Presumably everybody knows a 'Hyperfin' is a type of fin and that there is also a company caled 'Hyperfins'. After reading Salibandy's review I contacted Max Moroz at Triton and gave him my specs for one of his Hyperfins. I also asked that he make the footpockets to accommodate 5 mil socks, ordered the fin, which at 300e is a great deal, and got it less than two weeks later.
First impressions - The fin came packed as monofins seem to in general - wrapped up in layers of postal stuff, but not boxed. I ordered the fin bag as well so that was part of the packaging. The difference is that Max build a blade protector from wood paneling. Very good protection - I plan to keep it for plane travel. The fin is very solidly built too.
The fin is HEAVY! Way heftier than my waterway or even Laminar's Chen Bin. I figured the mass must help. It is also about 2 or 3 cm wider than my waterway.
The fin is not possible to put on - even barefoot! Couldn't get into it at work. However - when I got it home I was able to put it on with 5 mil socks - no problem.
Open Water test: First - getting the fin on. I used a pair of 5 mil smooth-in nylon out socks. The best method seems to be getting the sock in place inside the footpocket then sliding in the foot with a little lube. Worked like a charm. The first impression of the foot pockets is very comfortable. They are snug around the foot but with good toe room and no points of friction or painful pressure - just a nice, symmetrical snugness.
Swimming: The first thing that struck me is the lack of friction. Compared with my Nemo this fin slides through the water. Much better glide. It also seems to go with way less effort - I don't feel the resistance of the blade as much, no doubt in part because of the mass of the pockets, but there is plenty of thrust. The angle means I do not have to arch my back as much to keep the legs straight on the backstroke - another factor in better glide. It is possible to swim with less overall amplitude. There is no sloshing in the footpocket - even with the slippery smooth neoprene inside socks with lube - very clean transmission of force.
Foot Pain: Picture one of those huge syringes they use to punch through peoples rib cage in order to inject adrenalin directly into the heart. Now, fill it with something viscous - some kind of Oil. Now Jam it right through the sole of your foot just ahead of the ankle - get it right in to about the middle then bear down and inject your foot till it feels like it'll explode. Same pain I had when I first got my Waterway Nemo. BUT!! No numbness - no localized friction or joint pain - and symmetrical in both feet. The pain is much worse when not moving - again; same as when I first used a mono. I was able to last about a half an hour - the pain was immediately gone when I took the fin off. To my mind this is good - no localized chaffing, no joint problems - basically I just need to get used to it. Very good odds that this will be a fin I can use for several hours at a time - my feet just need to get used to the different shape and load - same as the waterway which, after several months of torture, became completely painless.
Summary: This is an extremely well and skillfully made fin. The footpockets feel like they were made from molds of my feet. The efficiency of this fin, even at this very early stage, is remarkable. The Waterway Nemo is a great recreational fin - but the hyperfin is easily an order of magnitude more efficient. It seems almost frictionless by comparison - and moves me through the water with much less effort. The comfort of the footpockets is a real surprise and, while I was diving alone - which makes it difficult to tell, I saw no V-bend in the blade.
I haven't tried any other fins of the Hyperfin type design - but this one rocks!
I can't wait to get more time in with it.
Triton Underwater Sport Equipment
First impressions - The fin came packed as monofins seem to in general - wrapped up in layers of postal stuff, but not boxed. I ordered the fin bag as well so that was part of the packaging. The difference is that Max build a blade protector from wood paneling. Very good protection - I plan to keep it for plane travel. The fin is very solidly built too.
The fin is HEAVY! Way heftier than my waterway or even Laminar's Chen Bin. I figured the mass must help. It is also about 2 or 3 cm wider than my waterway.
The fin is not possible to put on - even barefoot! Couldn't get into it at work. However - when I got it home I was able to put it on with 5 mil socks - no problem.
Open Water test: First - getting the fin on. I used a pair of 5 mil smooth-in nylon out socks. The best method seems to be getting the sock in place inside the footpocket then sliding in the foot with a little lube. Worked like a charm. The first impression of the foot pockets is very comfortable. They are snug around the foot but with good toe room and no points of friction or painful pressure - just a nice, symmetrical snugness.
Swimming: The first thing that struck me is the lack of friction. Compared with my Nemo this fin slides through the water. Much better glide. It also seems to go with way less effort - I don't feel the resistance of the blade as much, no doubt in part because of the mass of the pockets, but there is plenty of thrust. The angle means I do not have to arch my back as much to keep the legs straight on the backstroke - another factor in better glide. It is possible to swim with less overall amplitude. There is no sloshing in the footpocket - even with the slippery smooth neoprene inside socks with lube - very clean transmission of force.
Foot Pain: Picture one of those huge syringes they use to punch through peoples rib cage in order to inject adrenalin directly into the heart. Now, fill it with something viscous - some kind of Oil. Now Jam it right through the sole of your foot just ahead of the ankle - get it right in to about the middle then bear down and inject your foot till it feels like it'll explode. Same pain I had when I first got my Waterway Nemo. BUT!! No numbness - no localized friction or joint pain - and symmetrical in both feet. The pain is much worse when not moving - again; same as when I first used a mono. I was able to last about a half an hour - the pain was immediately gone when I took the fin off. To my mind this is good - no localized chaffing, no joint problems - basically I just need to get used to it. Very good odds that this will be a fin I can use for several hours at a time - my feet just need to get used to the different shape and load - same as the waterway which, after several months of torture, became completely painless.
Summary: This is an extremely well and skillfully made fin. The footpockets feel like they were made from molds of my feet. The efficiency of this fin, even at this very early stage, is remarkable. The Waterway Nemo is a great recreational fin - but the hyperfin is easily an order of magnitude more efficient. It seems almost frictionless by comparison - and moves me through the water with much less effort. The comfort of the footpockets is a real surprise and, while I was diving alone - which makes it difficult to tell, I saw no V-bend in the blade.
I haven't tried any other fins of the Hyperfin type design - but this one rocks!
I can't wait to get more time in with it.
Triton Underwater Sport Equipment
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