About swim fins, 3 questions?

Question

Hey guys,

First off, when i was young i used to swim with fins (and loved it) but i vaguely remember something about using fins a bit smaller then your shoe size. Is this true, anyone have a lot of experience with fins? And if so, how much difference (my shoe size is 43 EU, thats size 9 US or 8,5 UK) is the right amount?

Also, im going to buy split fins. Because I think you can go as fast as with normal fins, but have more flexibility and you wont tire as fast. Is this true?

And last but not least, im planning to buy fins for your hands. If anyone has experience with them, do you feel like they help out pretty much when your in the water?

A reply to any of my questions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Answer 1

I'm assuming that you want this stuff for snorkelling, rather than swim-training or SCUBA diving? Regardless of intentions, fins should be the right size for your feet, especially if you're buying full-foot fins. If they're too tight they'll give you cramps (because circulation will be impaired, or your foot will be 'curled-up'), if too loose they'll chafe and/or may fall off during use.



Use your actual shoe size as a starting point, but do actually try the fins on, because different manufacturers may use different 'standard' foot shapes for the footpockets, or their size ranges may be different (e.g. one may produce 42-43/44-45 fins, and another 41-42/43-44). Shop around, and buy the ones that feel most comfortable. If buying online, check the retailer's refund/replacement policy



(All the reviews I've read say that) yes, less effort is required to swim with split fins than single-blade fins, since your kicks can be somewhat shorter, increasing your streamlining (this is especially useful when surface swimming). Tusa, Atomic and Scubapro all do full-foot split fins--although strangely Apollo, the originator of the 'Nature's Wing' split-fin concept, apparently does not.



As for 'fins for your hands', there are two options, but neither are really useful for snorkelling. Hand paddles strap to the palm side of the hand, so you can't use your hands for anything else while you're wearing them. They're excellent for upper-body swim training, but useless for diving (and I would argue, also snorkelling). The other option is webbed gloves, but these are really only useful for snorkellers/divers who've lost the use of their legs.



If you can, it's better to use just your fins for propulsion, since leg muscles are so much more powerful than arms. (Also, it keeps your hands free for e.g. gear adjustment, or a camera.) But it's your money, so you can do as you please with it! ;-)



Any further questions, please feel free to email me through Y!A.

Answer 2

His fins will heal and mostly grow back. They won't be as nice as they were though. He will need to spend the rest of his life alone. A single betta shouldn't live in less than 2 gallons, five is ideal. Just upgrade your females to a 10 gallon tank and put him back in his old home. The female's tank is over stocked, the stress and cramped space will trigger aggression. As you have seen, females are not peaceful. Given enough space they can coexist with other females, but in the tank you have for them now it's only a matter of time before you end up with dead fish.

Answer 3

i usually wear fins the same size as my shoes because they can get quite sore if the are too tight and you toes will pop out the top a good bit if theyre too small!!



i think normal fins are faster then split fins, because split fins dont push as much water as normal fins because of the split in the centre the water just goes straight through them, so there is less force and push behind the fins than normal fins! and its worth the extra force because they dont tire you out more than split fins and using them will make your kick stronger!





when you say fins for your hands do you mean hand paddles/ power paddles? if you mean them, they really do help out! they make your pull sooo much stronger and they improve your stroke technique aswell, because if your stroke is wrong they will catch in the water and cause resistance! then you can correct your stroke! you can also get finger paddles if your not sure yet about getting hand paddles. they are practicly the same but they only fit to half of your hand( just past your fingers) , they are cheaper, and they do not make your pull as strong whilst wearing them, so they are good for first users!



hope that wasnt too confusing! good luck!