Fins

Fins are one of the most important pieces of equipment for a bodyboarder. A good pair of fins can make the difference between an enjoyable session or an irritating painful session. If a pair of fins is too loose then they will give less power, cause sore feet due to the excessive movement and can come off easily if hit by a wave. If fins are too tight then they will rub causing blisters and can also cause cramps. Remember that fins with larger, stiffer blades will be harder to kick with but give you more propulsion.
With these things in mind, it is very important to purchase the right size fin. Do not feel that you are locked into purchasing one brand of fin if there is not a size in that brand that properly fits your foot. Some brands only have a small range of sizes (S, M, L, XL) and it is possible to have a foot size that falls in between the sizes offered by that brand. In that case try some other brands. Of course if your feet are still growing then it would make sense to buy fins which are a little larger than you currently need. You can then use fin socks or just normal socks to make your feet the right size. Another, but less important issue, is the shape of the fin.
Your style of bodyboarding, either prone or dropknee or both, can dictate the shape of fins that you should be wearing. Prone bodyboarders can be less concerned about the shape of the fin and more about the propulsion it provides. Dropknee bodyboarders, on the other hand should look closely at the shape and length of a fin. Ideally a dropknee fin should have shorter wider blade that makes it easier to get ones foot up to the front of the board without catching on the wave face while still giving enough power to be on the wave well and truly before it breaks to give more time to get up and set an edge. Some riders like me, trim off the corners of the fins for dropknee riding to stop them catching on the wave.

Fin Socks Fin socks are an option to help stop rubbing, keep your feet warm or bring the size of your feet up to fit your fin better. There are two main varieties of fin socks; neoprene and lycra. The lycra socks can keep sand away from your foot to help stop rubbing and are thin so they don?t make your foot too large to fit into the fin comfortably. They don't however do as good a job at protecting your feet from blisters and chaffing. Neoprene socks can stop rubbing from sand and bad fin or foot shape. They do a good job at keeping your feet warm in winter and can also be used to make your foot effectively larger if your fins happen to be a little bit too big. Fin socks are great when using Viper Fins. In my opinion Viper fins give you the most thrust but they can be tough on your feet if you don't wear a fin sock.

Fin Savers/Fin Tethers Having spent over $50 dollars on a pair of fins it is worth investing in a pair of fin savers. These fin savers generally wrap around the back of the fin and then velcro around your ankle stopping the fin from leaving you if it is ripped off by a wave. There are also shoe lace varieties which tie around your ankles and fins. Either type are a small investment to save you buying a new pair of fins and definitely worth having. Before you buy some, take a good look at how thick the material is that wraps around the back of the fin. If this material is too thin, it can sometimes rip straight through the rubber at the back of your fin not only causing the possible loss of fin, but rendering the fin useless even if you do retrieve it. That said, quite a number of professional riders choose to use the shoe lace style of savers. They seem to cite reasons of less drag for this choice.

Click here to check some fin accesories options.

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