Akula
03-11-2017, 03:36 PM
Hi guys! So, last year I bought myself a Suntails monofin and started making fabric tails for it. Loved it! Buuuut I was pretty rough on it (I swim aggressively in a rocky lake) and I broke it.
Overall I found it quite durable, but it snapped where one of the straps goes through the body of the fin. I think it was under increased stress at those points because I had adjusted the straps into a (very) tight X formation in an attempt to stabilize my feet against it.
Now that the weather is starting to turn, and I'm mere weeks out from starting to swim again, I'm looking to replace it. Since the straps were my main issue, I have been looking at alternatives with separate foot pockets for increased stability and control. I'm drawn to the Mahina Merfin for several reasons: I like their conservation efforts, I like that the monofin is rubber (seems like it would hold up to my environment), and I like that it would hold my feet separately and firmly.
What I don't like is the shape.
First of all, it won't fit in my current tail (which I'm in love with) without some modification. Second, it's an issue of preference. The little swoopy tails on either side of the fluke are just not for me, so I'm wondering if it's feasible to cut them off, or if I would be robbing the thing of stability and/or propulsion by doing so.
I'm going to be upgrading to fiberglass within another year or so--I have plans to start making a silicone tail when I move to a place with room to work. Is the Merfin worth it if I'm going to alter the shape? Or am I better off just replacing my Suntails fin and trying to go a little easier on it until I'm ready for silicone and fiberglass?
Overall I found it quite durable, but it snapped where one of the straps goes through the body of the fin. I think it was under increased stress at those points because I had adjusted the straps into a (very) tight X formation in an attempt to stabilize my feet against it.
Now that the weather is starting to turn, and I'm mere weeks out from starting to swim again, I'm looking to replace it. Since the straps were my main issue, I have been looking at alternatives with separate foot pockets for increased stability and control. I'm drawn to the Mahina Merfin for several reasons: I like their conservation efforts, I like that the monofin is rubber (seems like it would hold up to my environment), and I like that it would hold my feet separately and firmly.
What I don't like is the shape.
First of all, it won't fit in my current tail (which I'm in love with) without some modification. Second, it's an issue of preference. The little swoopy tails on either side of the fluke are just not for me, so I'm wondering if it's feasible to cut them off, or if I would be robbing the thing of stability and/or propulsion by doing so.
I'm going to be upgrading to fiberglass within another year or so--I have plans to start making a silicone tail when I move to a place with room to work. Is the Merfin worth it if I'm going to alter the shape? Or am I better off just replacing my Suntails fin and trying to go a little easier on it until I'm ready for silicone and fiberglass?