I am trying to decide what fins to get for bodysurfing. After researching I have narrowed it down to the voit UDT fins. I feel I have the leg power to use them and from the reviews I read it seems like you really fly with them on. With that being said I am having trouble picking a size and model. There are two models, the old all black ones and the new black/blue ones. Does anybody know which one is better? Also, apparently you cannot wear these fins without a fin sock and I am a size 10 shoe, which size do you believe would be best. Cheers
udeets are HEAVY ass fins. i use the voit duckfeet & love 'em, but if you've got the leg strength & endurance, the udeets are the way to go...i don't think you HAVE to wear a fin sock w/ them, but it might help. & i'd go w/ a size xl...i wear a 10/10.5 shoe & that's what size my duckfeet are. can't comment on the black/blue-black difference, b/c i don't know, but i'd assume there's no appreciable difference. i think it's just the different colors they put into the mold when they make them. good luck!
The brands definitely vary... But, I"ll tell you them most important thing is to find a fin that fits property. The sizes and molds are all a little different. Check out some shops that carry a good selection of bodyboarding fins, and try some on. You want snug, but don't want your toes to be crammed in.
Mr. Info's advice is good. Fit is highly important, and everybody's feet are different. This is easy to say, but the reality is, you won't really know what they feel like until you're in the water with them on for about a hour! For me, the UDTs are too long. Power isn't the only criteria... control, responsiveness and steerage are just as important. I've tried them all over the years, and Vipers are the best fin for me. They have a bad rep for being hard on the feet, but for me... well... they just seem to fit perfectly. Guess I'm just lucky.
my go to for body surfing are a pair of "dafin" and a danny hess handplane. the voit fins appear too long for use in body surfing, they are more of a diving fin...and forget anything you need to wear with a sock. mark cunningham knows his stuff.... http://www.dafin.com/v/index.html
go with the hydro tech 2 fins. they're a bit pricy but they're super comfortable and have a lot of power behind them
I have Hydro Finz made in Australia, I read when I first got them that they were made by a body surfer, I use them for body boarding and they work great and feel great too.
I ride kneeboards, I can tell you there is no consensus on what the BEST fin is. Each person finds what works best for them based on comfort, personal preference, foot anatomy and types of waves. I like DaFin -good power and really comfortable, but have friends that swear by Vipers or Duck Feet. The guys I know that use UDTs ride mats - they also modify them to improve flex and increase comfort. Those fins are heavy and can really put a strain on ankles as well as calf and thigh muscles Marine Rescue has good prices online
Thanks for the replies guys, I'm gonna definitely go to a nearby diving store that has a good selection of fins to try them on. I never heard of Dafin either, but they look pretty sick. If Mark Cunningham wears them then they must work well.
I would suggest going to a surf shop that sells bodyboards - not a dive shop - you want fins that are for bodysurfing/bodyboarding they are quite different from diving fins
