XL fins - real sizing experience?

MALLEE BULL · Post by **MALLEE BULL** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:25 pm

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU A CAN GET FLIPS ADJUSTABLE FINS THEY TAKE UP TO A SIZE 16 FOOT OR YOU COULD TRY FORCE FINS.

cs · Post by cs » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:05 am

I guess I'm just averse to "force fin" type fins for some reason. You know, big plastic blade under your foot and some buckles to keep it attached. I like the one piece rubber fin I grew up with, Duckfeet. I just want it bigger to fit my fat ass feet and some thick rubber. I used Force Fins for a while, for something completely different than surfing, and couldn't get used to them. I ended up back in the standard issue SCUBA fins, which I could wear even over jungle boots. Maybe I should pick up a pair of them like Mike mentioned and do some rubber surgery. Or, maybe I should just man up and quit wearing fins.

It's a tough transition to make when you don't get to surf as much as you'd like. cs

KenM · Post by **KenM** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:32 pm

Curtis, I also wear size 12's and to wear 5 mil booties I had to take a dremel tool and grind out the foot pocket of a pair of xl Churchills, worked great. The differance between 3 mil booties and 5 mil booties is huge.

Bill E. · Post by **Bill E.** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:21 pm

KenM wrote:Curtis, I also wear size 12's and to wear 5 mil booties I had to take a dremel tool and grind out the foot pocket of a pair of xl Churchills, worked great. The differance between 3 mil booties and 5 mil booties is huge.

Got my new CH Makapuu fins and tries them today. Got my 5mil and size 10 feet in way more easy than the Slashers. Both XL.

Which CH's did you grind down Curtis??

Yeah I dont know what you guys do with those BIG feet

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:23 pm

KenM, that's a great suggestion on grinding out the foot pockets to accommodate booties. I just got some 3mm O'Neil booties on sale ($10!) but only in size 13--hey, that's my size. I bought a couple boxes of them. But the fit in my Vipers is indeed tighter than my 2mm I had before. Thanks for offering a solution...

KenM · Post by **KenM** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:07 pm

The grinding takes some time but works out great. I used the "barrel" type grinder and would periodically test fit untill the fins were comfortable. They were the Churchill Makapuus, which have bigger footpockets than the slashers. The Dremel tool isn't too expensive and comes with several types of tips.

SouthernTim · Post by **SouthernTim** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:26 am

Hey Ken, thanks for the ideas on modification.

What part of the foot pocket are you drilling out? Can you give us a description and/or some pics of the process. I'm all in favor of DIY on things like this, but need some direction before I start out.

Also, CS, yeah, I did some emailing with Jay from DaFin, and there's a way to sign up for immediate notification when the new stock of fins arrive. That's what I did and I just hope they show before my next trip to El Salvador on 10.25.

Thanks all....T

KenM · Post by **KenM** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:32 am

Tim, sorry but I don't have a way to post picks as I'm still a bit in the stone age. It's really easy to do, just takes some time. First thing I did was make the opening a bit bigger by taking 1/4 inch or so off the top of the opening (the part that hits the front of your ankle). Then insert the dremel into the foot pocket as parrallel as possible grinding from side to side. On mine I removed material from the top, bottom, and sides of the foot pocket and a bit into the big toe area until it was comfortable with 5 mil fin booties.

KenM · Post by **KenM** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:39 am

Scott, if the 2 mil booties worked with the Vipers it shouldn't be a problem to grind out enough to make the 3 mils fit comfortably. If you can't get 'em to work, the pockets on the Churchills are bigger than the Vipers but you might not get as much thrust.

SouthernTim · Post by **SouthernTim** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:21 am

Thanks Ken, that'll work. I've stockpiled a few pairs of older fins that are too small, so I'll perfect my technique on them before I attack the working pair of Makapuu's.

'Preciate it....T

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:08 pm

Yes, Ken, I agree with SouthernTim; thanks for the tips. It shouldn't be much to get the 3 mills to feel more comfortable. It took me about 3 minutes to get the fins off my feet when I went out last week, it was so tight!

KenM · Post by **KenM** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:24 am

For me, fins that are too tight end up causing foot cramps. Usually just as a big set looms outside. Happy grinding!

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XL fins - real sizing experience?

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