Opinion about Zoomers Z2 (fins)

Fins are great for speed work and body position. I like them during a taper to get the mentality of cruising on top of the water at top speed. I agree...I use them for getting the power going in Back and fly starts/turns during tapers. They also help work in taking the load off sore shoulders.

Originally posted by hmlee What you need is fin booties! Finis makes some (I got mine from Kiefer)...I mean you can use socks or stuff, but I find the neoprene fin booties protect my feet and feel a lot more natural in the water than a pair of athletic socks. Hmlee has a good suggestion. I have the same problem, but a lower tech solution is good ole' duct tape (quack). I wrap it around my feet over the spot where I get rub blisters (you want to go all the way around your foot, and get the tape to stick to itself, which it does well, better than sticking to your foot). More than once is not necessary. The best part about it is that your foot is still basically the same size and you can use the same set of fins. My problem with fin booties (or socks at any rate) is that they make my feet too big to fit into the fins. Duct tape doesn't have that problem. Matt

If you get blisters from rubber fins, a great training fin to try would be the Hydro Tech 2 fins. They're made out of silicone, which is softer (less irritation!) and denser than rubber, which helps keep your feet below the surface. -Carrie I swim for excercizing my back after surgery. I would like to make my work out a little harder and I am considering getting zoomers. I am not a strong competitive swimmer. Can you help decide between sillicone and rubber fins? What are pluses and minuses of each?