Slim fins?

[TN Traveler]

I am sure Bob wishes it was just that easy.. Force Fins are not rubber, they are a high grade of cross-linked polyurethane. The Fins are manufactured at a plant in Pennsylvania that is highly automated. There is a complex set of conditions that is needed to produce a molded product with the desired characteristics (chemical mix, temperature, cure time, bake time, etc.). You don’t just “tweek” something and get the desired change.

There is a minimum production run or it is too costly to change the line over from one product to another and maintain profitability. This is the major difference between Force Fins that last the life of a diver and cheap injection molded plastic fins that last a couple of years.

The old Tan Delta fins were hand poured and finished one at a time - but wow, did they perform.

Bob might correct me and in all honesty, I have never tried them, but you might want to try a pair of Float Tube Fins. They are larger than Slim Fins but softer than Originals. Same great shape for efficiency.

 

[yogavnture]

great post. hmmm the float tube fins being softer. hmmmmmmm. i am interested in that. i have an extra pair of originals im taking to phillipines next week. im considering altering them but i will most probably screw them up. i was thinking of drilling holes in them. to let some drag escape. probably stupid idea. i also thought about trimming edges with a saw and them sanding the edges down. probably stupid idea/ ..........but now u say the float tube fins might be softer.......that might work!!!!!!! maybe u could verify that . i might do that . good idea tn traveler. thanks

 

[yogavnture]

dear tn traveler. now im royally confused..........darn it why dont he just put the durometer of rubber on the fins so one can see how flappy they are..? now i see some tube float fins but they PRO float tube fins. THE PROS ARE STIFFER. im confused. and the forcefin website shows only adjustable foot bed. which im not thrilled about. it looks like he used to make the tube float fins in years past with foot size specific sizes but not anymore?????? is their such a thing as a PRO float tube fin? i doubt that. people selling these things dont know what they are selling because they lost the box. and other than size. they dont know if its a float tube fin. original. or a pro!!!!!!! i cant win......all i know for sure is i feel the originals are a bit too stiff for me. i would like them to be even a bit more softer. maybe i can put my originals in the oven at 425 and cook them? ......no seriously. help me out here. are the float tube fins same size as originals. ???? are they softer??? that might work for me. but i would have to find an old pair as they only come in adjust footbed now adays. any ideas.

 

[yogavnture]

BUMMER. i just called force fin and they told me the float tube fin is same as original. same exact fin.....its just named differently.........bummer . that idea would have worked... ok now my idea goes back to me shaping the fins differently.....somehow drilling a hole in the originals somewhere to let a bit of water thru.....???would that work/???????? or how about shaving the edges off somehow????that might work?????

 

[yogavnture]

it sounds like maybe what im looking for is the rip force . fin.????? i see on the force fin site they say they are good for snorkeling so maybe they have a bit less bite than the originals. not thrilled with the adjustable foot pocket but maybe i would have to live with that. and also the whisker things on top. how would this work out for me scuba diving. .............u understand my goal right? originals with just a bit less bite than originals. i still think i need originals and i alter them somehow

 

[TN Traveler]

Unfortunately measuring durometer is not the only parameter that effects fin stiffness. Thickness and shape have an effect on the “stiffness feel”; durometer is only a good comparison for identically shaped and thick fins. If I remember correctly, Originals are in the 78-80 range while Pros are 86-88. Slim fins are made of the same material as the originals but because the are thinner and narrower, the feel much softer. It takes a different kick force, cadence and amplitude to get maximum performance from slim fins and Originals (but the durometer is the same). I use Slim Fins for my swimming but find if I use Original/Pros, my performance suffers greatly.

Just remember, the Military SD-1s use an adjustable foot pocket and they are super performing fins (if you can kick them very long ).

I will try and get Bob to jump in and clarify this.

 

[yogavnture]

thanks i did buy a second pair of originals. they said dive on box . but they are stiffer than my old originals.......i cant win.....i called force fin and they said if it says dive on box they are originals. and that each pair of originals has a variance of plus or minus 2 durometer. so i just happened to get a pair of stiffer originals i guess. i wanted softer!!! im gonna start buying originals and altering them to try to get a bit softer kick. my issue is im tall and my legs aint that strong. and i used the originals specifically for diving..........i use slim fins for snorkeling and love them. totally.........anyway i get a pain in one leg all the way down the leg when i scuba dive for a month every day. it takes some weeks for the pain to come . but it comes every year. i really think if i can somehow get the originals to be a tad more forgiving i have a shot at not having this pain recur........hows the best way to alter the originals. drill a hole thru the center of the paddle part>???????? shaving the edges down????? if i fail i will just try again.

 

[yogavnture]

i have another idea. i got a pair of slim fins on ebay. they have this extra thick ledge where toes are on fin. in other words i think these might have been a blem???? i bought .........anyways i think these might be thicker fins than normal slim fins....as thier is a thick ledge where toes are at where they are thicker material that starts their on flappy part of fin . i might go to pool and see if i stumbled upon a pairof slim fins that might be a thicker blem of some sort and maybe they would work for scuba diving.