Review of Waterway Glide fin.

[PoseidonSv]

I was to the local monofin shop in my town today.

Strange I have not gotten around to doing that before I know....

I had some nice conversation with the owner and we tlaked about monofin advancements in design and differences between a monifin swimming competitors need and a recreational freediver.

Anyway I was mindly allowed to borrow a Waterway Glide Monofin and it was really good to be able to try out how the footpockets are and feel since this has been the achilles heel of me builing a more advanced monofin.

The fin I have since before is a FInis Competior that had a model1 Medium blade made by Waterway on them in glasfiber.

The fin i was allowed to borrow for testing is a new Waterway Glide fin with black blade and handmade footpocket used for setting some records by the storeowner himself at a finswimming competition.

The footpocket is ordered to size and also the footlength is indicated on the fin. My footsice is something like 42.5 european and lenght measured from foot heel to toestip is exactly 26.5 cm.

The monofin is called Glide 238 and made for 290mm feet said to be 43-44.

The thing is that this is indication more suited for finswimmers wearing the fin for some minute for competition and for me this footpocket fits very snug and stable and i used some soap to try it on my bare feet.

For test i also had my truste 4mm neoprene socks and after testing it barefoot i thought it would no way be possible to fit with the neoprene socks in the footpocket.

Just to try i wetted the feet again with the socks on and put some soap on them, to my surprise the fins fitted still and now i got worried they would start to feel bad after some time.

To my surprise they hurt less than the Finis monofin pocket that i think is less hurting than the older trusted waterway footpocket more commonly used.

i will take the fins to the pool for some sessions and if you like i can write a report and tell you how they are.

I am also not selling any monofins and have no special price for buying waterway monofins.

I can also post some detial photos it there is some interrest in this.

 

[OceanMan]

I am interested in reports & photos. Go for it mate !

 

[Jon]

I heard that the rubber on that fin compresses quite a bit for constant ballast dives. How did it work for dynamic?

Jon

 

[perow1]

I heard that the rubber on that fin compresses quite a bit for constant ballast dives. How did it work for dynamic?

The dynamic is one of it´s strengths. In my opinion theres only a handful of fins that is as good or better to use for dynamic.

 

[PoseidonSv]

The wings on the sides have neoprene rubber under then so this will compress like an wetsuit does but since it has not so much material there it can not be a big factor.

 

[PoseidonSv]

Some quick photos:

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091753.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091803.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091812.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091821.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091828.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091835.jpg

http://www.dykarna.nu/photos/original/177020070208091842.jpg

 

[mgm]

Yes! I'm also very interested in a review!
Thanks for the pics. The colour is .... sweet! ;-))

Have fun with the fin!

 

[PoseidonSv]

One thing i noticed when trying it on once again this morning in the shower was that when i stretch my feet the fin is completely parallel with the blade, with the FINIS Competitor i have since before i would need to bend the knees since i can not bend the ankle enought to line the fin with the legs and body.
Also the foorpockets are really formed like a left and right shoe and there is no problem with the toes this far.

I tried it on with my 4mm Socks this morning and it fits very tight howerer not unbarable tight.

The optimal will be a smoothskin outside sock with nylon fabric on inside then soap the foot and the inside of footpocket and they will just pop on the feet.

the heel straps are much better than ines i seen before and they really have the best contour and width for the heel.

When bending the blade to feel the pressure on the underside of the feet the uncomfortable feeling of the blade end pushing into the underfootcavity is not there but the force is gradualy evened out on the underside of the foot.

if you have questions please ask now since I have it available til monday.

 

[PoseidonSv]

I discussed with the seller some funny thing i noticed, freedivers ask for what colour the footpocket will have and the blade but pure monofinswimmers just only ask for performance and not the looks.

I asked if it is possible to buy it with only black rubber for the covering and that is possible however the deliverytime might be longer because they seem to do batches in the same coulour at a certain time.

Maybe we freedivers look to be chic more than others....

 

[PoseidonSv]

I tried the fin in the pool for second time today.

It is easier to use it second time around and feels much easier to swim with.

I noticed if i try to power it and swim fast i get burning feeling in the lungs very fast if i use moderate power the fin goes much better and alsmost swims itself.

I have the size 43-44 290mm but i have feet of 265mm and size 42.

I think even the bigger sice would work better for me lik the next step of 45-47 since i like it to be not so tight and to be able to put it on with some thin neoprene socks. would be nice to be able to use it outdoors also.

The footpocket i have is without any neoprene padding on the inside on the upper part for the foot.

The blade is mudium for medium distance but i fin it a litte hard for apnea underwaterswimming since i can kick it hard and get alot of speed but i would rather like to have it softer so i could do more flowing kicking and not like what is best with this. Now i kick feel the acceleration then i glide and need to kick again so speed goes up and bleeds of and to counter this i have to make not so deep kicks and kick quite often.
For dynamic breath hold finswimming underwater or for longer distances i would like it to be softer for a more flowing undulating feeling.

So the ideal choice to order would be this.

I would like to have all the outer rubber in black natural rubber and not mix of flesh-beige and black colour.
The blade should be Glassfiber in black colour.
Size should be 45-47.
The stiffned should be softer than the Medium distance blade maybe a long distace blade.

I should ask if Waterway can do this fin and I think it would be the best monofin possible for recreation freediving or for long distance dynamic competition even.

It actualy also was possible to take of the fin in the water rest the feet then put them on in the water, it took some wiggeling of the feet to get them in position but it is possible.

 

[Kars]

Thanks Poseidon Sv, nice review, good photo's too.
Perhabs add your report to the 'advanced monofins' tread?

Love Peace and Water,

Kars

 

[PoseidonSv]

Some reflections now on the fin.

I have ordered this fin now with the long distance stiffness of the blade and the pink will be in black instead (yes call me vain).

Will be interresting to make a followup on this report later.


As a note i must say that this kind of footpocket works not only for the advanced freediver or finswimmer but works nice for easy recreational freediving also, once you tried it yourself and have been able to compare it to an older design monofin you will never want to go back.

I will order he next bigger footpocketsize also and see how it behaves with 2mm neoprene socks in them also.