Swin Fins - Using Swim Fins With Wetsuit Boots - Winter Surf

Mike Fernandez · Post by **Mike Fernandez** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:09 pm

OK, serious question here, do fins work if your on a 6ft or over board? Is there enough room at the end of your board for your feet to dangle and kick?
Of course if your 7ft tall, it would work.

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:15 pm

Bill E. · Post by **Bill E.** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:41 pm

Havin the nose and front of the board a little beefier makes it easier to kick on a big board. Also keep the tail thin.

On the 6'9" board I was ridin it kicked real nice and could keep up to anyone with just kickin. Then to jump quick just move up and make a paddlin motion with the arms and away you go.

Bill E. · Post by **Bill E.** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:56 pm

Also I use the XL Chrchill blue/yellow with the booties. The XL has a larger blade than the L one does. Feel nice with the thick boots and I think they are 5mm standards. I can even get by with the ones with like tennis shoe bottoms since I dont stand on them

They hold up better on the rocks and barnacles.

Got a new pair of splashers XL and need to try them. They are real stiff and hard. Wish they still made the green ones!!

skansand · Post by **skansand** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:30 pm

hey billE...are you talkin about the church-hill SLASHERS????....i do hope you like em...as i surely didnt....they were just too heavy and didnt have any power behind them...

...........plus they gave me blisters like duckfeet do....wear booties or neoprene finsocks with them....the lycra socks arent enough!...and they dont float either so if your as prone to lose them as i am then fin tethers would be a good investment.......

...thanks for listening//i know this isnt the case with everyone as i have met bodyboarders that liked them.......maybe the heaviness of them will help plant your feet on the tail???
peace

JackG · Post by **JackG** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:35 am

My 2 cents.

Beeline wrote:
Mike Fernandez wrote:OK, serious question here, do fins work if your on a 6ft or over board? Is there enough room at the end of your board for your feet to dangle and kick?
Yes, no difference.
If ???? If (Big If) if kicking is less effective it comes at the price of the paddling becoming more effective.

My biggest board to date has been 6'3", I am 6'0"
I think I could easily handle a 6'6"

In any case, I always alternate between paddling and kicking , ...mostly.

When I kick I scoot down the board for that whether its a 6'3" or a 5'6"

I'm 5'5"/145# and ride 5'7" and 5'10" boards right now. The 5'10"s paddle more easily than the 5'7"s, especially better when compared to my 5'7" x 22 fish. I'm mostly paddling to catch waves in order to be far enough forward for the way I take the drop. Like Bee I switch off between paddling and kicking when heading back out to rest my arms. This is a big benefit to kneeriding for me, I get tired paddling on a stand up and really like being able to switch off.

I do find that I can get more traction with the fins when paddling and kicking by splaying my legs to the sides around the tail of the longer boards. If I'm just kicking I'll scoot back a bit or if I'm really dogging it back out to the point I just put the board completely in front of me.

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:05 pm

Beeline, I wear a hooded 5/4 80 % of the time. Gloves 50 % of the time. There are those who prefer a 4/3. I wore a 4/3 for quite a few years but at this stage of my life ( the old stage ) I'd rather be warm

And Mike I've been wearing flippers with my 6-0. I'm 5-10 and it's the longest board I've had. Again, I guess it's the age thing

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:16 pm

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:37 pm

K-man · Post by **K-man** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:32 pm

I wear X-cel. 5 in the torso-4 in the legs-arms,and 3 under the arm pits as a stretch panel.it's also fully taped inside,which makes a difference in warmth.The O'neill is rather cute.....Especially the cod piece

Bet the girls go all giggly when they see that.Those kneepads wouldn't last a month.kind of wimpy,stylish though

ScottMac · Post by **ScottMac** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:59 pm

Mike Fernandez · Post by **Mike Fernandez** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:15 pm

I own the Oneill Psycho II 6/4, I can survive 3-4 hours in 45 degree water, 20-30 degree air. Awesome suit!
But if you want to look like a local in Santa Cruz, get the Hotline.

For fins, I use Vipers with 3mil booties, my foot is a size 10.5.
In the winter I wear 5 mil booties with Hydro Finz, Australia. They have a large pocket.

Sometimes I just kick and rest my arms while waiting for waves here in the east. There is always a current here, north or south.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:29 pm

When wet suit shoping and checking at the knee pads. The dude at the shop gives me a strange look.

Bootys with fins allways. No matter what brand of fins I allways use to get fin rub. After 10+ years of fin sox and bootys the scars have gone.

KED · Post by **KED** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:07 am

A note re. Force Fins... the Force Fin Pro has a lot more thrust than the Force Fin swim fin. The latter is not in their "power" fin series.

KED · Post by **KED** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:16 am

Re. booties and fin tethers... take a look at what they have at <ebodyboarding.com>. Excellent prices, and great selection of booties and fin tethers. Some of the booties on their site have a velcro loop that goes around the heel strap of any fin, thus eliminating the need for a fin leash

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Swin Fins - Using Swim Fins With Wetsuit Boots - Winter Surf

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