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swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:48 pm
by ClanB
OK right now Im using Vipers V-7....I like them in the water, swimming and just getting around..slower on take off and...when I exit the water, even when paying attention, I sometimes stumble and trip. This must look great to people on shore :oops: I realize that I spend 99% of the time in the water but my last "trip" ended up wrecking my knee. Now Im gonna spend the next week or so out of the water. Im looking at a new fin puchase maybe an asymentrical fin. I have an old pair of Churchills but they are one wave away from breaking. Im looking at the newer Churchill Slashers, Pod3's, Stealths, etc. or any other fin that you can walk in easy but not loose too much performance in the water. I like to wear fin socks if that matters. Any opinions?

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:36 pm
by mrmike
look at a pair of kicks by dafin they have rounded blade tips and have a soft foot pocket

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:58 pm
by rodndtube
If you like the Vipers style then try the 5" versions, yellow dot for stiff fin and orange dot for flexi blade. I used both of the 5 inchers.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:39 pm
by ClanB
I have both v5 and v7..the v5 puts some pressure on my big toe that hurts enough that I dont use 'em anymore....but they are 20 years ols and do not have the neoprene in the foot pocket. Im gonna look for a pair of Kicks to try on.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:34 am
by SJB
I vote sticking with the classic Churchills....fin socks are a must. If you can figure out how to avoid an occasional stumble coming out of the water onto the beach with fins on let me know the secret.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:15 pm
by jbw4600
I can't wear regular fins. But if I could would use the Churchill Makapu Hubbs model. They are stiffer throughout with padding.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 4:06 am
by ClanB
Well...I ended up getting Dafins. I will get wet Sunday. Very nice fit so far.I can almost run in them. SJB the ONLY fins I have ever fallin' while having on is the V7 Vipers. I realy like them for swimming, getting around, lotta power, but...catching waves is slow, like a semi going through the gears, and....walking(for me) sucks a$$.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 10:34 am
by rodndtube
Looked closely and played around with a pair of DaFins during the Paipo Gathering in San Simeon. Believe it was Jeff Chamberlain that had a pair. They were XXL. Too bad he had to leave before we hit the water so I didn't get a test run. The XXL might be a bit large for me even with 5 to 7mm of wetsocks on. Need a "fitting" to see what are best, XL or XXL. What size did you get, ClanB? Could you make a mm measurement of the foot pocket width?

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:53 pm
by ClanB
I got Large ,shoe size 11-12. Im a 10.5 shoe size. The ML was a bit snug. The L fits nice and add 3mm fin socks and its perfect. Garage sale today...so no surfin' but tomarrow Ill give em a test run.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 2:13 pm
by ClanB
4.75 inches or about 120mm wide. for the Large.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:04 am
by ClanB
Used them today. Comfort is the best of any fin I have used. Stiff, seems like long slower kicks work best, I was hopeing for better burst speed but still cool. Thay have about the same power as my Vipers. Did not cramp up for several hours. Easy to walk in and out of the water. Bottom line= I realy like them. I would recommend them to a friend. ;)

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:02 pm
by ClanB
Second time out. Very compfy, nice power, close to my Vipers. The best fins I have used so far.Very happy with them. I think I will get Kicks too.

Re: swim fins

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 3:12 pm
by rodndtube
Thanks for the information reports on the DaFins, ClanB. I will be checking these out.

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:09 am
by mrmike
kicks are a little more flexey higher kick speed

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 3:41 pm
by RNT808
I’ve always had problems finding fins that didn’t double as implements of torture. My feet aren’t really that big at size 13 but they are real wide (EEEE+) and have freakishly high arches. My poor dogs have been squeezed into cramp hell and rubbed raw to the point of bleeding by just about every pair of fins I’ve ever had.

But then I bought a pair of XXL Da Fin “Big Bu” model fins and it changed my life. They’re a little loose on my bare feet but worn over a pair of fin socks they’re absolutely the best I’ve ever had. I can stay out for hours now and I love it. Needless to say I’m a huge fan of Da Fin!

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:32 am
by mrmike
everybody foot is not the same just like buying shoes
try to let you try them before you buy them or have a good return policy if you don't like them

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:54 am
by krusher74
Any longevity reviews on the dafins.

When i got mine (mail order) I was very unhappy with the width of the heal strap, I hardly used the fin maybe 10 times (left them at a friend in california) upon return the next year I was surfing up in santa cruz and camping at a site south of town, so I had an adventure idea of gettin a buddy to drop me in town and i would surf the points back to the site (about 4 miles)

so he drops me off I head down to the beach sit on the sand pull on my fins and snap! snap! both heal straps gone looked really dry rotted. I had to walk a ile into town in y wesuit board under arm and leave my gopro at a store as payment (till i returned the next day) fo a new pair of cheap fins (all they had) to get be back in the water and surfing back to my camp site.

so check your heal straps for dry rot. :?

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 8:48 pm
by rodndtube
Fin walking and not rinsing them off with fresh water are sure fin destroyers. I have walked in my Vipers V5 Orange Dots (flexi blade) a bit too much and the one fin finally cracked along the outer ridge. That fin is down way too flexible... even for me. The other fin is borderline so I will keep my eye open for a cheapo/free Orange Dot size L.

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:24 pm
by bgreen
Applying minimal amounts of silicon was recommended to me as a way to preserve fins. haven't tried it as yet as I need to get to a camera store to buy it.

Bob

Re: swim fins - DaFin

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:31 pm
by Nels
Applying minimal amounts of silicon was recommended to me as a way to preserve fins. haven't tried it as yet as I need to get to a camera store to buy it.
Bob - Try hardware or DIY stores. I think what they are talking about is silicone spray- basically a lubricant, but my bottle says for sports equipment it is used as a protective medium.

I was given the same advice at a dive shop when I got my first pair of full-foot Cressi Rhondine (sp?) fins decades ago. It works. That said though, it is a lubricant, so use sparingly. When I get off the couch and try to do things right I spray a bit on a paper towel and wipe it on. I'm a lazy sack though so I seldom keep up on this one. Can't remember if it makes sand stick to the fins or not when you're out of the water, but then you'd be out of the water anyway.

Saw an online interview with Spyder Wills...he said he'd had the same pair of Duck Feet going back to the 60's I think it was. Said the sun was the enemy, always buried his fins in the sand while on the beach.

Nels