Monofin for beginner (finswimming/ freediving)

[Orlando87Miller]

Hi,
My name is Orlando.
I'm going to buy my first Monofin.
I will use it mainly for Finswimming (training for sprint)
and some Freediving.

I am a athletic swimmer with a good experience in dolphin kick.

My question is which monofin is good for me.
I am thinking about
-waterway model 1 or nemo
-leaderfins hyper
-triton delfin
- or your suggestion

What is your oppinion about that and do you have experience with any of them?

I am looking forward for your reply!

Thanks,
Orlando

 

[HLanger1955]

I had a bad experience with a fiber glass leaderfin (was very comfortable, but broke at the angle) I now use a carbon MAS MAT (Italian brand). I'd really prefer a carbon fin, which comes with a higher price, however. I'm not so tall (176/65) so I opted for a soft mono ; it is light and pretty comfortable, which is a critical issue for me during free diving.

 

[Orlando87Miller]

Thanks for the reply!

I won't buy a leaderfin hyper. I want something durable.

I read a lot of threads, and i'm now pretty sure with Waterway model 1. Sounds to be indestructible.

I will use it in hot water, so i dont need neopren socks.
Shell i buy in my exact foot size or a bit bigger?

 

[HLanger1955]

Thanks for the reply!

I won't buy a leaderfin hyper. I want something durable.

I read a lot of threads, and i'm now pretty sure with Waterway model 1. Sounds to be indestructible.

I will use it in hot water, so i dont need neopren socks.
Shell i buy in my exact foot size or a bit bigger?

I prefer to use tight footpockets, so my feet do not move in the pockets and do not get itchy. Perhaps a matter of taste, however...

 

[Apneaddict]

A model 1 has no angle, is uncomfortable and doesn't have great stability because there are no wings

It's light, durable (for a FG fin) and inexpensive though.

 

[Orlando87Miller]

Ah Ok.

So which monofin do you suggest me?

 

[HLanger1955]

A model 1 has no angle, is uncomfortable and doesn't have great stability because there are no wings

It's light, durable (for a FG fin) and inexpensive though.

Hmm, at the beginning I feelt indeed difficulties to controll my MAT MAS, which is soft and light but has no wings. After some excercise things improved, however. Personallt I'd distrust an FG with angle, because it may break right there - seems a matter of physics to me..

 

[Orlando87Miller]

Does anyone have experience with ordering from the waterway homepage directly?
Do i need to pay additional tax?

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Moved to the Freediving Monofin forum.

 

[Polarbear]

A model 1 has no angle, is uncomfortable and doesn't have great stability because there are no wings

It's light, durable (for a FG fin) and inexpensive though.

I wish someone had said that sooner.
The stability isnt much of an issue, that just takes practice.
But it is basicly useless to me because my feet always cramp up within 3 minutes with thin socks (the water is far too cold w/o socks), and within 10 minutes barefoot in the pool (I dislike the pool after spending so much time in the ocean).

 

[Apneaddict]

I wish someone had said that sooner.

Ummm... I did. In May.. ???

 

[Polarbear]

I meant before I ordered one. There was no indication during my research that it may always make my feet cramp up so quickly as to be useless.

 

[Apneaddict]

You can try using it with regular socks.. Or barefoot and cut the toes off of 3 or 5mm socks and wear them as "oversocks" to keep your feet warm.

Pull them up to your ankles before putting your fin on, pull hem down to cover your feet.

Worth a shot!

 

[Kars]

To Polarbear,

For a model 1 you can adjust the backstrap, and or buy a new footpocket and repace the tight one. Footpockets come in 3 rubber hardness levels too. For less cramping a harder rubber compound and bigger size in combination with socks (to spread out the pressure).

With your current foot pockets, you can use thick plastic and soap. The plastic stops aberration, while not inducing no extra pressure, like thick neoprene does.

To Orlando,

You're asking an impossible combination of sprinting and freediving fin.
Since you do a majority of sprinting, buy a fin for that first.
If you're on a tight budget, and it's just for training, buy either a Waterway classic model 2 hard, or a model 3 hard. Model number relates to surface area, which relates to your weight, size, and strength.
If you have a bigger budget, buy a 'hyperfin' model, maybe go with Alex's : http://starfins.com/eng/products/15/
For sprint people want a hard blade and tight footpockets (15-30 minutes), for freediving you want a medium or medium soft blade with comfortable (2+ hours) footpockets.

 

[Polarbear]

Quite helpful.
First, I tried using buckles and straps to make the fins adjustable. That was a bad idea, monofins are too touchy for that. I removed all that and glued it back together. Then I cut down the top of the foot pockets and added half inch peices of rubber. I adjusted the strap as far as I could then glued rubber to the outside b/c it needed support. I glued rubber under my foot arches to try to stop cramping. The rubber under my arches probably isnt stiff enough. I could try lycra arch support.

 

[Kars]

I believe supporting the heels helps.

To this classic fin I have, I've inlaid the soles of a pair of firm bath slippers. Now my whole foot is supported, albeit a a fair bit tighter. But I've got flat feet and they are flexible enough.