Post by Fins 32 on Sept 4, 2012 21:42:12 GMT -5
I figured id take some time to in detail touch upon one of teh most important pieces of skishing gear, the fins ( not flippers they are fins ). Now although in all honestly you could skish with any old fin, but some work better than others. Ive broken it into 2 major factors that should eb taken into consideration when choosing fins...
1. open heel vs closed heel.
while most closed heel freedive fins are long bladed and can make you cruise, they really arent great for skishing. if you only fish sandy beaches you could get away with them as you might not need to wear dive booties with a sole. they other problem is durability. in order to keep them snappy and light they tend not to be the strongest of blades, and if you caught one in some rocks, or stepped on it catching a wave you run the risk of breaking it.
the other option and the preferred is to find a good open heel. i will discuss lengths more in depth in the next section. not only can you wear a dive booty underneath but they tend to be stronger and available in more durable materials. my one suggestion when buying a fins, is change the heel strap to a stainless steel spring type. they are more durable and should keep your foot more secure the standard flimsy rubber on most fins can break causing you to lose a fin, which is not only costly but can be dangerous as its hard to recover things lost in the ocean.
2. blade length and water movement.
generally you dont want a very long brittle fin but at the same time a very short fin will make getting over waves and fighting current more challenging. a medium lenght is used alot and for good reason. its the best of both worlds.
the split fin discussion comes up sometimes, and honestly it can help, a little in water movement but its more of a divers thing, a skishers kick is more like that of a float tubers. so if you can get a fin with a v shape it can help push water up and away
My preffered fin is the original force fin although not the cheapest option out there, it quickly became my favorite. not only are they virtually unbreakable, but they are shaped like a V, so when your kicking up you move lots of water, making them really helpful when skishing. another good important factor is the heel strap. its very durable and made of nylon webbing so it won't break for normal skishing usage and worse, and it wont slip, keeping it on your foot secure.
ill discuss studding fins, the techniques of it and my personal opinion in a later post
1. open heel vs closed heel.
while most closed heel freedive fins are long bladed and can make you cruise, they really arent great for skishing. if you only fish sandy beaches you could get away with them as you might not need to wear dive booties with a sole. they other problem is durability. in order to keep them snappy and light they tend not to be the strongest of blades, and if you caught one in some rocks, or stepped on it catching a wave you run the risk of breaking it.
the other option and the preferred is to find a good open heel. i will discuss lengths more in depth in the next section. not only can you wear a dive booty underneath but they tend to be stronger and available in more durable materials. my one suggestion when buying a fins, is change the heel strap to a stainless steel spring type. they are more durable and should keep your foot more secure the standard flimsy rubber on most fins can break causing you to lose a fin, which is not only costly but can be dangerous as its hard to recover things lost in the ocean.
2. blade length and water movement.
generally you dont want a very long brittle fin but at the same time a very short fin will make getting over waves and fighting current more challenging. a medium lenght is used alot and for good reason. its the best of both worlds.
the split fin discussion comes up sometimes, and honestly it can help, a little in water movement but its more of a divers thing, a skishers kick is more like that of a float tubers. so if you can get a fin with a v shape it can help push water up and away
My preffered fin is the original force fin although not the cheapest option out there, it quickly became my favorite. not only are they virtually unbreakable, but they are shaped like a V, so when your kicking up you move lots of water, making them really helpful when skishing. another good important factor is the heel strap. its very durable and made of nylon webbing so it won't break for normal skishing usage and worse, and it wont slip, keeping it on your foot secure.
ill discuss studding fins, the techniques of it and my personal opinion in a later post