snorkeling with force fins

[joeabroad]

I love my force fin pros but really haven't mastered them for surface swimming. I just can't keep them in the water. (Face down, that is.)

I'm going to be doing some snorkeling this winter on a dive trip and don't want to bring two pairs of fins with me.

Can someone offer me some simple tips on kicking for snorkeling with force fins?

 

[Bob Evans]

Dear Joeabroad, Just kick down, then do nothing to pull the blade back up. The spring in the pro does the job for you. You use half the energy. Because you have to drag other fins back up we can fall into the trap of using energy on the up stroke, which is not needed with my fin designs. I also will drop my knees a little which helps in surface swimming. Relax and have a good trip.

 

[dittrimd]

Joe,

After snorkeling for years as a kid with regular fins my knees seemed to have a mind of their own when it came to swimming on the surface. It took some time but now it second nature on the surface my FF. Good luck and have a great time on your trip.

Take care,

Mark D.

 

[meesier42]

intentionally try not to kick up towards the surface, you'll find once you have relaxed your leg that your ready for another kick. if you really need to get somewhere, shift slightly to one side and go.

 

[teem]

I find that the best and most comfortable way of snorkeling face down is to place both your hands behind the small of your back. Also, tilt your chin up just a little so that you are looking slightly further in front rather than directly down. That way, your body would naturally incline down and allow you to use force fins most efficiently by keeping them under the surface. Do smaller flutter kicks as well. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time!

 

[Stout]

Wow...a whole forum dedicated to force fins.

I've had a pair of these for literally years and only ever used them a couple of times. I came to own them because "this guy" had gotten himself certified, went out and bought all the gear, dove 20 times, gave it up and stored all his gear in my brother in law's basement. After telling BIL that he didn't want the gear anymore as he'd moved to a landlocked location I became the proud recipient of that black bag in the basement.

At first I hated the whole snap thing as it felt like I was wearing underwater flip flops ( and I hate wearing flip flops ) so they languished unused and unloved in the back of a closet. Nobody, and I mean nobody who i dove with had any sort of familiarity with these and I came to think of them as those "freaky" things that I got for free.

Until yesterday.....

Three days ago I was in a local scuba shop shopping for fins as I need a new set and i mentioned to the shop guy that I had a pair of these and how I came to own them and shop guy told me I was lucky to own them. Huh ? I thought so I came home and read up on them and I've got to say I was impressed with the information I accessed online.

Armed with the fins and my booties, I hit the pool yesterday to try 'em out and I think I can learn to live with the snap now that my thinking has changed from one of annoyance to one of thinking about increased efficiency.

I'm planning a dive trip to somewhere, not sure where yet next January but a tropical destination where I'll be boat diving and I'll be taking these with me. Mmmmmm, short bladed fins maneuvering around on a boat.:cool2:

 

[uncleavi]

Stout,
I have dived them off Ogden Point and used to live up by Prince Rupert. You will love them up there!

 

[dittrimd]

Stout,

I loved your story thanks for sharing! I have heard so many stories of people who have not given force fins a fair shake and write them off as some "freaky" gimmick fin. For me I was trying to solve a toe and calf cramping problem that I had with standard closed pocket fins.

A fellow Public safety diver who had a similar problem let me use his force fins. They were like nothing I had ever tried before. I immediately felt a difference in my kick but found myself over exerting myself because the fins did not feel like they were moving me in the water.

After spending some time in the pool where I could try different kicks and see the distance the moved me. I not only ended up completely eliminating my cramping problem but improved my in water work of effort.

Good luck with your fins.

Mark D.

 

[Stout]

Cheers guys

I've got to admit I was a little embarrassed showing up for dives with these things and a couple of times defaulted to the "they were free" excuse/explanation as to why I was using them. The cramping thing is one of the main reasons I'm drawn to getting into these fins.

I've decided on Thailand as a dive destination, next Jan/Feb and since I'll be doing a lot of dives, maybe shallow ones a day I'm looking forward to my toes not getting chewed up in warm water fins like has happened in the past. Hey, and I'm also saving a couple hundred bucks by now having to buy new fins. Woot! more dives.

 

[ickis]

thailand is an incredible location to be diving in
when i stayed in koh-samui (i stayed there about a month) i went to a club that used to do a diving round between different islands. while i was scuba diving my father went free-diving with his friends
thailand has rich reef dives, a vast array of marine life including trigger fish, sharks, whale sharks and loads more....

have fun and dive safe