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Jon Davey · Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: Location: Cornwall, U.K

I've just ordered a pair as they seem like a good idea. Anyone else experimented with them? If so what's the verdict?

rodndtube · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:58 pm Post subject:

The semi-scientific verdict is "effective." You can read more of Terry Hendrick's analysis here in the interesting table of analysis on the relative thrust performance of various surf/swim fins (and web gloves). The methodology, as posted to AS, is posted here. By Alt.Surfing's "sdbchguy."
http://www.rodndtube.com/paipo/flippers/Swim-SurfFinTests.html
http://www.rodndtube.com/paipo/flippers/SwimFinsMethods.html

It is hard to find good web gloves these days -- the most commonly available type is by H20, but they are not the best for cool to cold water, something to bridge warm-water webbed paddling gloves to very cold water when my lobster claws come out. Personally, I don't care much for the H20 and others that I have seen, or bought and used, because of the poor materials, poor fit or lack of insulating qualities.

Sidebar: Who invented flippers and paddling gloves?
http://www.rodndtube.com/paipo/flippers/BenFranklinFlippers.shtml
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Jon Davey · Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: Location: Cornwall, U.K

A value of 35 is pretty good for gloves alone. I assume that one would have to paddle with the fingers spread apart to maximize the webbed area, which may feel pretty unnatural when compared to the usual cupped hand position, or am I wrong in this supposition? On a related note has anyone tried a monofin for bodysurfing? I know than some people use a butterfly type stroke to catch a wave and one of these would seem to suit that style.

rodndtube · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:47 am Post subject: Re: webbed gloves

Jon Davey · Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: Location: Cornwall, U.K

...but surely you need to open the fingers to a certain extent, else there would be no advantage in having the webbing. Thanks for the over-use warning by the way.

r32 · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

I have the h20 webbing kind and tried them when they first came out in the 80's. They definitely work to move yourself faster, but at the same time, the webbing between fingers created so much resistance that my arms seemed to get tired faster.

Thierry · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: Location: France

I have an old pair of webbed gloves and I don't use them anymore.
The palm is made of neoprene but the upper side of the hand is made of lycra which doesn't protect from cold wind and water.

The neoprene is slippery on the rails of the board and I found it hard to hold it even during duckdives. if there is some kind of non slip material on the palm and fingers (like on diving gloves) that's a good thing.

It is true that you have to get used to the resistance. A friend of mine caught a tendinitis on one of his shoulders and had to rest for 3 weeks (and he was on holidays Crying or Very sad

) but he is a shortboarder and, like Rod said, with flippers on it may not be as stressful if you only paddle with power for short periods (take off)

Paddling with your fingers spread is not so un-natural. Do you paddle with your fingers stuck together ? A swimming instructor told me that it is more efficient to spread the fingers just a little bit and that seems to work ok for me when paddling.

Jon, the monofins I've seen are made for swimming and I think they've got a large and rigid (fibreglass) surface when you are surfing or washed by a wave. It must be tiring for the abs and back muscles to swim a long time with a monofin but if I ever find a short and flexible one I might be tempted to buy it.
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