Desperate plea from a tired diver (email sent to Force Fin)

[badkittystt]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am a 5’ female diver with size 1.5 feet and I have been diving in the ever-changing conditions of the US Virgin Islands for 5 years. During this I have been desperately trying to keep up with my diver friends who are using long, stiff, professional fins made for diving in current and adverse conditions as I was forced to make due with my children’s snorkel fins. It has been an unsatisfactory situation to say the least. Inspired by the frustration (and leg fatigue) I started a quest to find a decent pair of fins that could put me in the same league as the “stiff fin” divers that would fit my tiny feet.

While researching on ScubaBoard.com I was pointed towards Force Fins. I even received a board message from Bob Evans saying “I will make sure you will be happy. I made many foot cast from women's feet and designed my foot pocket with that in mind. Best Bob” After that hopeful message I had the opportunity to try on a pair while on vacation, in the Manhattan storefront for Leisure Pro, and it was hopeful, but I wasn’t convinced. The foot pocket was still too big and they didn’t have any inserts or booties that would fit my tiny little feet.

Trying to learn more about the fins and see if they were right for me I started researching and found many studies done in pools and other calm conditions being worn by adult men with long muscular legs and big feet. Needless to say this is a demographic I don’t exactly relate to. Still hopeful, I sought out real Force Fin customers here on my island who would be diving similar situations. I found one. And big surprise, he is an adult man with long muscular legs and big feet.

This is all leading to a desperate plea from a tired diver. I want the opportunity to test Force Fins and find out if they will work for short divers, female divers, or divers with small feet. Do they work for divers in warm water with constantly changing conditions visiting deep and shallow dives on reefs, wrecks, and whatever else I can get myself into? I want to go out diving with professional divers using long stiff fins and power through the current with them and be able to tell everyone that I did it with the help of my trusty Force Fins, and yes they do fit me! I will document all dives and with my skills as an English scholar I will add to the research and reviews of the Force Fins, only this time they will be coming from a new demographic, me.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Kitty Edwards
St. Thomas, USVI

 

[meesier42]

I know Bob and Blair will be very interested to see your plea. Although I don't work for ForceFin, I am good friends with them and will contact them directly in the morning.

 

[popje]

I'm also a 5' and a half (the half is very important...) female diver. I don't know what size 1.5 is as I'm not american, but I have size 36 (european sizing) feet. That's not tiny but not very big either. I love my scubapro Jetfins (M) which I use with booties and that works out very well for me. I have been considering upsizing my jetfins (bigger blade=more resistance=more speed) and getting bigger (or rather thicker soled) booties to go with them. However, people already complain I swim too fast, so I guess maybe I should save my money instead.

But basically, maybe you should try playing around with different sized/shaped/etc booties/socks/whatever instead.

 

[Bob Evans]

Kitty, please take a look at the following thread. you'll find many unsolicited comments that respond to your questions.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/force-fin/280732-where-did-i-go-my-force-fins.html

best, bob

 

[badkittystt]

popje, I went online to a shoe conversion chart and saw that a size 1.5 shoe is approximately a size 31 european. This is the size that most 5 year old children wear. Adult shoes technically start at a size 5 but most fins start at around a size 6.

Bob, I spent 2 hours and read that entire thread. Her stories of dive adventures are inspiring and entertaining. I only wish that there were more examples of people wearing force fins without dry suits and sneakers as that is not very practical down here in the caribbean. I tried diving with sneakers once in order to fit into a size small jet fin, it was not a happy experience. The fin did not fit well around the shoe and it fit very loosely and I had to use about a pound of duct tape to attach a sponge to the heel straps so that they would reach my heels. Plus it was hot with the socks and sneakers on! I hate to sound like a whiney diver as that is not what I'm going for. I am just a frustrated diver and it is very difficult for people with normal size feet to understand what I go through in order to get equipment that fits me that is even remotely close to the quality that all of my friends use.

I appreciate the help and attention.

Happy diving, Kitty

 

[meesier42]

please, we need to know the measurements of your foot to try and find a fin that will fit you. I've put Force Fins on 8 y/o kids before, so I am betting we can find a pair for you. but I need to measurements to figure anything out.

 

[badkittystt]

I hope this works! I'm trying out a new image hosting site so I'm not very familiar with it yet.

Please let me know if I need to take any more measurements. Those are what I think would be important for the force fins but of course I will do more if need be!

 

[Specswimmer]

Tiny feet.

 

[badkittystt]

I ordered my force fins today!!! I heard that the original doesn't come in small anymore but I asked for a pair just in case there's one left??? But I am SSSOOO excited to get my new fins and I hope that they work!

 

[Surface Interval]

Hoping that you find a comfortable pair of fins!!