Thinking of picking up a new pair and was curious what people recommend for #1 comfort and #2 performance?
For comfort: either Vipers, Da Fin, or Churchills
For serious horsepower: UDT’s are the only way to go. (i’ve never tried the Flips or the ForceFinPro, maybe someone else can attest to those two?)
What type of conditions/purpose are you thinking about?
Comfort is a huge factor, Churchills are weak. nothing wrong with voit duck feet the ones that used to be all blue but now have various mixed colors, blue, orange. Watch out for blade stiffness that doesn’t complement foot pocket stiffness. UDT ducks are specialty items for max power and pain, you’d still need to own some smaller ones for convenience. Vipers are pretty good if you can test them out first to make sure they’re good for you. Comfort is a big, big factor. I use yard sale items, whatever I can get to test and run with. The voit duck feet are a good standard to measure against. Flippers on each foot don’t need to match.
hands down the most comfortable fin i have ever worn are the Tech 2’s from hydro fin, They are made from a silicon compound and come in some really unique colors(they are translucent). I would also mention that they aren’t the most powerful fin, after switching to them from vipers they were nothing.
Vipers- super powerful super uncomfortable very good control. If you have a dremel tool and the right attachment you can customize the ankle strap and make them much better fitting.
Duck feet- I have a tough time finding them, but they are a very solid all round fin.
I have never tried UDT’s but my geuss is they would be a turbo charged, pair of duckfeet.
Redley’s and Churchills- neither are that powerful or comfortable, they have relatively good control, but I am not a fan.
I’ve tried basically everything there is out there and I love Da Fins from Hawaii.
Aside from comfort and the fact that they are extremely lightweight, they have a major design advantage (in my opinion): The raised ridge that you see on the blade of most fins is moved back over the foot area (the blade on Da Fins has no raised ridge). This makes for a much more natural feeling when kicking and far less strain on your legs (the pressure is on top of your foot, where it would normally be when swimming, instead of out past your toes like it is on most other fins). I’ve never done a scientific test to see what fins actually make me swim faster, but I noticed a huge difference in terms of getting into position w/ Da Fins, possibly because I simply had more energy (I love the marathon body surf sessions, spending hours in the Waimea shorebreak, getting crazy barrells and seeing digital cameras get sucked off the beach and out to Guam).
I noticed a major difference in my regular pilgramages to Hawaii. Da Fins kept my in the water longer and provided a major confidence boost at Waimea and Sandy’s.
Mark Cunningham claims he only uses Da Fins–not a bad recommendation, eh? Did anyone see what he was wearing in the Pipe bodysurfing contest this yr?
Trucker, very true. Though I have never tried Da Fins I think I might have get my dad to buy a pair.(we are the same shoe size and he has ankle problems so he is always looking for better fins) Though, one can’t argue with Mike Stewart who from 1989-1998 won 8 out of the 11 body surfing conest he entered. I don’t know what Mike is wearing these days but he is one of the original forces behind vipers.
i started out (too many) years ago witth churchills, worked my way through many others ---- while lifeguarding in calif i was given a pair of voit customs that i fell in love with and kept until they rotted off! three years ago i got a new set of UDTs and then learned to customize them from swaylocks and Dale S…wow, if you got the legs, they got the power! i still have a very old set of churchills that i use for long distance swim workouts , but never for bodysurfing, they are just too soft and wimpy to be serious with…try a set of UDTs (with 1 mm socks) and tune them to your confort zone—you’ll love them
its all personal preference. i like duckfeet the best cause they happen to fit my foot better. just make sure that whatever you get to hang em on your fence when your not using them to let the sun break them down and soften them up so they dont ding your feet as bad.
Churchills work for me - no need to wear socks or booties. Pretty comfortable fin.
After I bought my Churchills, i saw Sports Authority has Voit Duckfeet for $20 on their website.
If you modify/sand a pair of fins with a rotary tool or sandpaper, do you have to do anything to the fin before you take it in the water? or just leave the sanded area raw?
Churchills for me too. I think they have got two types: the classic ones with the yellow tips and the blue ones(slasher). In my opinion the yellow ones are to weak but the slashers are really the best fins I’ve ever used. Never have to where socks or anything. I’ve also used viper fins: very uncomfy, redly too and also a bit too stiff for me.
Although its pretty personal, I hope it helps.
Howzit SAsolitude, Try cutting it w/ the biggest pair of scissors you got or maybe a sharp blade = clean result
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In my opinion the yellow ones are to weak but the slashers are really the best fins I’ve ever used.
I thnk the Makapuus are more powerful but less comfortable, at least as they age and get a bit stiffer in the blade. The Slashers are the most comfortable fins I’ve ever used…but they don’t have much power at all. I recently switched back to Duck Feet when I found I could get a comfortable fit by going up one size from my traditional size…probably my feet are a bit bigger since the last pair I owned. A recent trip to Mexico reminded me about foot and calf cramps, but that is from a balance of bigger, stronger surf and bigger, more powerful fins…but I never had any kind of cramp from any Churchills…
makapuus…my current fin but lacks power
7" vipers…decent comfort,.too flimsy but max control when riding (prbably be an awsome fin if the blade was reinforced with carbon fiber!!!
ducks…needs center ribs grinded down (increases acceleration/comfort)…id leave the side ribs for bodysurfing…great power…lousy comfort
slashers…too heavy ,not enough power …
DA FIN!!..tried on a pair …I WaNT THEM BADLY!!!..but the company wont reply to my emails…BIG 5 wont order them for me… seems to be the best fin on the market…lightweight,powerful, and err…finned!!.. anyone wanna help me get a pair…i need size 14-16…
Consider these…
The largest, most powerful Voit UDT and slightly smaller, less powerful Voit DuckFeet, plus the new Voit V-Duck Surf Fin (see image below). For more information contact: Prof. Greg Deets -
http://www.360-inc.com/360_site/pages/udt.html
http://www.360-inc.com/360_site/pages/duck_feet.html
http://www.allaboutsurf.com/articles/deets
Also…
Try the largest version, the “Original” Flips… a true custom, individualized fit, with power, quickness, light weight. Flips are only about 8-9 oz. each, very compact, great for travel.
Flips have an adjustable strap system sort of like a sport sandal (ala hiking) that can accommodate a wide range of foot sizes/shapes… attached to a flex-tuned plastic blade. Kicking power for most people seems to be “more than Voit Duckfeet, less than Voit UDTs.”
Flips are made in Haleiwa, Oahu, w/a 30 day money back guarantee. John Piatt, creator/manufacturer - 1 800 841 0035
I just got some 7" vipers. I was swayed by the neoprene inserts at the opening and over the toe. Super comfy.
Got a pair of Viper V-7’s. Pool tested vs Original DuckFeet vs Flips Original (biggest ones)
Comfort: No contest. Flips beats everything except my wife’s fleece bedroom slippers! Both the Ducks and the Vipers gnarl on the old toe knuckles; a pain I’d forgotten about using Flips lo these many many months. This was with 3 mil fin socks.
Convenience: Switching back and forth highlighted the hassel of Flips buckle set up, esp w/ foggy goggles on making harder to see. Also, that sort of squishy feel when kicking was noticably mildy annoying when comparing
Sprint/Acceleration: Shoot the moon from the bottom of the poot w/ dolphin power kicks: not much difference really. Maybe Vipers by an inch or two vert surface clearance.
Cruising speed (timed): Big, slow scissor kicks for distance. Actually pretty close timing laps in 25 meter pool. Ducks the slowest a little, Vipers and Flips near tied for 1st maybe edge to Vipers by a couple secs per 50 meters.
Alternate cruise method (number of kicks per 25 meters): (Each foot counts one kick) DuckFeet=46 Flips=40 Vipers=36 Several trials and almost identical results each time.
Conclusions: Vipers V-7’s win by a bit if you discount pain. Also, maybe because of heavier weight or the big strakes to guide water but the Vipers felt most controlled and easy to change direction. Also, noticably less tendency to surface splash; none w/ the Vipers, some w/ the DuckFeet, quite a bit w/ Flips. Also, w/ Flips I have much more tendency to bend knees more (bicycle style) and loose power. Just have to toughen those toe-knucks.
I use flippers for mat riding. Body surfing I think the Vipers strakes might be a nice little control panel. (UDT’s way too much horsepower for my body size. I’d have to cut them down to about Viper size anyhoo)
we’ve been through this heavy over at surfmatz.com – i use UDTs, but got a pair of Da Fin – some things i did like about Da Fin – they were comfortable. But i think if y’re someone who likes the power and is already used to UDTs, then you won’t really care too much for Dafin.
i tried them both side by side at the pool on two different days - then i used them mat and bodysurfing. UDT more directional thrust, more power with less rpm.
yes - personal opinions will vary.
I’m 225 lbs - legs like tree trunks. UDTs suit me.
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I'm 225 lbs - legs like tree trunks. UDTs suit me.
Well there ya go. I’m 125 lbs - legs like a, well a 125 pounder. Built proportionately shorter legs for my height also so less leverage per pound or something like that. If I was a super hot big wave rider they might call me “Flea” but I"m not so they don’t.
Dr. S : yesterday a friend who had been borrowing my old pair of blue ducks returns them. i was bsurfing in front - had my udts on. i got out of the water and was about to head up cliff when i decided to put the Bl ducks on and go back in to compare. main thing i noticed - the blade on the blue ducks, not so springy and snappy like my black udts. waves wuz crud, but i was swimming alot and kicking hard to try to slide into these little mush waves… UDTs superior.
The Vipers have stiffer blade than the Ducks. Also, the V-7 have strakes all the way out so blade quite stiff. Foot pocket a bit too soft IMO but they are a big step up from the Ducks. Comparable to the Flips in terms of output power but I felt I had to work harder w/ the Flips as they aren’t as “directional” in their movement and though they “push back” more they dump some energy w/ their less precise movement.