Do Your Bodysurfing Fins Float? We do a quick experiment
There are a few different views floating around (no pun intended), about what are the best fins on the market.
One of the ways a lot of people gauge the fins’ worth is if the fin floats or not. It is also one of the requests we get most: "fins that float". When you think about it, the only time you are truly going to test if your fins float or not, would be after they come off on a big wave.
By then, well it's probably too late as you watch it slowly disappear into the ocean, never to be seen again. This happened to my brother on Nias Island in Sumatra over the falls on a 12+. I was looking down the line and saw his feet actually hit the back of his head, and yes, it was very funny. However, the result of the wipeout was one less Churchill Fin. This is why we took our favorite fins and put their claims of floating in the water to the test. We tested Vipers, Churchills, Redleys, Propels and Shark Fins (h2o), to finally figure out what fins float and what fins don’t.
Floating fins, in my view, are probably more about marketing than anything else. As you are about to see in the video, Churchills most definitely do float and probably are the best out of all of the fins we tried. However, this is in a calm pool. Now take into consideration that you are in a rough ocean.
You are not likely to see the fin or fins surface again. Now do not get me wrong, it is better to have a pair that float than sink like a brick, because you may just have a fighting chance of having it wash up on the beach like my brother, who searched the reef and beaches of Lagundri Bay waiting for his Churchill to surface. It never did.
What I am trying to say is, do not make your decision on your fin based purely on if they float or not. Consider them gone if they come off, or get a simple foot/ankle leash that secures the fin to your ankle. That way your fins never leave you. The most important thing to consider when purchasing a set of fins is
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Fit
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Propulsion
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Comfort