Longfin Stiffness

[sinkweight]

Howdy y'all!

I'm not new to apnea swimming, but I am new to the regulated sport of freediving. I was born a water-baby, and since then, I've been meditatively (is that a word?) exploring whatever underwater environment I've plunged into (hard to come by in Texas!).

After researching freediving for a while, I happened to have had a short email conversation with Mandy-Rae Cruickshank, after reading up on Performance Freediving's reputation for productive clinics. She had suggested my consideration to join an Advanced Freediving clinic, after I informed her of my underwater abilities.

I then asked her what type of equipment would be necessary, she had then suggested that I purchase Sporasub plastic fins.

I tried to ask her what stiffness should the fins be, in a later email, but alas, she had probably started training or teaching courses at the time.

My Goldilocks intuition tells me to purchase medium stiffness fins, just so they're not too soft, and not too hard.

I'm a strong kicker, but don't want to waste shipping time waiting for a replacement set of fins if I made the wrong decision.

Could anyone help?

Also, where do I buy a good nose clip? I'm getting a Mares Target mask, but for more natural swimming and diving, which I love so much, I'd like have a good nose clip to keep from pinching my nose when I go down.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[cdavis]

Hello sinkweight,

Welcome to DB.

Fin choice is real tough issue, very individual. Sporas are good fins, I use their pockets and the people I know who use their plastic blades are complementary. However, being right for you is another matter. The best guide is try'em. You might find Omers or Cressis to be better for your feet. As to stiffness, how big are you? Strong legs usually work best with stiffer fins, but that may not be true with a small person. When you get into fiberplastic or carbon fins, many divers prefer softer fins, even big guys, especially if you are not diving real deep. Again, try before you buy and think about how you will use them.

Use the search function to look up some fin info, there is a ton here. Try "fin lineup" under spear equipment.

Can't help you much on a nose clip, not my area. I've seen clips used by syncronized swimmers that might fit under a mask and accomplish you goal, so they are out there.

Connor

 

[sinkweight]

Thanks, CDavis!

Thanks for the input, from the number of replies as compared to the responses, I can assume the post wasn't the hottest topic in a while, but thanks for taking the time!

To answer your question of body size, I'm a fairly large guy, I guess.

5' 11" @ 200 lb.

(I actually lost 50 lbs. this summer, thanks to a eat-right diet called The Fat Flush, by dietician Anne Louise Gittleman *shameless plug*)

The only problem is, though...There aren't any freediving-savvy shops here in landlocked Dallas, TX, and I don't think I have the time or (mostly) the money to shop around for fins. Our scuba shops here, though well stocked with scuba gear, only have little girlie-man fins and giant hydrodynamically ineffecient masks.

With the help of your advice, however, I'm probably going to go with the stiffer fins. I mainly do leg exercises when I'm doing cardio-fitness, so I think I can kick'em pretty well. Granted, I'm not
the most experienced with fins just yet, but what better way to train?!

As for the nose clip, I think I might try contacting someone from Performance Freediving again. That would be something I would wear with little goggles.

Well I tend to ramble. Just wanted to say thanks again!

By the way, that last Hurricane popped up pretty fast, and I haven't been able to follow the weather as of lately. I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Have a great week, none the less!