Flippers for swimming

[mrcharly-YHT]

MrsC and I swim in the sea occasionally. We nearly always wear wetsuits (mine is a thick 3/4mm one, she wears a thinner sleeveless with a jacket on top).

The wetsuits make it difficult to swim efficiently, partly because they make us too buoyant.

Lack of swimming fitness also makes it difficult to make progress (my shoulder injury doesn't help).

Was wondering about getting some swimming flippers to improve our 'range'.

Anyone here use them and have recommendations, suggestions?

[delthebike]

You don't want dolphins  , you want swim fins. 
https://www.wiggle.com/c/swim-and-water-sports/swimming-aids/fins

[mrcharly-YHT]

They all seem to be training aids for swimming in a pool.

[L CC]

Are your wetsuits swimming wetsuits? Most aren't - so they won't be flexible enough in the shoulders.
The extra bouyancy isn't usually a problem swimming, you swim faster when your legs don't drag through the water. Actually if you're breast stroking the bouyancy might be an issue- I'm coming from a crawl perspective.

Fins are a PITA getting in and out unless you do it off a boat. Have you considered the hand things?

[L CC]

Well, that sent me down a rabbit hole.

Try these: https://shinfin.com/

[Beardy]

Calling them flippers will press teh scuba crowd’s buttons  although you don’t want dive fins because they tend towards being more robust and thus heavier.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Are your wetsuits swimming wetsuits? Most aren't - so they won't be flexible enough in the shoulders.
The extra bouyancy isn't usually a problem swimming, you swim faster when your legs don't drag through the water. Actually if you're breast stroking the bouyancy might be an issue- I'm coming from a crawl perspective.

Fins are a PITA getting in and out unless you do it off a boat. Have you considered the hand things?

Correct, not swimming wetsuits. I bought mine in a hurry before a holiday; choices were limited by my shape (short and relatively large of chest, at least by wetsuit standards).

Legs tend to be too buoyant and float up. crawl kick with breaststroke works. I can't do crawl arms anymore due to shoulder injury.

We normally swim off beaches, which possibly means that the short ones suggested by Del would work better.

[delthebike]

They all seem to be training aids for swimming in a pool.

The only difference would be the density of the water, the fins won't know if they're in the pool, river, lake or sea.
As a former SCUBA diver, qualified open water trimix diver and instructor since you ask, any from the link will do what you want.
Just like bike gears the bigger the fin the harder it will be to push through the water, but the further you will travel.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Ok, you recommend them.

Will look into that type.

[delthebike]

Ok, you recommend them.

Will look into that type.

If you go bare foot get a shoe type. If you wear water shoes/neoprene boots get the heel strap type. Anything after that is size, surface area (how much water is going to move per leg kick), cost and lastly colour. Don't worry about colour as your feet are colour blind. HTH

[quixoticgeek]

Ok, you recommend them.

Will look into that type.

If you go bare foot get a shoe type. If you wear water shoes/neoprene boots get the heel strap type. Anything after that is size, surface area (how much water is going to move per leg kick), cost and lastly colour. Don't worry about colour as your feet are colour blind. HTH

Agreed. Shorter fins will allow you to accelerate faster, but limit top speed (when I played Octopush, I used shorter fins, so I could accelerate faster, which took people by surprise).

I always found using fins on the surface caused me to have cramp more than without, or under water, MrCharly, do learn how to release cramp when wearing fins.

Oh, and if the wet suit is making you bouyant, don't be afraid to wear a small weight belt, just make sure it's quick release.

J

[mrcharly-YHT]

It is my legs that are too buoyant, so a weight belt would make that worse!


Sometimes barefoot, sometimes with socks on

[L CC]

I am really not sure that buoyant legs is the bad thing you think it is.

All the swimming technique advice tells you that sinking legs cause drag and a wetsuit that keeps you high in the water will have you swimming faster.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Try doing breaststroke leg kick when your legs float up