Snorkel fins - surface swim

[mitsuguy]

Ok, so, I am looking for a pair of fins for surface swimming...

Currently I've tried my own Xpert Zooms, which are great for swimming on my back, but horrible for face down surface swimming without gear... Same goes for my wifes aqualung blade fins...

Anyone have any advice for a good fin for this... doesn't really matter full foot or not... or is there just something I am doing wrong with my swimming style? I used to swim competitively, and have all the standard swimming strokes down, but surface swim with fins is hard for me (no arms, just legs)...

My most efficient swim style is the standard flutter kick, or the scissors kick- doesn't seem like either work well with fins on the surface...

Any ideas?

[No Misses]

mitsuguy, I have done a lot of snorkling. I swim with a weight belt to facilitate freediving. It also helps with keeping your feet below the surface while swimming. With no wetsuit I wear 4-6 lbs. With a 3/2 full suit I wear ~12 lbs. If you aren't trying to dive, and do not want to wear a weight belt, just try to lift your head while swimming. Lifting your head a couple of inches will lower your feet a lot. I hope this helps.

BTW I use mares avanti full foot fins

[mitsuguy]

the weight belt thing is something I have though about... that is my real problem is that I end up swimming on top of the water and that just doesn't work with fins...

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by No Misses

BTW I use mares avanti full foot fins

which one, there are like 5...

[CompuDude]

Splits don't work as well on the surface as they do underwater, unless you are on your back. The Tusa's are especially bad on the surface, as you have discovered, due to the angle of the fin blades.

Paddle fins work better at the surface, when face down.

[No Misses]

I have the Plana Avanti Tre full foot fin.
I prefer full foot fins due to the slim foot pocket. IMHO there is nothing gained by moving a large foot pocket through the water. I would much rather have that force applied to the blade surface where it results in forward motion. Since I do mostly boat dives, I really do not need hard soled boots. If I were doing beach dives then I could see the need for hard boots and open heel fins.

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by No Misses

I have the Plana Avanti Tre full foot fin.
I prefer full foot fins due to the slim foot pocket. IMHO there is nothing gained by moving a large foot pocket through the water. I would much rather have that force applied to the blade surface where it results in forward motion. Since I do mostly boat dives, I really do not need hard soled boots. If I were doing beach dives then I could see the need for hard boots and open heel fins.

yah, I plan on getting full foot fins anyways as I will be moving to warm water soon... I'll look into those...

[rox@ucf11]

for snorkiling well I have heard of using ankle weghts just to get your fins down, never used em but its worth looking into.

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by rox@ucf11

for snorkiling well I have heard of using ankle weghts just to get your fins down, never used em but its worth looking into.

that is something else I might look in to...

[comet24]

I had the same problem and also swam competitively. Used to hate drills that only used your legs and have come to realizes most of my power came from my upper body when swimming. My feet would cramp up when I tried swimming in my large SCUBA fins. Find some smaller full foot fins.