Short Fin?

[JCooke]

I'm looking for a smaller (prefer more soft) fin for small shallow lakes and maneuverability much like the fins you find at local high school pools that will also fit a 3-5mm sock. My foot is a 11-11.5 US. I have tried ordering a 10-13 rubber fin(19$ unit) 3mm will fit but not the 5mm,I'm in cold water would prefer a little more sock. The long fins are a little difficult to cutter corners and require to much strength for me right now, less power works better for me at this time I seem to have better down time with the smaller fin. I would be up to cutting down a long fin but not sure if (whatever brand) will be soft enough in the cold water(48-52 deg).

Thanks for any help
Jason

 

[DRW]

I've snorkelled with all-rubber full-foot fins since the early 1960s and I wouldn't snorkel with any other kind of fins because they suit the gentle style of snorkelling I prefer. The rubber fins you describe sound like swim training fins manufactured in the Far East in countries such as Malaysia and Taiwan. Malaysian-made fin sizes in particular tend to run small and you might be better ordering an even larger size than you have to accommodate the extra sock thickness. This shouldn't present a problem because US swim supply stores stock fins up to size 17. Here's one source, Sprint Aquatics:

sprintaquatics-SPRINT FLOATING FINS

As for short-bladed fins, the same company retails Vertex fins in the same big size range:

sprintaquatics-SPRINT VERTEX II TRAINING FINS
I've tried both pairs when snorkelling and found them comfortable to wear with soft, flexible blades. My current favourites are Mexican-made Escualos, whose foot pockets are high, broad and long enough to accommodate my bulky US size 12 sock-clad feet.

Around eighty different all-rubber full-foot fins designs are currently in production worldwide, although some are harder to get hold of than others.

 

[hteas]

Hi Jason,

Call me at home or pm me and we can talk about alternatives, as well as getting together to try some of my experiments.

have you been out hunting pike yet?

Howard

 

[JCooke]

Havent been out yet Howard, just picked up a sit-on-top kayak for the lakes around here. Almost all geared up. Finding a generic rubber fin like the jpgs posted in a black that will stay on with a sock is a little challenging but I have faith.

Jason

 

[JCooke]

I guess the next option is "What is the softest long fin, full foot pocket, available that could be cut down". That would resemble a rubber training fin? I dont have a store in Alaska to test fins like I would like.

Thank you
Jason

 

[DRW]

Am I right, Jason, in assuming that you are after something resembling the longer Sprint floating fins, whose picture I posted, but in black with a similar long size range? If so, there are still a couple of options available. I've conducted research over recent years into the supply of all-rubber swim fins.

Kiefer Rubber Fins: $21.95, sizes up to 17

http://www.kiefer.com/GroupDetails/SubGroupResults.aspx?gid={a7ff299f-86a0-428c-b88c-9aceb4650287}&SearchType=_GROUP_SEARCH&GroupName=Kiefer+Fins&

Mares Corda Rubber Full Foot Fins: $34.95, sizes up to 15

Mares Corda Full Foot Fins 496007 with reviews at scuba.com

The Kiefers will be made in Malaysia, while the Cordas are sturdier and made in the West, hence the price difference. There are a few more rubber full-foot options around in black, e.g. the Mexican-made Escualos I currently use, but they are much harder to source than the two models I've posted above, which can be ordered online.

By the way, here's an image from a Korean site illustrating the process of trimming rubber fin blades:

 

[JCooke]

That looks perfect!

Thanks Jason