Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Forum for kitesurfers
clintopher
Medium Poster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:59 am
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby clintopher » Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:52 am

After an undesirable episode the other day I'm looking at getting some swim fins. For those of you that have them, what kind do you have and what do you like/dislike about them?

Clint

User avatar
grantman54
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 995
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:54 am
Location: Central CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby grantman54 » Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:57 am

i have the visions and dont like them. Way too hard. They cut into my feet. I have a permanent scar from wearing them 8 days in a row.
I prefer the churchill's because they are the softest most flexible fins out there. Vipers are pretty decent. Bluntcuts are still too hard for me.
Attachments
board_365.jpg.jpeg
these are the ones I would get
board_365.jpg.jpeg (17.13 KiB) Viewed 2282 times
vision-matrix-bodyboard-fins_BB-F.jpg.jpeg
these are the ones i have...
vision-matrix-bodyboard-fins_BB-F.jpg.jpeg (43.09 KiB) Viewed 2280 times

Francisco_C
Medium Poster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 4:29 am
Local Beach: Ocean Park and " the island "...
Favorite Beaches: Puerto Escondido ,MX , Salsa Brava , CR La Punta , RD among a few...
Style: Don't know !!???
Gear: Anything
Brand Affiliation: SkyBanditz Kiteboarding Puerto Rico
Location: Ocean Park Kite Beach , San Juan ,Puerto Rico
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby Francisco_C » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:21 am

I'm a bodyboarder and I been using Redley's for the last 10 years , I will switch to the Hydro Tech both flippers are similar in comfort , this is because the Redley factory closed a few years ago and can't find them !! If you don't mind take a look at the Vipers :thumb: .. go to a surf shop and try them !
Attachments
Copy of n645124960_487130_7613.jpg
A little shade !!!
Copy of n645124960_487130_7613.jpg (34.64 KiB) Viewed 2176 times

ronnie
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 4185
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:39 pm
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 59 times

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby ronnie » Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:52 am

I have a proper pair of long split swim fins for snorkelling, a pair of Pod bodyboard fins and these.
The real swim fins are the most efficient, the Pods the least efficient (and heaviest). These fins are better than the Pods, but clearly less efficient than the full snorkelling fin.
Attachments
aquasphere-zip-swim-fins_30204.jpg
aquasphere-zip-swim-fins_30204.jpg (38.25 KiB) Viewed 2063 times

clintopher
Medium Poster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:59 am
Local Beach: Virginia Beach
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby clintopher » Thu Jun 04, 2009 1:52 pm

Thanks guys.

Anybody else???

User avatar
Feng
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1063
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:37 am
Local Beach: Franceville, normandie, france
Favorite Beaches: beauduc south of france
Gear: Cab 13 SB, Cab 9 Xbow, Cab 8 2013 SB
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: France
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby Feng » Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:12 pm

From the Man from Atlantis - Séries TV
Attachments
Hand.JPG
Hand.JPG (1.82 KiB) Viewed 1784 times

User avatar
sflinux
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 595
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:23 pm
Kiting since: 2002
Gear: Joe Blair, L41, Meyerhoffer, Rusty, Tom Wegener, & Cloud IX
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 44 times

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby sflinux » Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:49 pm

I grew up bodyboarding with churchills.
For kiteboarding I carry zoomers blue training fins in a backpack. They are significantly lighter and more compact. The reduce a swim in by half the time. I've tested them in rip currents. :thumb:
"http://www.finisinc.com/Technology/zoom ... ology.aspx"

RichardM
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 667
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 1:40 pm
Local Beach: Northern Orange County
All Los Angeles County
All Ventura County
Some Santa Barbara County
Brand Affiliation: Malibu Kitesurfing
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
The BEST way to learn kitesurfing !
Location: L.A. & Ventura Counties, CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby RichardM » Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:03 pm

Prior to kiting, I was a dedicated bodysurfer and over the MANY years, tried a vast number of fins.

You might want to check out Flips at:
http://www.pleasurepoint.com/flips/

They come in 3 styles, I only tried and used the Pro model.

Advantages include:

1. Lightest, most compact fin on the market (except possibly Shinfins - see below).

2. Straps move most of the strain from the top of the foot up to the ankle so the foot doesn't get tired.

3. One size fits all.

4. Least likely to come off (however, for bodysurfing, I still used fin leashes).

Disadvantages include:

1. Probably harder to put on and (possibly) take off, especially in an emergency if time is of the essence.

2. Don't float.

3. They are a hard plastic which makes it more difficult to walk on slippery surfaces such as rocks.

In this thread, Cometa suggested Shinfins. (shinfins.com)
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2357095

I haven't tried them. However, the THEORY seems very good with many advantages.

Questions I have about them include:

1. Why are they MORE than DOUBLE the cost of Flips? (This is why I didn't order a pair).

2. Do they really stay in position (more likely outside of surf)?

3. I couldn't tell how the straps attatch and therefore couldn't tell the ease of getting in and out of them.

4. The straps are evidently rubber and wear out at some unknown rate. They sell replacement straps for 11.00 Australian.

Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET

User avatar
grantman54
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 995
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:54 am
Location: Central CA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby grantman54 » Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:51 am

youve got to be kidding. those last two fins mentioned look absolutely ridiculous.

User avatar
Vin Stefanelli
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 1144
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:44 am
Gear: Ozone Frenzy
Naish Shockwave
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Nutley NJ USA #1
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: Swim fins...what kind do you have???

Postby Vin Stefanelli » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:06 am

Well when I was a beginner
I lked to use those
web fingered neoprene glovvies
I found at a pool store
easy to ride with them on
and eazy to slip into a pocket


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Aberdovy kiter, Baidu [Spider], Brent NKB, Breze, Google [Bot], joop, Kitemenn, mati, Matty V, mexer, Peter_Frank, sakara, tobesen, Trent hink, universalflush, UrosR, Xtream and 162 guests