I'm starting to swim by kicking on my side with fins, and did 1800y in 36:14 and 33:37 (31:01 1650) after one and two weeks.
My old Scubapro 388 fins are good, but heavy and stiff. I want to keep improving my kick and have a few questions about them.
1) The side ridges cause most of the stiffness. Will trimming them down improve flexibility, and will this help the fins to be faster?
If so, I'd like to do this, and then gradually trim down the length as my kick keeps improving to maintain the same speed.
2) The forward foot pocket edges have medium sized tears that are growing. Will it help to epoxy them back together?
(the photos are of similar fins on the internet)
3) Is there a coating that will help preserve the fins to last longer?
Honestly, I think the scuba type fins are designed for torque and stability in a high drag applications, in-place maneuverability, and would provide just a limited benefit for swimming at surface for speed or endurance.
No need to destroy or modify an old pair when you could try a pair of these: hydro tech 2 fins
Just saying it might be worth a shot:)
I have tried the TYR Burners and thought they were too flimsy, haven't tried the Flexfins
Here is a review USMS did a couple years back
www.youtube.com/watch
The silicone type I mentioned in the post above will last forever and are awesome. I've used mine about daily since 2012 - mostly pool, walked on coral, jagged limestone, carried them around on a hood of a jeep in Aruba (engine heat and sun).
Honestly, I think the scuba type fins are designed for torque and stability in a high drag applications, in-place maneuverability, and would provide just a limited benefit for swimming at surface for speed or endurance.
Thanks for replying, but what does this mean in a practical sense?
I'm interested to improve the Scubapro fins, so they'll be more suitable for swimming on the surface.
A pair of TYR Flexfins are for sale, but don't have good ratings, and I'm hesitant to order a new type without trying them first.
Thanks much for the recommendations. Both of the silicone fins look good, and lasting a long time speaks well of them. Any ideas how they'd perform compared to the Scubapro fins, and would they be more flexible?
I like the shape of the TYR burners, other than being too flimsy, and too short for me at this point. Perhaps the Scubapros could be trimmed with that shape in mind, but gradually, to improve them for swimming.
I wouldn’t suggest removing the side ridges from fins. That stiffness is also what gives the fins stability, remove that and they will likely flop around unpredictably. Also if the tears are growing, I’d suggest investing in a new pair of fins. And after you get the new pair and before you throw away the Scubapro’s you can trim away the side ridges to see what that does.
