Milo uses shinfinTM fins for lap swimming and for open water swimming with his amphibious water shoes. He values that he can walk and run with the fins. They are strong and lightweight, so he can also wear them for water safety riding his jet ski. As a past competitive swimmer, he appreciates that shinfinTM fins don’t make him alter his natural kick (unlike regular fins).
Milo’s review from Seattle, USA
“They are impressive Marc. I was a competitive swimmer years ago, and it’s great to have a fin that doesn’t make me alter my kick. Amphibious shoes and the shinfinTM fins are a great combo. Surprisingly, the drag from leaving the shoes on is not that much. I think your shinfinTM fins are creating a dead area that shields the shoes from the water flow somewhat.”
Milo’s review: Amphibious water shoes with fins for open water swimming
“They are impressive Marc. It’s just spring now here, so I’ve mainly used them in a pool so far. Just being able to walk around on deck with the fins, go into the hot tub and then back to the lap pool proved their worth.”
“I will use them in California and Hawaii, and here in Seattle for a 3 mile run, 1/4 mile swim I do sometimes in the summer. I like to do that run in minimal gear, like when I was a kid. So to be able to run with the fins stuffed in the back of my shorts, or even on my legs and turned sideways is great.”
“I’m curious to try them with my full scuba gear as well. Seems like they would work well. Would be good to get all geared up for a shore or boat dive and not have that final step of struggling with getting the fins on.”
“I was a competitive swimmer years ago, and it’s great to have a fin that doesn’t make me alter my kick.”
With amphibious water shoes
“I also use them with the first amphibious shoe I have found that still are good on the bare feet for a few miles, even when wet. No blisters.”
“Amphibious shoes and the shinfinTM fins are a great combo. The shinfinTM fins allow me to leave the shoes on in the water, which I need because I get out of Lake Washington in a different place than I get in. Before, I would hook them to my shorts and let them float so I could wear regular fins.”
“Surprisingly, the drag from leaving the shoes on is not that much. I think your shinfinTM fins are creating a dead area that shields the shoes from the water flow somewhat.”
“I fly a plane over water often, and also ride a jet ski far from shore. So I will wear the shinfinTM fins on the jet ski.”
Reply
Many thanks for your reply and your interesting ideas Milo. It sounds like you do a lot of fun activities.
I’m glad you find the fins impressive. Yes, it’s great the way they work with a proper streamlined swimmers’ kick. We get a lot of good feedback like this.
They work for snorkeling and I’m a scuba diver myself and have tested them with a tank. So they work if you use streamlined booties, and are strong for a swimmers’ style streamlined kick, with only a little knee-bend and power from your thighs, buttocks and stomach/torso. The foot flipper kick normally used by scuba divers is a different action, with much more knee-bend and more power from the calf and ankle muscles. Hence the common cramps in the feet, ankles and calf muscles from foot flippers. Also, as a swim training aid to strengthen your thighs and torso for scuba, they can be very useful. Given your comments in your email, you might like them for scuba too.
Conclusion
You will enjoy shinfinTM fins for open water swimming, especially because they don’t make you alter your natural kick (unlike regular fins). Furthermore, they are strong and lightweight and you can wear them with amphibious water shoes too, as in this snorkeling review. That will protect your feet when you walk or run with the fins.
You can also wear them for water running and water safety when riding jet skis and other water craft.