Get to know her favorite place. Photo: Mark Tipple.
Despite the apparently obvious shameless self-promotion (I own and operate businesses that sell swim fins), this piece is really meant to help you find your way into as many waves as possible, using as many methods as possible.
Thanks to the likes of Kai Lenny and Laird Hamilton before him, the term “waterman” has morphed into a new identity slightly cooler than that of the hand boarding hipster. Even the groms at your local beach likely own a shortboard, a longboard, SUP, a soft top, a Beater, a bodyboard, a hand board, and a pair of swim fins. For some, it’s simply the status quo to have an arsenal of equipment. No matter what, I think we can all agree the more ways you can have fun in the ocean, the better.
In my case, my love affair with serious wave riding began in 1978. I got my first pair of Churchill Swimfins and they changed the way I approached the ocean since then. I could suddenly get out to the lineup easier, I was catching waves, and bodysurfing like an anemic dolphin (I was a scrawny kid). When I took up bodyboarding the next summer it was game on. Today, my son is now a junior lifeguard and I can see how the same approach to getting in the water whenever and however has affected his confidence.
Back to those childhood days and that first pair of Churchhills, we only had two choices of swim fins: my Churchhills or Duck Feet. If you had a wide foot, a high instep, or any other deviation from a normal foot shape, you were screwed. Giant pus-filled craters would form on your ankles and your following options were to suck it up or wear a pair of tube socks (which never actually helped). If you toughed it out long enough, calluses would come to the rescue and you could work through it.
Ah yes, the joys of wearing swimfins! Photo: Matt Percy
Fast forward to 2017 and the options are nearly limitless. A given retailer/site can carry as nearly 20 different brands at any time. There are all manner of booties, socks, fin tethers, and other accouterments to keep your fins from turning your tootsies into hamburger meat as well as preventing the ocean from pulling them square off your feet when you go through the washing machine.
So, how do we filter through all the choices?
1. Start with a basic understanding of your foot shape.
Is your foot wide or narrow? High instep? Narrow heel? Certain fins are great for certain foot types. A good swim fin retailer should have intimate knowledge of each fin they carry. For example, I have very wide feet and the Rad Pig Hooves Swimfins fit me perfectly. DaFin works well for a lot of folks with medium-width feet, as does Mike Stewart’s brand, MS Viper.
2. Are you going to wear booties, fin socks, or put a heel pad on your fins?
This is an accessory that impacts the fit. A winter 5mm bootie with a rubber sole will add 3-4 shoe sizes to your foot. A 2mm fin sock will add 1 shoe size to your foot. A heel pad can add 1/2 a shoe size. You have to account for these variables when choosing which size to get.
3. What are you using them for?
If you’re getting on the swimfin bandwagon for general ocean use like swimming, snorkeling, or bodysurfing, then almost any fin you can get your hand on will work fine. But let’s say you’re a bodyboarder who rides drop knee, for example. A shorter fin makes it easier to get that front foot on top of your board. If you are a hardcore bodysurfer, on the other hand, you might prefer a longer fin. If you are a junior lifeguard who’s new to wearing fins, something lightweight will be good for you.
4. How strong are your legs?
Okay, push ego aside for this one. If your legs aren’t that strong and you buy a stiff fin you’ll be getting familiar with calf cramps. Most likely this will happen right as that giant set is bearing down on you and you kick anxiously to get under its watery guillotine. If your legs aren’t that strong, you’ll want a fin with a softer blade. Have legs that resemble fleshy sequoias? A stiff fin will do nicely to get you into those bombing closeouts at your local beach break.
The feeling of accomplishment when you round out your quiver with a good pair of swim fins can’t be understated. You can travel far and wide and find waves in places you would never think to look when you’ve packed your swim fins. At the very least, pack a snorkel and they’ll be easy inspiration for a quick dive.
So you may not be surfing foils at Jaws or married to Gabi Reece, but I can almost guarantee Kai and Laird would approve of the addition of a good pair of fins to your wave riding quiver.
