Best Inexpensive Fins for US Mers?

[Rett]

So I am in the market for a new monofin. I have a rapid and was thinking about getting another, but thought I would look at other options.... Problem is I cant find any other options! Where do you guys get your fins? I was hoping to spend about a hundred dollars or less, but every fin I was looking at (Like the Mahina and Hydra) seem like they cost that much just for shipping! Where do you US mers buy your fins? Is there a certain website that is cheaper? Or do you just suck it up and pay the insane shipping costs? If the fin is going to end up being almost $200 with shipping, I might as well just ford a little extra cash and invest in a competitor.

[AniaR]

if you google finis discount codes there are several that are active, I think there's even a 20% one that has to do with Hannah fraser :)

[Mermaid Lorelei]

The foil by finis is my go to fin and it's about 40 USD.

[Mermaid Momo]

I get my fins from amazon

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[Mermaid Wesley]

Finis is the only US based monofin company. There are many more overseas. BUt finis has higher prices since they have sortof a monopoly on the local market. I bought a fiberglass fin from I think the Ukraine and it was half the price of the competitor even with shipping


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[Merman Storm]

Finis is the only US based monofin company. There are many more overseas. BUt finis has higher prices since they have sortof a monopoly on the local market. I bought a fiberglass fin from I think the Ukraine and it was half the price of the competitor even with shipping


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I also got one of those from the Ukrane. Waterways, as I recall. It did not fit. Even though I got their largest size, I could not squeeze my US 12 E feet into them. They were too narrow.
Shipping back was out of the question, it cost more than the fin. So I'm sort of stuck with it.
This is why finding a US fin is of interest,. There is less of an issue if there is a size problem. Also, US manufacturers seem to be able to make fins that fit normal foot sizes.

[Mermaid Olivia!]

Try checking Urban Outfitters if you want a Mahina- they sell them for $100 and you get free shipping! :D

[Theobromine]

I second Amazon if you want a Finis. I've found that their prices are the cheapest, even cheaper than using the discount code on the actual Finis website, and they're eligible for Prime free shipping.

[New York Mermaid]

you can check here, they have both trainer 1 and finis foil for a cheap pricing: http://thelifeguardstore.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=monofin&submit_search=

[Rett]

Finis is the only US based monofin company. There are many more overseas. BUt finis has higher prices since they have sortof a monopoly on the local market. I bought a fiberglass fin from I think the Ukraine and it was half the price of the competitor even with shipping


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I also got one of those from the Ukrane. Waterways, as I recall. It did not fit. Even though I got their largest size, I could not squeeze my US 12 E feet into them. They were too narrow.
Shipping back was out of the question, it cost more than the fin. So I'm sort of stuck with it.
This is why finding a US fin is of interest,. There is less of an issue if there is a size problem. Also, US manufacturers seem to be able to make fins that fit normal foot sizes.
Hmm, I might look into that. Waterways you say? Since I couldn't really afford a competitor right now I had just assumed a fiberglass fin (which is what I would prefer for ocean swimming) was out of the question. I will definitely look into that!


Try checking Urban Outfitters if you want a Mahina- they sell them for $100 and you get free shipping! :D
Wait seriously! I thought you could only order them from the Mahina website! (and shipping from Australia was more than the fin itself) I will definitely look into that too! The only downside to a Mahina is that you cant really take the Mahina to the pool to use it as just an exercise fin though (since it is permanently mermaid shaped :P ). Thanks so much for the tip though! I would have never thought to look there!

[AquaStella]

Wait seriously! I thought you could only order them from the Mahina website! (and shipping from Australia was more than the fin itself) I will definitely look into that too! The only downside to a Mahina is that you cant really take the Mahina to the pool to use it as just an exercise fin though (since it is permanently mermaid shaped :P ). Thanks so much for the tip though! I would have never thought to look there!

Why can't you take it to a pool and use it as an exercise fin? Um... I think if you mean that it doesn't look like an "exercise fin" then: Yes. I can somewhat see your point.
But you can still get a killer workout with a Mahina fin. I kick 300m intervals for 20 minutes on my back to tone my core, 2-3 days a week. I mean if you are ever in the Denver area, swing on by my pool and I will show you my rockin' abs and killer workout I put in my Mahina fin.

Don't knock the equipment, knock the dedication. :cool:

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I swim in my merfin just fine. Though I rarely wear the tail for it, as its still bit heavy because I'm not used to swimming in it and the merfin.

I just like zipping around the pool!

[Rett]

Why can't you take it to a pool and use it as an exercise fin? Um... I think if you mean that it doesn't look like an "exercise fin" then: Yes. I can somewhat see your point. But you can still get a killer workout with a Mahina fin. I kick 300m intervals for 20 minutes on my back to tone my core, 2-3 days a week. I mean if you are ever in the Denver area, swing on by my pool and I will show you my rockin' abs and killer workout I put in my Mahina fin. Don't knock the equipment, knock the dedication. :cool:Oh, no, I definitely meant just the look of the fin! :sweat drop: Haha, not bashing the mahina at all! Its definitely a great fin (especially for mermaiding). Just the look is not optimal for me as an exercise fin since I would rather it look less mermaidy for a practice freediving fin. It would be harder to be taken for a serious freediver at the dive club if my fin is permanently fish-shaped :sweat drop:

[Mermaid Coralia]

Cutting and shaping the mahina is also an option.

[suzanne86]

You can comparison shop at SwimOutlet.com . You can lane share with a Foil. My guess is that it would be pretty tough to do that with a Mahina.

[AquaStella]

You can comparison shop at SwimOutlet.com . You can lane share with a Foil. My guess is that it would be pretty tough to do that with a Mahina.

I am Learn to Swim Coordinator at a very large (granted) University swimming pool. I practice (and teach) safe lane-sharing daily. I watch swimmers daily in a multi-lane lap pool, and I promise you it isn't tough to "circuit swim" with a Mahina. Yes, a Foil might be easier. Yes, it depends on your lane width, but I have been ran over more by folks that don't understand the concept of swimming down one side of the lane and returning down the other more than I have by mermaids with big... fins.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

You can do that with a mahina. When the person is near, just dive under and swim near the pool bottom beneath them. When they start to get paranoid, is when they'll leave the lane all to yourself!

[MerEmma]

I've lane-shared twice with my Mahina fin...I'm not saying it's preferable, but it wasn't too hard to not hit the other person. I was horrified that I might, though! I either swam sideways when passing, or dove to the bottom. I also wore goggles for better visibility.