-women shoe size conversion chart if you're female. We did this for 6 family members and it worked like a charm. Very comfy fins.

Very comfortable. I wear size 10 shoes, and got the large 9.5-11.5 size. They fit great without any rubbing or discomfort. We snorkeled for hours at a time as well. If you are looking for a full sized fin at a good price with plenty of power, these are great.

I have also tried a pair of travel fins since though, and like them better, because I don't cramp up as much with them, and they are also very comfortable.

So, if you want the full fin, then this should be a 5 star review, but I took one off, because I found something I like more.'

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