Hollis F1 Fins / Spring Straps Fit

[cs4160]

Hello, I have a pair of xxl hollis f1 fins. During my dive yesterday, i found the straps to be too tight as they pressed my big toes painfully into the foot well. Even though they advertise the fins as having adjustable spring straps, i dont believe this is the case...(or i am too stupid to figure out how to adjust...) Anyways, i assume that the length of the spring strap varies, and the xxl fins would have the longest strap. When i look at pictures of the fins on the web, it appears that the apex of the strap is about 2-3 inches longer than the end of the foot pocket..ie your heel would be about 2-3 inches out of the fin before it came in contact with the strap...My fins are different. The furthest part of the strap/spring is actually flush with the end of the fin, so if your heel extends passed the foot pocket, you are stretching the string. I can post a picture if this doesn't make sense, but essential i think there might be the possibility that even though i received the largest fins they make, i might have received a smaller spring/strap. If anyone has the Hollis fins, could you look at yours, and give me feedback? Thank you for your help.

[rawalker]

My Hollis F1 came with the straps set to the largest they could be. I was able to tighten the fit by removing the nuts and screws on one side of each fin. Then push the spring further into it's pocket and install only the one screw and nut set to engage the spring deeper. This can be done on the other side also to make the spring tighter still.
In the case of needing to loosen the fit the spring would need to be released from it's pocket by removing the screw and nut and reinstall it in the outer holes with the spring not as deep in it's pockets.
I hope this helps.

[MSilvia]

Mine are adjustable, although the adjustment requires removing a hex nut, as rawalker said. I don't know whether the various sizes have different spring lengths, but I wouldn't assume they do.

[cs4160]

Rawalker and MSilvia,

Thanks for your reply. When looking at your fins, does the farthest point of the spring, where your heel comes into contact with the spring, extend past the end of the foot pocket? If not, that means you have tension on the spring if your heel extends passed the boot. I stretch out the spring about 3 inches and its a bit painful...perhaps getting a bootie with a firmer sole would help...

[MSilvia]

Yes, mine extend slightly past the foot pocket on XL F1s.

It definitely shouldn't be painful. Are your straps set to the outermost mount points?

[cs4160]

Yes, they are set for the outermost point. Probably time to call Hollis. Thank you for your help.

[MSilvia]

No problem. Good luck!

[cs4160]

Hi,
I just thought i would give some feedback after talking with Hollis. (BTW, they were very helpfull)

Apparently there is only one spring size for all the fins (this surprised me)... about 12 inches not including the loops at the end that fit the screws . Thus, on an xxl fin, when you have the setting on the outermost ring, your strap is indeed flush with the end of the fin pocket. In fact, it would be impossible to have the fin set to the innermost position as the strap around the springs would have to fin inside the foot pocket which doesn't seem physically possible.

As there is one size spring, you in fact have more slack on the smaller fins than you do on the larger ones due to the decreased size of the foot pocket.

My solution is to either get a bootie with a thicker sole with the hopes that this will lesson the compression on my toes or to buy a longer spring/ jerry rig an extension. I find both solutions a bit dissapointing, but perhaps this is just teething problems with a new product (i think the xxl fins just came out). Or maybe i am just a wimp and need to man up...

[navyhmc]

Thanks all for posting, I am thinking of getting a pair of F-1's, gives me some things to think about before ordering.

[bennerman]

What size foot do you have? I don't know how to help you, but that information might help everyone else