spudnut wrote:Without a doubt the discussion of fins seems to get us all going more than board types whatever the reason be. Does anyone else have a preference for a particular fin based upon the board being buoyant like an Austin vs. neutral like an HPD or wood paipo?
I tend to think the preferences for fins have more to do with each person's physiology, i.e., width of foot and arch, ankles, and legs, than with the length or buoyancy of the board being ridden. At least that seems to be the case in the bodyboarding world although some drop knee riders prefer a short blade to get up on the board. Body surfers also seen to have a preference for the long bladed stiff fins (like UDTs and Voits) but that isn't universal -- some also love Vipers and Churchills. I asked Larry Goddard what kind of fins he liked to used and he pulled out some very flexible, long bladed skin diving fins.
In this vein I believe it is important for people to state objectively why they like certain swim fins and not simply assert one type is better than another type.
rodNDtube "Prone to ride"
I love my papa li`ili`i
"The sea doth wash away all human ills."
-- Euripides.
My UDT fins have really nice flexible blades. My DaFins have shorter and much stiffer blades that hurt my ankles. The UDT are heavy, do not float, and I enjoy using them with a buoyant board because my body is already on top of the water. My legs stay in the water better preventing me from wasting energy slapping the surface. DaFins are light and float making kicking more difficult on a buoyant board for me. With a neutrally buoyant board, I have considered a more lightweight floaty type of fin because my body is already submerged.
