Stretching Pathos Footpockets

[FreeDivingJake]

Hi all,
I recently started diving with a carbon blade/ pathos footpocket combination. The footpockets are too low in the toe area and I've heard about heating them up and stretching them that way. I'm a little concerned considering heat guns, even on a low setting, can melt things. Obviously the aim is not to melt the pocket, so I would think holding the heat gun directly over the pocket for a long period of time is out of the question. I realize this post may be considered a stupid question, but I'd rather ask a stupid question than ruin my footpockets. Does anyone have any experience with this? Suggestions? Any help is appreciated. I just know that if I ruin the footpockets, the whole blade is done too because they're glued together.

Jake

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Jake, I think we discussed this in PMs, but I don't blame you for seeking a second opinion. I was very reluctant to do it myself.

But anyway, here is what I did. I usually wear a 4 mm bootie, so I put a 2 mm bootie over the 4 mm and jammed my foot in. Then I used the heat gun on low setting (I've been told that a hair dryer works too) and ran the hot air over the toe area until I could barely feel the warmth. Then I left my foot in until it cooled down. I can't tell you exactly how long I heated it or how hot it got, but of course caution is recommended. You can always try it again if you don't stretch it enough the first time. But on the other hand, as long as you don't totally melt the plastic, I would think that its not going to stretch more than the pressure inside asks it too.

It worked fine for me. Now I have custom left and right pockets. I just need to mark then so that I don't have to look through the pockets and see which side is deeper. And since lately I've had trips in which all three guys on my boat had Moana fins with Pathos pockets, marking them with my name would avoid confusion.

 

[landshark sa]

Hi Jake,

My Pathos foot pockets (paired with Moana blades) were also a bit too tight over the bridge and toes. As it was not really super tight I used my normal dive sock and a hair dryer to soften the rubber. While warming the foot pocket I flexed my foot / toes until it felt comfortable then poured cold water onto the pocket, again while flexing my foot as much as possible.

Since then they fit perfectly and are for sure the best fins I have ever owned.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Bill - I believe we did talk about it. I wanted to hear what some other people were doing also. Whether they were using a hair dryer, heat guns, hot water, etc... I'm just worried about melting my footpocket... That would not be good.

Landshark - Thanks for the reply. That seems like a good way to do it too. I have a heat gun so I might just do that.. But then again I really don't want to melt my footpockets. The footpockets were fine until yesterday. Yesterday they hurt my toes really bad for some reason. Maybe because I was wearing a thinner sock with it? No idea..

Jake

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Update - So I attempted to stretch the pockets a bit, using a hair dryer. I believe it worked. I'll post a few pics and see if you guys think it raised. I couldn't really tell by just having my foot in them due to the fact that I don't remember what it feels like not raised (if it has actually stretched). If this doesn't work I'll have to resort to the heat gun because the pockets numb my toes after about an hour. Let me know of any suggestions you might have.

Jake

 

[Apneaddict]

I haven't used a heat gun, but mine stretched out / custom fit to my feet just by wearing them.

I have a dedicated left and right fin now... Even without external heat.

If I swap them around (accidentally or on purpose)... They will feel tight again and uncomfortable for longer periods.

Perhaps this is a contributing factor as to why suddenly they felt tight.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Hi Apneaadict,
I believe you're correct. My toes were numb and before that didn't happen. Now that I've heat molded them a bit I can tell which one is which by the water channeling rails (because of the way they were packaged and shipped one of the rails is bent inwards a little).

Jake

 

[georgez]

Sorry for the off-topic but I'm really glad to know that Pathos made a product that reflects greek innovation all around the world.

...Yes, I'm Greek!!

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Sorry for the off-topic but I'm really glad to know that Pathos made a product that reflects greek innovation all around the world.

...Yes, I'm Greek!!

I thought maybe Greeks had thinner metatarsal heads and toes.

Maybe I should mention one oddity in case it saves confusion. The maker of Moana fins, JD, sent me two sizes to try on and then return the one that didn't fit. As with most pockets, the Pathos pockets were marked with Euro sizes and US sizes, The 44-46 were 10-11.5, and the 46-48 were 8.5-10. So as the Euro size got larger, the US size got smaller. The Euro size was obviously correct, but I emailed JD and asked him what was going on. He said something like "that's the Greeks for you."

 

[georgez]

I thought maybe Greeks had thinner metatarsal heads and toes.

Maybe I should mention one oddity in case it saves confusion. The maker of Moana fins, JD, sent me two sizes to try on and then return the one that didn't fit. As with most pockets, the Pathos pockets were marked with Euro sizes and US sizes, The 44-46 were 10-11.5, and the 46-48 were 8.5-10. So as the Euro size got larger, the US size got smaller. The Euro size was obviously correct, but I emailed JD and asked him what was going on. He said something like "that's the Greeks for you."

So we are innovating with mistakes too!

No seriously now, Pathos Sub is a relatively new company and perhaps it's still too early to have a standardized quality control in its line of production with that kind of growth!

 

[landshark sa]

Update - So I attempted to stretch the pockets a bit, using a hair dryer. I believe it worked. I'll post a few pics and see if you guys think it raised. I couldn't really tell by just having my foot in them due to the fact that I don't remember what it feels like not raised (if it has actually stretched). If this doesn't work I'll have to resort to the heat gun because the pockets numb my toes after about an hour. Let me know of any suggestions you might have.

Jake

Mine were the same, I could not really visually notice the difference so didn't bother to mark them left and right. After the first dive they felt more or less the same as before I heated them so I thought that it didn't have much effect.

Once I got back to the boat I swapped them around just to test and felt a big difference upon the next dive, MUCH more comfortable, so I marked them foot specific and haven’t had any issues since.

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Thanks landshark,
Much appreciated. I heated them and marked the L and R after I tried them on both feet to figure out which is more comfortable on which.

Jake

 

[kkdavids]

we have all sizes in both the standard and softs if anyone wants to try them...also a little size chart we knocked together -
Size Options

36-38 – 232mm x 94mm

38-40 – 242mm x 96mm

40-42 – 255mm x 98mm

42-44 – 265mm x 100mm

44-46 – 280mm x 100mm

46-48 – 290mm x 103mm

48-50 – 300mm x 105mm

Width, measured from widest point (all internal measurements)

 

[devo49]

we have all sizes in both the standard and softs if anyone wants to try them...also a little size chart we knocked together -
Size Options

36-38 – 232mm x 94mm

38-40 – 242mm x 96mm

40-42 – 255mm x 98mm

42-44 – 265mm x 100mm

44-46 – 280mm x 100mm

46-48 – 290mm x 103mm

48-50 – 300mm x 105mm

Width, measured from widest point (all internal measurements)

Hi KKDavids, what's the difference between the standard and the soft? Is the soft stretchier? It's the width of the Pathos I'm worried about. I've been using Imersions and enjoy the width but I find the heel section too soft and flabby without fin keepers (which are a pain). The Pathos, according to that chart seem really narrow. Technically I'm a size 43 in shoes but when I measured my foot it's 110mm across (without socks). I can't believe even the 48-50 Pathos would be too small (and too big everywhere else)

 

[FreeDivingJake]

Hi KKDavids, what's the difference between the standard and the soft? Is the soft stretchier? It's the width of the Pathos I'm worried about. I've been using Imersions and enjoy the width but I find the heel section too soft and flabby without fin keepers (which are a pain). The Pathos, according to that chart seem really narrow. Technically I'm a size 43 in shoes but when I measured my foot it's 110mm across (without socks). I can't believe even the 48-50 Pathos would be too small (and too big everywhere else)

Pathos aren't narrow at all. Most shoe stores can't find a shoe wide enough for me and Pathos fit me like a glove. You'll be fine.


Jake

 

[kkdavids]

Pathos are quite wide, note these are internal measurements without any foot inside stretching them. Soft has a slightly softer compound but the difference isn't huge. Also the side bars are slightly softer so they work well with soft blades.


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[devo49]

Pathos are quite wide, note these are internal measurements without any foot inside stretching them. Soft has a slightly softer compound but the difference isn't huge. Also the side bars are slightly softer so they work well with soft blades.


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Thanks. You'll probably be hearing from me with an order in the not too distant future.

 

[kkdavids]

Sounds good! ;0)


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[Agostino]

Can you make them more fitted rather than stretched? If so, how ?
Thank you

 

[jonnismith11]

Much appreciated. I heated them and marked the L and R after I tried them on both feet to figure out which is more comfortable on which.