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Fin care & materials tips

Please read the tips below to take care of your shinfinTM fins and straps, and to learn about their materials. Please also see the tips summary and further tips to help you with fin size, fitting, kicking and walking.

shinfinTM fins give you comfort, performance, durability and light weight. Please follow these simple tips to care for your fins, so they give you many years of enjoyment.

Care tips: fin & strap materials

To maximise the life of your shinfinTM fins, please rinse the fins and straps after use, and store them out of the sun. Please keep the fins, and especially the straps, away from sharp objects.

  • Rinse in fresh water after use.
  • Keep out of the sun after use.
  • Avoid contact with sharp objects.
  • Avoid contact with chemicals, oils or petrol.

Fin material: high quality, tough polyurethane

The shinfinTM polyurethane fin material gives comfort, rebound performance and toughness. Sunlight and chlorine water won’t really affect the fins, so you should get many good years of use from the fins. As the shinfinTM polyurethane is a special engineering grade thermoplastic, it is stronger than normal foot flipper rubbers and plastics. It is also much more expensive. But the benefits are worth it.

  • Excellent flex rebound resilience for power and performance.
  • Excellent resistance to abrasion, cuts and tearing from contact with rocks etc.
  • Excellent internal protection against sunlight/UV.
  • For extra long life, rinse and keep out of sun after use.

Strap material: high quality silicone rubber

The shinfinTM silicone rubber strap material is high quality and designed for skin comfort, grip and durability. Silicone rubber does not cause the allergic reaction that some people get when their skin contacts natural latex rubbers.

Furthermore, the shinfinTM silicone rubber straps have good sunlight/UV protection. But over time (as with even the best silicone rubbers), sunlight and chlorine will slowly degrade the straps. To maximise strap life, please care for the material by following these tips. Rinse the fins and straps after use, keep away from sharp objects and store them out of the sun. Then you should get many good years of use from the straps. Replacement straps are available.

  • Excellent grip around leg with ribbed strap profile.
  • Excellent stretch recovery.
  • Good resistance to abrasion, cuts and tearing.
  • Good protection against sunlight/UV.
  • For long life, rinse and keep out of sun after use.
  • Check straps regularly for wear and deterioration.
  • Replace worn straps with new straps.
  • Silicone rubber does not cause allergic skin reactions like latex rubber.

Tips for sensitive skin

Some people have sensitive skin. In this case, you might consider wearing the fins over a wetsuit. Alternatively, you could wear the fins over “sleeves” that cover where the fins and straps contact your legs, made from wetsuit material (neoprene) or other materials.