Hey guys- I've got two concerns that popped up over the last couple of days. Firstly, on both of my gloves (mitten-type gloves) at the crevice between the pointer and middle-finger, small holes have developed. I felt water coming in and although now it is not so crucial, I don't want to risk it in the winter when the water is much colder. What type of glove would you guys recommend? I'm thinking of changing things up and buying a 5-finger to see if that works better for me. Also, my previous gloves were 5 mm- what thickness do you guys think works best for you? Secondly, I came out of the water the other day and realized that I had no fin on my longboard. The fin had completely snapped off, leaving only the base of the fin with the screws in the fin box. So, I was wondering if most fin boxes will accomodate a replacement fin I can buy at a surfshop. It would be more convenient if I did not have to bring my board to the shop. Thanks for any and all feedback.
Which fin snapped off? The center box fin or one of the sidebites? Either way, you should be able to get replacements at most surf shops. Be careful getting the tabs/base out and make sure that the glass/foam around the box isn't boinked up. As for the gloves, comfort and fit rule. get the best ones you can afford that fit your hands well.
As Mikey said you should have no problem buying a replacement fin. You can try a different shape. Why buy new gloves? You can repair cracks and holes in wetsuits and gloves with wetsuit cement which is sold at most surf shops. Make sure to get the black neoprene repair glue not the clear stuff. The black stuff is soft and plyable after. I have repaired gloves, boots and suits. The repairs will last and extend the life of the gear.
The center box fin snapped off... I don't have any sidebites on the board- only that one center fin. I do see some spider cracks around the fin box mostly at the end of the fin box closest to the nose of the board. Could this be from the bending of the fin while riding a wave? I don't remember any specific incidents in which I dragged or bent my fin on impact with a rock or sand bottom. It seems strange that this would happen.
Just a tip.. As much as i love my other o'neil wetsuit products. the gloves fit great, flexed prefect but by the end of a winter they were torn to shreds, i would recommend xcel gloves. i repaired my oneil's several times but each time they would just open up on the side of where i had just repaired.. and a tip the guys at k coast taught me, when your takeing your gloves off blow into them and inflate them and slide your hand out rather than just yanking them off
Any surf shop and supply you with a new fin rages from 30 - 60 dollars depending on the fin you want. I use Rip Curl lobster mits they last a few winters before they start to leak around the thumbs seams
i'd loved to have seen you ride your last one in finless! holy tailslide, batman! If you have spidercracks around your finbox, it would be best to repair them. lightly sand the area and drop some suncure or a small glass/resin patch around the area just to make sure that no water gets in and weakens the board. the cracks may have been from running your ship aground on small days, or getting walloped on a closeout. as for mr johnson's advice on ripcurl lobsters. great warm glove. your hands will sweat! i got two winters out of mine so far. the fingertips are wearing on the right glove (from grabbing the rail at the end of a ride, i guess) and i plan to put some of the black goo on them to seal 'em up. i'm surprised that such an oldschool malibu local even wears gloves. have fun with the fin. if you wanna try something different, go for it. borrow a buddy's for a session. i have a turbotunnel fin that works great on both my assateague sled and my performance longboard. one of my buddies has it now and doesn't want to give it back. if you want to try a new style of fin, try it before you buy it.
