I just got my monofin in this week! I'm not sure that I'm kicking correctly. Is the technique used in Ted's video pretty much the correct form? It appears that bending the knees with a slight body movenment works best. I know that my hamsting cramped up after just a few laps. I really need to get my legs in better shape.
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Ted's Wings Nemo Monofin Review - Ongoing
- Thread starterunirdna
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
I wouldn't use my technique as the one to study. I know that I'm not as efficient as most (but, it's what works for me). Take a look at a pro:
Martin Štìpánek - gallery & fun
Martin Štìpánek - gallery & fun
They say you should try to lock your legs. However - when I lock my legs they pretty much do actually lock - which leaves me twitching like a sea-monkey. I've noticed in the vertical there is a tendancy for a little more knee action - which is confirmed even by Martin's video. The horizontal plane seems to be where you can work on minimizing knee flex. To date this seems to produce a higher frequency kick - with dubious energy results (conclusions pending at my getting MUCH better with the monofin). With the short stroke though I can see how a stiffer fin would be appealing (mine is also soft).
Initially I had quite a bit of foot pain - but only when stationary on the surface. I concluded that my feet were carrying a bunch of extra tension trying to fight eachother due to bi-fin habituation.
Foot pain is gone completely now and Last weekend is the most comfortable I've felt yet in it. Glided up eyeball to eyeball with a sleeping bass so maybe theres hope for using the mono for pictures too.
Initially I had quite a bit of foot pain - but only when stationary on the surface. I concluded that my feet were carrying a bunch of extra tension trying to fight eachother due to bi-fin habituation.
Foot pain is gone completely now and Last weekend is the most comfortable I've felt yet in it. Glided up eyeball to eyeball with a sleeping bass so maybe theres hope for using the mono for pictures too.
It seems that Martin is barely bending his knees and doing a short snap kick. I have the softer mono, but I agree a stiffer one would be a little better for depth
I haven't much experience with monofins - but I will say this soft one has substantially more oomf than my bi-fins (omer millenium runners and ice fins) yet is quite comfortable over the long haul. With a stiff fin my concern would be foot stress - particularly as I'm getting used ot it.
Compaired with the videos I've seen of competitive monofin swimmers Martin still has substantial knee flex - I agree he does put a little snap on the end - which is where the optimal leverage is.
Compaired with the videos I've seen of competitive monofin swimmers Martin still has substantial knee flex - I agree he does put a little snap on the end - which is where the optimal leverage is.
Hi guys. Thanks Unirdna and Jon for sharing the experiences. I've been thinking about getting the Nemo as my first mono but cant decide between the soft or the medium. Ill probably do most of my swimming in the Pool, some in the ocean and Im 6ft 87kgs. Strong quads but weak ankles.... Oh and zero technique at this point.
Any advice would be appreciated
Any advice would be appreciated
I am so glad to have found this thread! My parents want to purchase me the Nemo Wing for a Christmas present but they don't know anything about monofins so they told me to order it. But I'm not sure what stiffness I should get, I got a hard blade with my Finis monofin and I want to get a hard blade with the nemo but I'm not sure. I'm going to be using it for a mixture of deep diving, scuba, and long distance. I don't believe I have any technique or capability problems either.
Please get back to me, I'm always nervous when making big dollar decisions.
Please get back to me, I'm always nervous when making big dollar decisions.
In a pinch - go with medium.
I've owned two of these - one on it's second- another on it's third owner - one of my dive buddies just bought one and is very happy with it.
Mine were soft and hard - I liked them both and couldn't say one over the other.
I think it is one of the sturdiest and most cost effective fins on the market.
A soft blade is very nice for recreational diving.
If you get it from performance freediving they will help you with sizing and stiffness.
I've owned two of these - one on it's second- another on it's third owner - one of my dive buddies just bought one and is very happy with it.
Mine were soft and hard - I liked them both and couldn't say one over the other.
I think it is one of the sturdiest and most cost effective fins on the market.
A soft blade is very nice for recreational diving.
If you get it from performance freediving they will help you with sizing and stiffness.
Im in the process of selling my nemo wings. Id have to say it was a good fin to begin with. It is very durable and comfortable. But since doing my monofin course and trying a few other fins, I realized I needed a fin with more angle and the traditional open heel footpockets.
I am looking at the waterway glide now, with my interests more in depth attempts and dynamics.
But to answer your question, I was quite happy with the stiffness of the soft. It never felt too wobbly, no v-bend and lots of thrust. I did find the foot pocket a wee bit large, and am wearing 3mm socks in the size that was supposed to fit me.
The guys at Performance freediving were very helpful and quick with the delivery.
Good luck.
I am looking at the waterway glide now, with my interests more in depth attempts and dynamics.
But to answer your question, I was quite happy with the stiffness of the soft. It never felt too wobbly, no v-bend and lots of thrust. I did find the foot pocket a wee bit large, and am wearing 3mm socks in the size that was supposed to fit me.
The guys at Performance freediving were very helpful and quick with the delivery.
Good luck.
Not to hijack - Qai - take a look at the Starfins thread. I've owned several hypers and this the first one that was perfectly sized and tuned. Build quality is the best I've seen.
I also love my Tropol - which is an incredibly durable fin. It is quite heavy however - and you cannot get custom sizes or angles.
I agree that more blade angle is helpful - but it is not the holy grail. After I had my nemo for about a year I got some coaching from Pete Scott www.seahiker.com (laminar here on DB) and suddenly I was surfacing probably 30% past my planned spots with my Nemo. If the Tropol was not such a sturdy fin I would still own one. I could actually step into and out of that fin - which is a huge help when you are wearing the fin in cold water.
I also love my Tropol - which is an incredibly durable fin. It is quite heavy however - and you cannot get custom sizes or angles.
I agree that more blade angle is helpful - but it is not the holy grail. After I had my nemo for about a year I got some coaching from Pete Scott www.seahiker.com (laminar here on DB) and suddenly I was surfacing probably 30% past my planned spots with my Nemo. If the Tropol was not such a sturdy fin I would still own one. I could actually step into and out of that fin - which is a huge help when you are wearing the fin in cold water.
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jknrby- if you had a finis competitor fin its the exact same blade as the nemo--waterway makes both blades--the nemo just has an inch shaved of the end-the competitor or model 1 type grippes the blade further in and feels stiiffer than the nemo which the pocketsa kind of hang off the edge and feels softer I like soft blades on my tropol and glide but the soft on my nemo seems a bit week I would have gone with a medium on that one if I had it to do over again, qai- I own a glide and a tropol both perform about the same but the tropol I can wear for hours, the glide only about 20min
What do you all think about the leaderfins Hyper? Im going to get a chance to try one out and buy it if it works, so I was curious how it compared to some of the other fins out there... Fondueset, monkeyhatfork you guys have any experience with them?
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