Fiberglass Hockey Fins

I haven't tried the specialfins yet...



The nemos had nice balance and a great footpocket but I wasn't happy enough with the top end speed. So we'll see if the specialfins are any quicker. Might not be apples with apples though, I've ordered the hard blades with the specialfins and the nemos I tested were mediums.

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It's not whether you win or lose - but whether I win or lose.

hey benson,
what were the fins i saw you wearing in marseilles like,i forget the name,i think a french guy was making them.then you seemed to like them a lot.

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top of de mornin to yeh

Provided they haven't glued the rails on, any footpocket with the same mounting pattern at the omers will fit (Waterway Nemo, Beauchat, Picasso, etc). If you want a different mounting pattern (C4s, some other unusual ones), you can break out the drill

For power transfer, the Omers are considered the best, bar C4s.

Have you tried the Esclapez, they seem to be one of the more comfortable foot pockets that I've found but I've never really looked at them from a power transfer perspective.

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Breathing is overrated!

They were the Leaderfins. Awesome to play in, but my feet looked like sandwiches after the game.

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It's not whether you win or lose - but whether I win or lose.

I've got a pair of Escalpez greens and you're dead right about comfort. Power transfer on the other hand is pretty pants. Also, as far as I'm aware, none of their footpockets are detachable, which makes the whole thing a moot point. The picassos are considered by many to be a better compromise than the Omers between power and comfort.

Have you received the specialfins yet and, if so, what do you think about their quality and performance? Which fin would thus - in your view - be the best choice?

In the current Aquachallenge rules look under 11.3 Players Equipment and the Stick where you will find:

11.3.1 Each player shall be equipped wth a mask, which must have safety glass or other safety material fitted; a non-metal, pliable snorkel; a pair of conventional underwater hockey fins (made of non-dangerous, pliable, synthetic material) which is approved by the World AquaChallenge Association; a mouth protector approved by the World AquaChallenge Association; hand protection for the playing hand(s) and an underwater hockey stick.

No need to bring up that we no longer need to wear earguards or suits (this game just keeps getting better and better), but most of this rule concerns safety with respect to the equipment. All this talk of fiberglass 'hockey' fins shouldn't even exist. They are illegal according to the rule above. The key words you need to understand are non-dangerous and PLIABLE.

pli·a·ble adj.

1. Easily bent or shaped. See Synonyms at malleable.
2. Receptive to change; adaptable: pliable attitudes.
3. Easily influenced, persuaded, or swayed; tractable.
[Middle English, from Old French, from plier, to bend; see pliant.]

Fiber glass fins are not easily bent. Are we to sacrifice the safety of players as so well laid out in our first edition rules for the mere fact that the previously best fins for hockey are no longer manufactured? Suck it up and kick faster in something that conforms to the rules. This should be a game about fitness and skills more so than technology. And don't bring up the uw rugby argument anymore, different sport.

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Just in case you weren't sure, it's official -- CMAS sucks

So aquachallengers are not allowed to play with fiber fins (WAA) when underwater hockey players are (CMAS)?

According to the CMAS rules (v9.10, available at CMAS Underwater Hockey Referees Guild - www.refereesguild.org) it says under 11.3.1 "a pair of conventional underwater hockey fins (made of rubber or other non-dangerous pliable synthetic material, excluding fibreglass) which is approved by the CMAS Underwater Hockey Commission", so CMAS UWH players also cannot wear fibreglass fins.