This is my first contribution to surfmatters and I'd like to endorse the Jet Fins as my all time favorite mat surfing fin. Born in the 1960's they work great. I use them for scuba diving as well.
On Saturday I was out at Far Rockaway NY, weaving my way through crowds on my K-mat. It had been a while since I've been out due to injury and ailments and it was so refreshing to be back out. The fins got me into the sloppy occasional 2-3 foot waves with ease. Almost effortless, it was a sweet simple session.
Hope you are all kickin' it in some nice swell.
ps My fin quiver consists of churchill's, da fins, rip force fins and the above.
9 comments:
I love the adjustable heel strap...I wish every fin had this feature!
Paul
the adjustable strap also gives the jet fins high marks when it comes to comfort.
Can you wear them with bare feet or just thin lycra socks? I was always under the impression that dive fins needed a more solid bootie to be worn with them to get the fit...
Hey factorypond, what are your views on the Rip Force you also have in your quiver?
hey bongoman, i do wear them with oneill surf booties. so in summer i probably don't get style points from the fashion surf police. they work great so i don't care and i'm in my mid thirties so comfort and function come first.
as for the ripforce, they're not bad. i guess comparable to da fins. i use them when its so cold that i need 7mm booties and no fin i have goes over them. i may have to look into bigger jetfins though.
on the lighter scale of this i used a pair of scubapro fins prior to and whilst getting used to my udt's, they were more recreational based (perhaps snorkel fins) and thinner in the blade than these ones, but super comforatble and flexible, also still made in the USA which is awesome.
The whole area of fins has me rather occupied at the moment given that they are so crucial to the surf experience for those of us who don't stand up on surfcraft.
Given that UDT's are dive fins, I keep thinking that there might be other possibilities to be found in the scuba arena.
Another area that is interesting are the fins used by practitioners of underwater hockey and underwater rugby, where I imagine quick propulsion and comfort are also crucial. They tend however to be full-foot fins, for better or worse, rather than open-heel designs. What's interesting about them is that they also have fiberglass paddles, rather than rubber. You can see some here.
Some others here.
those rugby fins definitely look like they are worth a try. please post a review if you get a chance to put them through their paces.
hey factorypond I sent you a PM on surfmatz.com as I don't know any other way to get ahold of you.
Post a Comment