What are the prefered swim fins for body surfing / mat riding ???
I like Vipers.
It is all a matter of personal comfort. I used churchhills for years because that is what were available in my area. The key thing to look for is a supple foot box, with a stiff blade. How it feels on your foot is critical, if they are uncomfortable, they will probably sit aroud collecting dust. In SoCal I have found that Play-it-again sports, has a decent selection of fins depending on the location. Good Luck
I’ll go with Ajl and vote for Vipers.Been with the Duck Feet of the 60’s, Churchills, etc. For me Vipers are da haps. the first time I used em my legs were sore for 2 days. Once I got used to em, I was going Mach 4 in the water. Aloha Kai
What are the prefered swim fins for body surfing / mat riding ??? Paul, For some reason, I get asked that question all the time! Depending on the condition of one
s feet/ankles/knees, the general rule is to go for as much power as is comfortably possible. Everyone has individual ability levels, are physically different and have different requirements in where they surf, how far they usually swim/or paddle and just how crowded those favorite spots have become. Bodysurfers seem to prefer Duck Feet, UDTs or Vipers, while mat surfers, bodyboarders, kneeboarders and paipo riders are a bit more eclectic in their choices. I used to absolutely love the extremely powerful UDTs, as well as Vipers and Duck feet... grinding them down, or building them up, in various places and customizing them was just part of tuning a pair of fins. Through the years, I have also relied on various pairs of Churchills, mainly because of their comfort and availablity, but also because of their short distance sprinting ability (there is no need to use swim fins as a means of directional control in mat surfing). I have unfortunately found that serious, permanent injuries to the feet, ankles and knees impose severe limitations on how much continuing abuse you can inflict on those areas when using the more powerful fins. Quite a number of individuals have mentioned to me that "Neofins", <a href="http://www.neofins.com">www.neofins.com</a> , are currently the finest blend of comfort and power available... Ill probably be trying a pair of those sometime soon.
Paul,>>> For some reason, I get asked that question all the time! Depending on the > condition of one
s feet/ankles/knees, the general rule is to go for as > much power as is comfortably possible. Everyone has individual ability > levels, are physically different and have different requirements in where > they surf, how far they usually swim/or paddle and just how crowded those > favorite spots have become. Bodysurfers seem to prefer Duck Feet, UDTs or > Vipers, while mat surfers, bodyboarders, kneeboarders and paipo riders are > a bit more eclectic in their choices.>>> I used to absolutely love the extremely powerful UDTs, as well as Vipers > and Duck feet... grinding them down, or building them up, in various > places and customizing them was just part of tuning a pair of fins. > Through the years, I have also relied on various pairs of Churchills, > mainly because of their comfort and availablity, but also because of their > short distance sprinting ability (there is no need to use swim fins as a > means of directional control in mat surfing). I have unfortunately found > that serious, permanent injuries to the feet, ankles and knees impose > severe limitations on how much continuing abuse you can inflict on those > areas when using the more powerful fins.>>> Quite a number of individuals have mentioned to me that > "Neofins", <a href="http://www.neofins.com">www.neofins.com</a> , are currently the finest blend of > comfort and power available... Ill probably be trying a pair of those > sometime soon. \ i have used churchills, hydrofins and vipers…i prefer vipers. i use them primarily for mat surfing and they are comfortable, powerful and just do the job for me. i too asked dale the same question about a year ago and was provided with such a great explanation i figured i would share it with the group (dale’s knowledge should be shared!) In answer to your question: I currently prefer my old, blue and green pair of Churchills… that said, I should tell you that I also really loved the older blue and black Duck Feet. I have used UDTs extensively, which can be the toughest on ankles and knees; Vipers were quite uncomfortable (I ground them down in different areas to change the balance and fit, extremely directional and heavy. I have heard good things about Flips ( those velcro strap fins), light and supposedly the most comfortable of all. Redleys and Hydros have a generally good reputation for the balance between power and comfort. There are many others available that might also work well... or not! Fins for bodysurfing and other forms of assisted prone-riding are a very subjective phenomenon because peoples feet vary so much: sizing between left and right, kicking style, frequent paddling distances, necessity (or lack of) sprinting on take-off, surfing style, i.e., whether or not an individual prefers to drag their lower extremities while riding, etc. In my case, I have done so much permanent damage to my feet, ankles and knees that large, powerful, directional fins are unfortunately out of the question. I really enjoyed the Duck Feet and the Hydros/Redleys appear to be similar. I almost never drag my legs or feet in the wave while riding, so the Churchills are great: they are very streamlined, fairly lightweight, sprint on take-off very well, have outstanding long-term comfort and are almost universally available. I dont usually have a problem with the infrequent long paddle, but I would use a larger, more powerful fin if I had to regularly ride at a point break or swim distance in strong currents. The way surfing fins are "improved" (often changed without any rational reason) and seem to come and go in the American marketplace, I would recommend buying a couple pair (or more) of something that you might feel is a favorite. My dream would be to have the old Duck Feet/Churchill dual rubber formula, a Churchill-like foot pocket with an oversized "blank" remainder to grind down to the appropriate personal specs! Anyway, the farther you have to paddle, the stronger the currents, the larger and more powerful the fins usually have to be (and you have to be!). For most beachbreak conditions, a smaller, lighter, quicker fin (like the Churchills) works just fine, especially if you stay out in the waves for more than a couple hours at a time. Thats it for now, Tim… I hope this has`nt muddied up the water too much! Dale Solomonson Neumatic Surfcraft
Redley used to make an exact copy of the Churchill design in different colors. I have an orange and black pair. The footpocket is a bit softer. I heard that they couldn’t sell these in the US because of patent restrictions, so they just cut the tip off and changed the venting system.