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[#0000FF]There are some "price range" fins available that will "do the job". But if you are going to buy one pair to last you for a few years and cover a wide range of fishing situations you will be happier if you spend a bit more to get what you want and need. There is a wide variation in size, shape and efficiency. What it ultimately boils down to is a balance between budget, personal strength and stamina and learning how to get the most out of the fins you buy.
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[#0000FF]I am attaching a writeup on Fins that might provide some more insight on what the real issues are with buying and using fins for tubing. Also including a writeup on "Dress for Success" that includes pages on waders and footwear.
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[#0000FF]A personal recommendation is to get the waders first and then take them with you to try on with the fins. If you get boot foot waders you will need fins with adjustable straps that will fit over the boots. If you get stocking food waders you will also need a pair of water shoes or dive booties to wear between the fins and waders.
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[#0000FF]I no longer fish moving water from my tube, but even when I did I did not like anchors. They can dig in and pull you under in fast water. And even in slower water can create problems in dislodging. So design is as important as weight.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Some guys like to carry a brush clip on a rope...for attaching to overhanging trees or to bridges. Others like to use a length of heavy chain on a rope, for holding or for at least slowing down the drift in a current. Still others opt for a mesh bag they can fill with rocks when hitting the water...and then dumping when they finish.[/#0000FF]
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Excellent advice from Tube dude! Study the recommendations for safety carefully, and you might want to start your learning process in a small area of non-moving water like a pond or River Creek. Propulsion and control will be very important in moving water, so start learning about fins ASAP, it will take several sessions before you learn how to maneuver. Anchors are not all that useful on a river, because you can head for the shallows to hold position with your planted feet. If you need and anchor because of deep or steep Banks, I would recommend a grapnel folding anchor as small as possible probably about 3 pounds. Use as much anchor line as necessary to hold with that weight. Tie the line to the bottom eyelet and then use a weaker cord to connect to the top anchor hole, which allows you to recover a stuck anchor when the weaker line breaks. A foam float should go at the end of the anchor line, and a special snap with instant pull cord release allows you to get out of danger quickly. It is best to face Upstream while anchored so that you can see floating debris coming.
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Thank both of you very much ! this is some very helpful information. I got a less expensive pair of Fins to start, I want to take the summer to get use to float fishing like I said this is new to me, before I had the comfort of a boat, and right now a boat just isnt in the budget. with the float Tube Im on the water rather cheap and as I found out earlier wade fishing from Rock to Rock isnt as easy or safe as it was 20 yrs ago I had some issues after a botched back surgery and I learned Im not that agile nimble kid I use to be(not to mention Im carrying an extra 70 lbs I didnt have before) . But the float tube makes it more enjoyable and safer for me and will give my wife some piece of mind. I cant express how helpful the advice you both gave me is, and I thank you both very much. I hope this summer I will be able to post about my upcoming adventures. Ill be getting in the tube this week for the first time and I plan on starting in small still waters Ill keep you updated
Thx again
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One advantage of that Cumberland is that it has Boston inflation valves, which are like my o d c420. If the inflation nipples are within Arm's Reach, you can use a mouth tube to top off the pressure even while on the water. You cannot go over the maximum pressure because the maximum pressure from normal healthy humans is about 2 PSI. Which is below the 2.5 PSI maximum for these kinds of tubes. So you avoid the hassle of having to go back to Shore and use your pump because of shrinkage in colder water.
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TD - glad I found your attached articles. Saved me some headaches. Since I went for a toon, it looks like I should check out the "force fins" (i need the force to be with me, [laugh]). What are my real chances of staying dry with "hippers" on a toon? Which light weights do you prefer at this time? Are the zippers in the front leak proof for those models? Thx.
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[#0000FF]I have never been a big fan of Force Fins, but I am in the minority. Most who use them, love them. And if you are going to be putting them over regular boots, the adjustable Force Fins are a good way to go.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Lots of tooners use hippers and never have any problems. I have been using some Itasca lightweight waders for a couple of years and they are holding up great. But I get the full length stocking foot waders and remove the shoulder straps, securing them around my waist with a quick-release belt. I tried a pair of waist high ultralights and did not like them. The back pulls down when you sit in a tube or toon. And I have never felt brave enough to try the zipper models. A lot of extra expense and potential grief for being able to whiz on the water. Rolling down strapless full length waders ain't no big deal. But always better to eat and drink sensibly before going afloat...and take care of "business" before launching.
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I think it was tube dude that got me thinking along the lines of using open heel scuba fins.
I got a pair of used, but like new, Mares Avanti II fins and never looked back. The cost was about $30.
My attitude was not to get what everyone thought was wonderful, or trendy, but what was GOOD QUALITY, and adapt to them.
I wasn’t gonna be trying umpteen different brands, and I wasn’t planning to spend upwards of $100 on fins.
So this material fit and attitude adjustment has worked out. The Avanti is a long fin, meaning a smooth power stroke.
I can’t spin on a dime, but, well... so?
(A healthy dose of pragmatism is useful)
I would caution you to account for booties/surf bootsand to wear them with such fins.
A. This is their normal use recommendation for comfort.
B. I use stocking foot waders, so this is a win-win
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[#0000FF]Good observations and comments.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]There are quite a few tubers who already own boot foot waders and do not wish to buy another pair...of stocking foots. Or, they may be sold on using wading boots over their stocking foot waders...as do a lot of wading fly fishermen. So they are pretty much limited to using fins with big pockets and/or strap-on adjustability. If it works for them, that is all that counts.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Having the longer flexible blades of the diving fins makes for less trauma to the calf muscles over a day of fishing. Fewer muscle spasms and crotch cramps. With the longer flex blades there is more propulsion power transferred to the fins, but over a longer range of motion. You go further with less strain.
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I was coming to this tubing game without previous gear - so I could start fresh.
I do wear surf booties, over my wader stocking feet, mostly because I like all the cushiness.
And to protect the wader stockings.
I just sized everything accordingly so it would all fit together
1. Poly dress socks
2. Waders
3. Neoprene surf booties
When it’s warm and I dump the waders, I have a pair of thin neoprene booties under the surfies
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