Fins for the Win
Get short, medium or long fins to make Hawaii swimming fun, faster and safe
Swimming in Hawaii is a Mt. Rushmore highlight of a Big Island trip.
Most people have a reasonably accurate sense of how strong a swimmer they are.
But context is king. Swimming in a shallow pool is different than a deep one. Swimming in a calm ocean is radically different than when shore break is high. Swimming at 30-40 feet of depth is fine when you’re with a buddy, but can be disorienting and dangerous if you’re by yourself and you lose your bearings.
Most swimmers have not used fins.
But fins make a huge difference in the water. You can swim faster, with less energy and more confidence. Fins can unlock a different kind of swimming, so you can follow a turtle or eagle ray and have a magical experience in the water.
The key is to understand what category of swimmer you are and therefore what category of fin you need.
What Category of Swimmer Are You?
Swimmers fall into one of a few categories. This is our rough estimate based on Claude and our personal experience with friends and family that have visited us over the year.
About one third of visitors aren’t that comfy in the ocean, which feels about right. Very few are truly experienced in the ocean, not the pool, which is the 5% that are snorkelers and/or SCUBA certified. This is the bucket Eddie puts himself into.
Waterman is reserved for the elite of the elite Big Wave Surfers, Hawaii lifeguards, experienced free divers and spearfishes. If you think you belong in this category, statistically you’re probably wrong!
The tricky part is the middle column.
There are lots of folks who can swim comfortably and confidently in a pool. They will be fine at Hapuna when the surf is flat. But in strong surf or 200 yards away from shore at 30 feet of depth, no amount of swimming lessons can help you if you start to panic. No amount of skill, stamina or strength in the pool can save you from a riptide going to Maui.
This is where fins make a massive difference.
Fins Make You Faster, Safer and Save Energy
Fins typically boost an average swimmer’s speed by 30–40 percent.
They increase the surface area pushing against the water, while also lowering energy cost by roughly the same amount at comparable speeds. Kick frequency often drops about 40 percent because each stroke moves you farther, so you feel less fatigue and can cover more ground with less effort. This makes it easier to race across a hotel pool for fun, power through shallow ocean for a quicker paddle, or explore farther while snorkeling.
Overall, the result is a noticeable sense of ease, greater range, and reduced risk in Hawaiian waters.
Categories of Fins
Swim fins come in distinct lengths and designs tailored to different water activities.
