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Waterway Nemo: which blade-stiffness to choose?

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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M

Mike-Freestyle

New Member
Feb 20, 2012
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Hello all you experienced monofinners.
I am new to monofin-swimming and I'm going to order a "Waterway Nemo Freediver Wing" in shoesize L EU (41-43) since I read so much good in here about this classic-style fin and that it's a pretty comfortable fin as well.

The only thing I am not sure about is about what blade-stiffness I should order the fin in. I read some comment somewhere stating that this fin in hard (3) is much to hard, and that even medium (2) seems to be hard for a Nr.2-fin.

So I can't make up my mind between a Soft (1) and a Medium (2).
I am an experienced freestyle swimmer but I'm new to monofinning. I will use this fin mostly in the pool but also outdoors from time to time, on the watersurface and underwater (as soon as my breath holding power will go up...). I don't plan to do any monofin-competitions in the future and will use the monofin only for pure enjoyment and to play around under water like a dolphin. When using the fin on the surface I want to use it to learn the correct dolphin movement and to get some abdominal-workout as well. I still want to feel as much flexible and agile as a dolphin as possible.

Can anybody help me and give me his advice or even his experience with this particular fin from Waterway?
That would be great I hope get some tipps.
Thanks a lot in advance,
Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Welcome to Deeperblue!

Use the search function there is already so much good and interesting information on this forum!

What speeds are you mostly aiming for?
How tall are you?
How is your butterfly?

A soft fin allows for easier control, easier learning and Slow swimming. With a medium blade it won't be efficient a slow speeds, and will encourage knee bending - something good monofinners avoid.
On Ivo Trux's website Apnea.cz you can find a monofin tutorial.
I'm also working on a personal tutorial, but that needs work before I dare to publish it

Now why would you choose to have the medium?
Well you are tall, strong, and like to do some occasional fast swimming - very addictive!. You fancy going deep (25+). All these are good reasons to choose the medium blade. The only thing you need to deal with is a little bit more difficult start learning (like the first 3 months, building up strength finding the timing and balance) and less efficient slow swimming.

I hope this helps,

Love, Courage and Water,

Kars
 
Well, I have exactly that monofin, and it was my first conventional monofin as well. I can say, after swimming with it for several months now, that it would have been easier to learn correct form with a soft fin instead of a number 2 hardness. I do enjoy the speed I can get with it though, and have managed to develop a better form after much work so now I'm up to it!. I've found the sizing to be slightly larger than I expected; mine is a 41-43 as well. I wear a size 42 or 43 in a cycling shoe, with no socks or very thin socks, and yet the monofin is quite loose-I wear it with lycra socks and 3mm neoprene socks to get a secure fit. Even with that, I am not sure that it would be tight enough to do a deep dive. At this point though most of my finswimming is in the swimming pool, doing short DYN swims and surface technique too. For reference, I am 165 lbs and 69" tall. I hope that helps a little!
 
What speeds are you mostly aiming for? I certainly would enjoy higher speeds but the feeling of a relaxed and correct dolphin-like stroke are more important to me
How tall are you? I am 181 cm tall (5.9 ft) and about 70 Kg (154 lbs)
How is your butterfly? my butterfly is weak and undeveloped

A soft fin allows for easier control, easier learning and Slow swimming. With a medium blade it won't be efficient a slow speeds, and will encourage knee bending - something good monofinners avoid. So I guess for fish-like playing around medium would be less authentic and hinder a correct movement


Now why would you choose to have the medium?
Well you are tall, strong, and like to do some occasional fast swimming - very addictive!. You fancy going deep (25+). All these are good reasons to choose the medium blade. The only thing you need to deal with is a little bit more difficult start learning (like the first 3 months, building up strength finding the timing and balance) and less efficient slow swimming.
 



Thank you neurodoc for this helpfull answer.
It did help me a lot, also that you seem to have about the same size of foot as I.

That was my worry too, that in the beginning it might be not as much fun with a medium blade as with a soft one.
In normal street shoes I usually use a (EU 41-43) and to feel the maximum comfortable also in the pool I would wear some of these neopren socks. But since you say that the Waterway-size 41-43 is bigger than the normal 41-43, I might even order it in size M (38-40) to get a good fit that doesn't feel too loose. I hope it wont hurt the feet by putting too much pressure to the back of the foot for example.

May I ask you what size of street shoes you usually wear?

Thanks again for your help and excellent advice,
Mike
 
Hi mike, your size and weight and poor butterfly tell me that I recommend a soft fin.
I was happy to read Neurodoc also confirmed the steep learning curve.

"So I guess for fish-like playing around medium would be less authentic and hinder a correct movement" - true.

BTW it's not uncommon that freedivers need the first year to learn to monofin and develop their preferences in order to know what their ultimate fin is. But I too have my first monofin, my second and third. And surely the nemo is a great fin to start with, though I wish their classic model fin had a 15 degree food pocket angle, then I would recommend that because of value.

With a snug fitting soft fin you can still go very fast btw. Only when you apply full force then you may notice it does not provide equal propulsion. It's very ok for Slow-Medium monofin speeds!

Neurodoc, if you fear loosing it, try 'fin-keepers', you know those triband rubbers that secure the fin(s) to your feet.
 
Last edited:
Mike, I typically wear a size 9.5-10 (US) in an athletic shoe or hiking shoe. Again, you will have to consider which is more important-comfort or top performance? My 41-43 Nemo is extremely comfortable with the sock combo mentioned-I have worn it for 2 hours at a time with no discomfort at all to my feet. A tighter fit with no socks will give more power, a more connected feel, but may take more time for feet to adapt to (as in, blister and callous). Kars, I will have to use those keepers if or when I get to do a FII course and get a chance to go deeper. Did not realize they could be used with a mono! thank you. Here I've only used the Nemo in the 25yd pool or our local lake down to maybe 25 feet or so, as I have not had a buddy to spot me deeper than that. I've gotten used to the #2 stiffness but still have to fight knee-bending when I get tired or inattentive. When I'm surface finswimming with a center snorkel it is great fun to have the thrust to go fast though! The #2 is a very powerful fin indeed. It really makes me wonder what strength sprinters must have to push a stiffer blade with good form. Impressive.
 
Thank you so much Kars and neurodoc - you guys helped me so much with your expertise to make my decision. And you both were so prompt in answering and friendly! It's such a great thing, that, thanks to the internet, such forums like this one exist and one can get in touch with more experienced people like you two from all over the world!

Neurodoc, you seem to have a slightly larger foot than I do, since a US 9.5 to 10 in an athletic shoe would definitely be a bit too large for me. I would need a 9 or 9.5 maximum. Therefore for me a Nemo in 41-43 would feel even bigger than for you.

I will order the Nemo in soft and in shoe size 38-40 and I feel pretty sure now, that this will work out for me to get a good start into getting more trained and experienced with time.
I'll be back in this forum in the future

p.s. Kars: I'm looking forward to your own tutorial in the future and I LOVE YOUR SLOGAN: "Discover yourself in the deep" I hope to do so too one day ;-)

Thanks again for what you both are doing by helping people out in this forum and you both have fun in the water and take good care,
Mike
 
Reactions: Kars
I use a #3 and love it. Its all the fin I need and I never need to upgrade. It was a little trial and error at first but I really love. I also have the Captain Nemo Bi Fins in #3 hardness and use them on a weekly basis. My only problem is that after a good two days of water work, the tendons in my calves are killing me, and I have to train in cross fit and Kempo weekly as well, so I like to take a day to rest my calves after a 2 day spearo session. The mono i use for fresh water lake training and pool sessions. The bi fins help me get deep when hunting. I live in Port Angeles in the Pacific NorthWest-by the western end of the continental USA.
 
Hi uberman

Thanks for your answer. I think I will still go for the soft version as a starter and as someone that enjoys playing around under water.
May I ask you what size you have in your Nemo-Monofins and what size you wear in normal street shoes?
Thanks a lot,
Mike
 
My shoe size is a 10 (USA). I wear a 3mm sock with my Monofin. I believe it was a size 44 in Euro but double check it on the euro size chart. I also wear no socks at all when pool training. Socks are only for the outdoor stuff. Mike.
 
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