Mares Avanti Quattro+ Review: The Power-Fin Classic

The Mares Avanti Quattro+ is the fin divers reach for when they want thrust, and it has held that reputation for decades. It is a stiff, channelled paddle fin built to move a fully-kitted diver through current without drama -- the opposite design philosophy to a soft travel fin. This is an editorial review drawn from manufacturer-published specifications and long-running owner consensus rather than a hands-on bench test, and unlike much of the enthusiast gear we cover, the Avanti Quattro+ is something you can order online today.

What the Avanti Quattro+ is

The Quattro name refers to the fin's four-channel blade: two central channels flanked by side rails in what Mares calls its Channel Thrust design. The idea is to funnel water down the length of the blade and off the tip in a directed stream rather than letting it spill off the sides, converting more of each kick into forward motion. The blade is a stiff, multi-material paddle built from Mares's Tecralene and Superchannel construction, and the fin is open-heel, meaning it takes a dive boot. The "+" designation marks the version fitted with the ABS bungee heel strap on most current models, replacing the older ratchet buckle. Expect to pay around $130 to $170 depending on color and retailer.

The channel-thrust case

The Avanti Quattro+ is a power fin, and its pitch is simple: maximum usable thrust for the leg effort you put in, with enough stiffness to hold a hard flutter or a strong frog kick against moving water. Divers who carry a lot of gear, dive in current, or want precise, powerful control kicks tend to love it. The tradeoff is fatigue -- a stiff blade asks more of your legs than a soft or pivoting one, and a diver with knee or hip concerns, or one chasing effortless efficiency, may find it tiring on a long dive.

That places it at the opposite end of the spectrum from an efficiency-first fin like the pivoting ScubaPro Seawing Nova. Our split vs paddle fins explainer frames the core tradeoff -- fatigue versus thrust -- and the Avanti Quattro+ sits firmly at the thrust end as one of the definitive paddle fins. If you fight current or do heavy finning and want a fin you will not outgrow, the Mares Avanti Quattro+ is available online.

Open-heel, boots, and strap

As an open-heel fin the Quattro+ needs a dive boot, which is the versatile, cold-tolerant setup for shore entries and temperate water; ScubaPro Delta 5mm boots are a sensible pairing, and a boot also protects your feet on rocky entries and long walks to the water. The current version's bungee heel strap self-adjusts and shrugs off the corrosion and cracking that eventually kill a ratchet buckle -- a real durability win over the life of the fin. Match the fin size to the exact boots you will dive, since a thicker cold-water boot changes the fit. Our how to choose scuba fins guide covers open versus full heel in full.

Sizing, weight, and travel

The honest weakness of the Avanti Quattro+ is travel. It is a heavy, negatively buoyant fin -- that heft is part of what makes it feel planted and powerful, but it eats baggage allowance and sinks if you drop it. For a warm-water trip where you are counting every pound, a dedicated travel fin makes more sense: the ScubaPro GO is a light folding-strap travel fin, and the Aqualung Storm is a barefoot-friendly option that packs down small. Keep the Quattro+ for home water and boat diving where its weight is an asset rather than a liability, and see where it lands among our best scuba fins picks.

Care and ownership

Fins are among the most durable gear you will own, and the Quattro+ is close to indestructible. Rinse the salt off after every dive, dry it out of direct sun, and check the bungee strap's attachment points and the buckle clips periodically -- the strap is the only part likely to wear out. Store fins flat or hung so the blades do not take a permanent set. Add them to your kit list in our pre-dive readiness tool so a cracked strap gets caught at home, not on the boat. Good propulsion is as much trim and technique as blade stiffness -- a calm, full-range kick does more for your air consumption than any fin, and those are skills your training builds.

Who the Avanti Quattro+ is for

The Avanti Quattro+ is for the diver who wants thrust and control: someone who dives in current, carries a full kit, does shore entries, or simply prefers a stiff, planted, powerful fin they will keep for years. It is not the pick for a traveler counting ounces, a diver who fatigues easily or has joint concerns, or anyone chasing the lowest-effort kick -- a lighter travel fin or an efficiency-focused blade will serve those divers better.

Verdict

The Mares Avanti Quattro+ earns its classic status the old-fashioned way: it moves you, hard, and it lasts. You pay for that in weight and in leg effort, so it is a poor fit for minimalist travel or for divers who want an effortless kick. But for home-water, boat, and current diving -- and for anyone who values raw, dependable thrust over packability -- it remains one of the reference paddle fins, and the bungee-strap version fixes the only part that used to wear out. Buy it for the diving you actually do, pair it with a good boot, and let technique carry the rest.