FINISZ2 Gold Zoomers Swim Fins - Short Blade Training Fins for Strength & Speed - Natural Rubber Fit

Hey everyone,I've been hitting the pool hard for the past month, swimming 2,500 – 4,000 meters a day without fins. But recently, someone suggested I try using swim fins. Now, as a master scuba instructor with a hefty 6,000 dives under my belt, ranging from ice dives in Colorado to a year spent on a liveaboard in the Galapagos, I'm pretty particular about my fins. Fins are like shoes to me—they need to be just right for the job. I've got a few pairs that feel like a natural extension of my feet.These fins are a game changer for my swimming routine. They're the perfect size and resistance, allowing me to power through flip turns and engage my core and legs. Swimming for me is all about getting that heart rate up and keeping it there, and these fins help me streamline and speed up significantly.Now, I wear a size 10.5 in men's shoes, and my feet are on the wider side. Typically, I opt for size 11 to accommodate the width. I recently picked up the "G" fins, which fit great on my left foot but feel a bit loose on the right. Unfortunately, this led to a blister on my middle toe. I tried the "F" fins, and while they were snugger on the right foot, but they were a hassle to put on. So, I've decided to tough it out, build a callus on that toe, and stick with the "G" fins—they're much easier to slip on and off, which is a big win for me.

I have size 9 1/2 EE feet (male) and the size F fins were a perfect fit. I read all the reviews trying to figure out what size would be ideal because I hate returning stuff. I have used these fins daily since I bought them. I was a competitive high school swimmer in the 1970's and we used all sorts of cumbersome full sized fins and rubber bands to improve leg strength. When I saw these "mini fins" they looked like a great idea.My goal these days as a swimmer as I near age 59 is to take some of the load off my shoulders (three shoulder surgeries have that impact on your goals) and to build my legs for ice hockey (goalie). I can easily crank out 1500 yards and get a better leg workout with far less stress on my shoulders than if I were swimming without these fins. My ice hockey wind is a lot better and my legs are a lot stronger already. I already quit doing cardio at the gym - it was tough on my knees and low back. I had been doing 45 minutes to an hour of cardio 3-4 times a week at the gym on a recumbent bike and an elliptical and my legs just were not getting stronger but my knees and low back sure hurt. I also got plantar fasciitis from the elliptical - that was BAD news.Swimming with these fins avoids all the pitfalls of gym cardio for an older guy like me and lets me focus on upper body weight lifting at the gym. It took me a little bit to figure out how to flip turn with these fins on but it wasn't that tough to figure out. I have had no ankle stress with these fins and no blisters, sore spots or other issues reported by some other reviewers relative to these fins.The fins easily shed water, dry quick and are short enough to fit easily into my swim bag. They are easy to take on and off with just a bit of water but still fit snugly and are very comfortable. I hardly know I have them on when I swim. They are well designed and well built from solid material. The only sketchy part about them are the "black tips" that are a little sloppy looking but these are swim fins, not Jimmy Choo shoes.In summary the best addition to my swimming gear (along with the "Friendly Swede" goggles) that I have ever made in all my decades in the pool.

LOVE these fins! I wear a women’s size 10 and thought they might be a little big when I put them on, but they stay on great even during flip turns. They are soft, flexible and very comfortable, I hardly know they are on except I can swim faster and can feel the extra workout in my legs. very happy with these fins

I have a pair of the original gold Zoomers (short, stubby training fins). They fit well, but with an open toe area, they rub on my big toes and cause blisters.I bought these in the same size as the old fins, but the heel cup is shallower and the fit is a bit sloppy. The toes are closed. so instead of rubbing there, they rub the tops of my feet. We'll see how this works...The fin area is a bit bigger so they give me a better leg workout when doing laps.They aren't perfect but I will probably keep them and trade off weekly with the old ones (with band-aids on my toes) so I get a variety of workouts.

UPDATE: 14 DEC 2014After using these fins sparingly as training aids, my kicking has improved significantly. Without the fins, my freestyle has improved remarkably. With the fins, it feels like someone strapped a jet thruster to my feet. Rather than pay for expensive fin socks, I opted to use older spandex/nylon dress socks that I no longer wanted.I normally wear size US 11 men's dress shoes and US 12 men's running sneakers. My right foot is a bit larger than my left foot (about 1/2 size delta), so I measured my right foot to be about 11 inches in length and opted for Size G of these fins. After a 2 hour pool session, I have a small blister on the right toe that kept rubbing against the rubber material. The fit was loose everywhere else, so your mileage obviously varies. That said, I felt that a thin (1mm or so) sock would be perfect to reduce/prevent blisters and rubbing. The tops of my feet were rubbed red as well. I feel that if I go 1 size down, my right foot would be even worse condition. At 1 size up, my left foot would probably fit too loosely. I only intend to practice/train with the Z2 fins in an indoor poor. They also came out of the box with a lot of silicone release agent that gets everywhere and makes floors slippery. I recommend cleaning them a bit before using them.Overall: 5/5 stars, I got blisters the first time using them, so I recommend thin fin socks. They are very efficient in terms of propulsion. I'm a runner that is starting to swim, and my kicking is useless. With these fins and a kickboard, I have a much better feel for the water when kicking.