Using swim fins and not using swim fins

[randiego]

Ive got a 6'6" quad and don't use fins, it's my " longboard " kneeboard

rooster since when do you kneeboard?

And what is with your new logo, Mr. Indo

Hey, they serve Tiger at the Pink Elephant in North Park

[jim richardson]

Where ever you live in this world you use fins because you are fat, lazy or out of shape. If not just way smarter than those who don't use fins . Using fins gives you more thrust and takes some of the strain off of your arms, back and shoulders when you are paddling to get outside at say OB, Blacks or most all beach breaks in the world. Flipper wearing is also a definite advantage when taking off for most of us. I could see not wearing fins at a point break or reef pass where there are channels to get you back out to the line up. But why screw around unless you are going to screw around and you sometimes stand up on your kneeboard and wave at clueless stand ups that think that the only way to ride waves is their way. If fins are uncomfortable or you cramp because of the extra strain they put on your leg muscles or you are just more super human than the rest of us or if you intelligence level is lower than the excepted norm . You don't have to where fins in fact I would prefer it if you don't wear flippers. As for me I will do what ever I want.



Have you ever noticed that the spell checker underlines the words kneeboard, kneeboarder. and kneelo as being misspelled.
What the f...? It also underlines mrgreen. Coincidence? I think not.

[knee_boarder]

This wasn't supposed to be a thread about which is best!

I was interested in how two totally different styles had developed - reading the design stuff about the Lis Fishes and PC slabs has something to do with it I guess.

It seems strange in the UK which has tended to be influenced by Australia (due to the visiting lifeguards every summer) to have gone down the fin route.

I'm looking more for a history lesson in how the various kneeboard cultures developed.

[Nov]

How come aussies tend to ride without swim fins and the yanks and the brits tend to ride with em?

I'm not sure how that trend developed. A lot of Australians use flippers (I'd say there are more Australians that use flippers than those that don't), though a sizeable proportion never touch them.

Personally, I stay away from them. They only drag and make your tail feel unresponsive.

[knee_boarder]

Thanks for the insight guys

[Steeno]

your right Nov....i reckon 80% of guys here would wear flippers.....just personal choice...no right or wrong

[DYdamo]

Hey Captin'

How uncharacteristically positive of you.....could be a good thing....



We like to walk not waddle......

[kneelingBROTHA]

Where ever you live in this world you use fins because you are fat, lazy or out of shape.

Its funny you should say that, and I am not offended by it, Jim. I am fat. It seems that all larger kneeboarders wear fins. I wear fins. However, I'm not out of shape, nor am I lazy, so I can honestly say I could paddle a board that is bigger than 6' and 2.5" thick (max) without flippers. However, as everyone else has mentioned, the whole point of kneeboarding (originally) was to break away from drawn-out, weak longboard turns on the shoulder and put powerful turns where they matter: back towards the pocket. And yes, riding the barrel as much as possible on a hardboard, too.

I don't imagine that I would have as much fun without flippers. I don't wear them when its near-flat, but other than that, they allow you to cruise in from the outside better at beachbreaks and I'm sure at a place like a reefbreak or Wedge (neither of which I've done anything but bodyboard so far) they would help a lot with positioning oneself into the best takeoff point. And when you can get seriously injured somewhere without pulling out all of the stops, I say wearing flippers is a great idea!

I'm new to the scene. I'm not an elder statesman. Twenty-two years on this planet and a few of those kneeboarding on and off is all I have to present to you all. But I did do a lot of looking back the old scene (as much as I could with the web), and it seems that guys like Romanosky and the Big Rock/La Jolla crew are on to something--wearing flippers and riding a smaller board does not seem like a dumb idea when you see what the guys that ride/rode Wedge and La Jolla reef breaks are/were doing.

Viva La Vida--long live life. So, wear/do what you want, and everyone on this board will continue to debate what the best approach is (I am not excluded from this group), so I guess in the end, it does not matter whether you wear fins or not. The debate shall rage on, and people will continue doing what they have done all their lives--wear fins, or continue to experiment, which may include ditching flippers.

[Smokin Rock]

i waddle with pride

[fooj]

Is it the fins or because you are an endomorph?

[Smokin Rock]

mostly because of my huge wanger

[wolruss]

All Waka's, honorary included, have huge wangers ..........watch this space and the following posts I almost embarassed thinking about the coming abuse.

Cheers Wolruss

[Bumps]

Yep Endomorph's!

[DYdamo]

Fooj......
you crack me up........

had to google it though..

Mike..I'm not gonna reply........oooppps too late

[Smokin Rock]

Damo,
please don't encourage Fooj. if he thinks he's even a little bit funny he'll be unbearable