Monofin footpocket help

[Jacblue]

Hey Guys,
Wondering if anyone has any advice for me. I've had a waterway model 1 monofin for a few months now. I know everyones heard this complaint before: Love the monofin but the footpockets are really, really uncomfortable. The footpockets seem like they are long enough, I think it's more compression vertically. Not only do they start to really hurt after max 10-15mins, but if I try to keep wearing them longer than that they can start cutting off the circulation in a significant way, particularly if swimming in colder water. I've persisted with them thinking they should start improving but they're only very slightly better than when I got them. I've tried stretching them, but I gather by their design, they're probably not meant to be stretched so that's not working out too well. Anyone got any thoughts on ways to stretch footpockets or otherwise make the waterways a little more comfortable? Or do you just have to perservere with them :/
Thanks

 

[Tony Babowicz]

I have a model 1 that used to be torture on my feet. I use a lube (liquid soap) and that helps. The more I use it, the better it feels. I don't think it will ever feel good though. I was given some advice from a very accomplished finswimmer about footpocket comfort. If you can identify where the pocket is too tight, soften the footpocket slightly with hot (not too hot) water and stretch that area with a tennis ball or similar object.
I also have a waterway glide that is also extremely tight.
With either fin, The most I can use them is about 15 minutes before my feet get sore.

 

[Jacblue]

Hi Tony, thanks for the help
I've been using soap with it, that does help a bit. Haven't tried using hot water with trying to stretch it. I think I'll give that a go.

 

[Stuart]

Silicone grease as used by divers can be even better. I use it on my mono (and my foot pockets are ridicuously tight) and can get it on and off in the sea time after time as this doesn't wash off like soap. It also helps with a little movement. If its for the pool though conditioner or similar will be fine.

 

[Jacblue]

Alright thanks, that's good to know. Always fun trying to get the monofin back on easily after the soap's washed off.

 

[ahofbauer]

Hi People!

The problem is old.
You buy a Fin, mostly from a supplier
in another country...far away.

The fin seems to fit well...at Your office.
That changes after 10 to 15 mins in the water.

Some adaptations are required:
In order to stretch the footpockets of my Specialfins
Flyer, I had to thin the material in a controllble fashion.
Since there is no easy way to do that, if You´re working
on the thickness of the material... the only way is the
removal of material by the means of holes.





I began with smaller holes and increased their size until
accomplishing the desired softness.
(Take a pencil an draw a triangular matrix first)

The tools I used is a selection of small metal pipes an a hammer.
The ends of the pipes have been ground to get a cutting edge.
Always put a piece of wood inside the footpocket to absorb the blow.

 

[Jacblue]

Wow that's getting really keen! I think I'd have to put the holes along a large proportion of the foot pocket, a little concerned that might decrease the strength of the footpocket material too much. If it's done like yours though, it looks like it may be an interesting idea

 

[Tony Babowicz]

Wow that's getting really keen! I think I'd have to put the holes along a large proportion of the foot pocket, a little concerned that might decrease the strength of the footpocket material too much. If it's done like yours though, it looks like it may be an interesting idea

Yes, the model 1 footpockets are different than Omer footpockets. According to the finswimmers that I know, it should fit very tight on the top and bottom of your foot. Otherwise, you will lose the effectiveness of the fin.
Something else that I did not mention in my first reply. When I first got my model 1 it hurts so bad that I almost gave it away. A friend of mine with bigger feet put it on and swam about 50m with it and after that, it felt much better. I had to stay out of the pool for about 2 months for a surgery and when I put the fin back on, I had the same pain. Instead of soap, I used hair conditioner in the footpockets which does not wash off as fast as soap. This allowed my feet to moved slightly when kicking, and although it was less of a kick, I was able to keep my feet in for longer. Now, after about a month, I can put my fin on with just a little soap and water and I can use it for almost one hour.

 

[ahofbauer]

Hi there!

One hour sounds like too short a time!
I happen to live on the mexican high plateau,
at some 2300 metres above sea level.
When I manage to go diving, I try to be in the liquid
element for as long as possible.
Four to six hours a day are the rule (even more, sometimes).
Therefore, "fin surgery" is the only option.

You begin with a triangular matrix and make one hole at each
intersection. Then You try Your fin (for a good while).
If it still doesn´t stretch enough, You proceed to redo
the holes in a slightly bigger diameter.
While the holes grow and the "bridges" of rubber between them
shrink, Your footpockets get softer, stretchier.

The same is also true for stereofins, but in this case it is
of paramount importance to identify Your fins from the
very beginning as "right" and "left".

Another modification I did at the same footpockets and
that is almost invisible is the removal of the thicker rim material
surrounding the opening in the footpocket.
There is even a third mod: I had to lower the outside
lateral portion of the opening to make space for
the protruding bone on the ankle.

 

[Stuart]

Wow! 4-6 hours is impressive. I guess I'm much more focussed on target dives, so any more than two hours and I've lost it. I reckon usually for a good hour in the water. I will take my heel straps off between target dives to keeep it easy on my feet.

 

[Tony Babowicz]

I guess the question is whether you will use your monofin for recreational diving or for training/competition. Personally, I would not use either of my monofins for recreational diving. I have my longblades for that. I use my monofins in the pool very often. I don't know if my abdominals and back can handle more than an hour of monofin training.
So yes, if you are using a monofin for recreation, than comfort is probably most important. If you are using a monofin for competitive freediving or finswimming, than you will most likely have to deal with some foot discomfort to gain greater performance.

 

[TimoP]

So yes, if you are using a monofin for recreation, than comfort is probably most important. If you are using a monofin for competitive freediving or finswimming, than you will most likely have to deal with some foot discomfort to gain greater performance.

That's the point. It's not fun if you try to dive hours in open water with uncomfortable footpockets. And it's not a good thing to be in a finswimming or a freediving competition with a monofin which has not very effective power transmission. Many finswimmers use so thight footpockets, that they can use their competition fin maybe max 15 mins, and that is time enough for them to do a finswim performance in a competition.

Many have done this same thing as I have: It's very easy to make the rubber in footpockets thinner and more flexible with a sandpaper or with a minidrill abrasive tool. Do it to inside of footpocket and be careful if you use some machine (don't take too much rubber off). The idea is the same as when doing the holes in the upper side of the footpocket. But I haven't seen this kind on holes before.... for me it's seems to be quite a many holes in these pictures (far too many or big for a normal situation, I think).
The holes are maybe not the best thing for hydrodynamic, but that's more important for competitive freedivers. But as said, comfortable footpockets are essential for recreation freediving, so the holes are maybe a good new idea for that purpose!

 

[ahofbauer]

Hi Tony,

As an answer, especially to the question of exhausting
the abdominal and back musculature...

If You are able to swim a lot of hours at a time, Your
body learns how to move in an energy-efficient way.
That is something You will never learn if You do only
short swims.

The trick is to flow through the water, not to struggle
against it.
This method has proven to be very effective, so far.

Nowadays, I´m swimming in a much smarter way,
using less power to accomplish much more.

Who is my teacher? My monofin!

 

[Jacblue]

Thanks for the help everyone Tried some monofin modifications with hotwater, tennis balls and conditioner the other day. After the 1st attempt at that, it's still not great, but it's definately better than what it was. Will try stretching it a bit more that way and see how it goes.

 

[TimoP]

I tried silicon spray inside footpockets. And yes, it was better than soap or even hair conditioner. In fact, silicon is elsewhere widely applied for keeping rubber in good condition and get more durability and flexibility. You don't need put silicon everytime, maybe twice a month is enough. If you glue something, silicon must be removed from surface with a solvent. So it's better not to put silicon in monofin's seams, where maybe you need to use glue one day.

Normally I use a sock in footpockets. In open water 3-5 mm neopren sock, and in a pool thin sock, even a suitable thin normal sock. So it's more comfortable (and in openwater warmer) than without a sock.

Maybe this helps also:
At home put hair conditioner which includes silicon (or first bare silicon and then hair conditioner if needed) to footpockets. Put on very thick slippery socks, or many socks, where the uppermost is slippery, and put you feet to foot pockets. Yes, it hurts maybe a little, but your footpockets strech just suitable to your feet. Do this several times, stop before it hurts too much. Test with normal style in water after that. And next the time same thing again. I think after 2-3 times you'll feel the difference.

 

[Grant Smith]

Hey Guys,
Anyone got any thoughts on ways to stretch footpockets or otherwise make the waterways a little more comfortable? Or do you just have to perservere with them

The holes and grinding to thin the pocket sound like workable solutions. However, you may want to consider a chemical solution in addition to the heat and strech mechanical solution.
Some rubber will soften and swell when exposed to petrolum products. You probably have a silicone material. Perhaps if you wrote Dow Chemical or a similar company they could suggest a chemical that would increse the elasticity without requiring the removal of material and therefore weaken the fin pocket.

 

[Jacblue]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for all the help, very glad I asked here . The hot water, conditioner, tennis ball combination seems to be working surprisingly well so far. I think it'll take a few more treatments but already I've doubled the amount of time I can wear the fin relatively comfortably, so I'll perservere with that for a while and see if it'll get there. Have had a couple of people recomend silicon, it sounds like a good idea, have to see if I can get my hands on some. If all else fails could try asking places like Dow chemicals about it.

 

[TimoP]

Sounds good, I think you can get your monofin easily even more comfortable in time being.

You can get a silicon spray from a car parts store, a gas station or a big store, where there is something for cars. You can get Technisub's silicon tube for rubber from diving stores. Both are about 5 €/5 US$ each.

 

[Jon]

Just make sure you buy water based silicone- or your foot pockets will dissolve in front of you in no time at all.

Jon

 

[Jacblue]

Great, There's a few diving stores in the area, I'll try them