Got a Creek Company ODC 420 Float Tube coming. What fins do I need?

[5282jt]

I got a lot of great advice from my previous posted question about tube floats for occasional moving water. I researched all suggestions and chose the Creek Company ODC 420 Float Tube.
I see that some fins cost as much as a cheaper tube float!
Can anyone suggest a modestly priced pair of fins?
Thank you again!
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[zonker]

I think you made a good choice, Chuck. The ODC 420 is a great tube for the money.

Maybe I'll let others speak to the fin issue first. I have a pair that I really like but they are in the area of $70. That may be too much mula for you at this point. I don't really have a recommendation for anything less, but there may be something out there that someone knows about.

z~
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]The good news is that there are a lot of fins to choose from. That is also the bad news. It is hard to know what to choose.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=198689;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]LINK TO PICTURE BOARD THREAD[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The above link will show you some pictures and give you some ideas of what is available. There are plenty of good serviceable tubing fins for well under $50. You will have to decide what style and price range best fits your needs and budget.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Whatever kind you get, be sure to take your waders, socks and whatever boots or water shoes you will be wearing before you buy them. Otherwise, if you buy according to your shoe size the fins will be too small for everything you want to stuff inside them. In cold water that will cause constriction and your feet will get numb, no matter how many pairs of insulated socks you have on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Many of us prefer the soft foot pockets and the adjustable straps of good diving fins. They can accomodate a fairly wide range of foot sizes...from warm weather light gear to cold weather bulky gear...simply by adjusting the heel straps with each change in footwear.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you will see in the pictorial, Creek Company sells diving type fins for tubing. Not sure what the current price is, but as I recall they are reasonable. Browning also sells a good tubing fin for a good price. If you have big feet, and/or wish to wear heavy wading shoes while tubing, you may have to go to the flat bladed strap on fins that will fit any shoe size. I do not like these, but they are the only way some folks can get fins for tubing.[/#0000ff]
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[5282jt]

WOW! Talk about thorough! Now that's what I call an answer to a question!!! [] Thank you! I appreciate all your effort!
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[zonker]

Just a word on the Creek Company Tubing fins.



I have a pair that I now use as a spare and for anyone who goes with me who doesn't have equipment. They are serviceable and work OK (superior to some out there) but they're not very comfortable compared to diving fins with the soft foot pockets. The foot pockets are fairly rigid. They're also harder to get into and out of as they depend upon cinching notched straps for adjustment. They're available on the Creek Company website for $39.95. I'm not recommending them here - just commenting because they were brought up in Tubedude's post. In my opinion they are useable and if a guy never tried the better ones so as to know what he was missing, he'd probably like them.

z~
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[flygoddess]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Hopefully you got a good deal on the tube, cause now, not only do you have to think about flippers, but the type of shoe to go with them, waders, and a floatation devise. Then any add ons, like a net, rod holder, etc. I do recommend some kind of rod holder for hands free movement which you will need at one point or another[/size][/black][/font].
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[Riversedge]

[size 1]What kind of rivers are you going to fish? That will make a difference as to what you do about fins. I fish 4 rivers in my tube, but I mainly fish a fairly shallow(2-6 ft) section thats full of boulders and ledges. It has a few class II and III sections, but I portage around those. I have never used the fins here. If you can't easliy reach the bottom, or have a soft bottom, you can probably get by with cheap scuba fins.[/size] [size 1][/size] [size 1]I can't comment on lakes, none near me allow tubing.[/size]
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[kevin_pierce_TX]

[size 1]They are serviceable and work OK (superior to some out there) but they're not very comfortable compared to diving fins with the soft foot pockets. The foot pockets are fairly rigid. [/size]

I was also looking at these. The foot pockets look soft. How much softer are the diving fins? Can these diving fins be had at places like Cabelas?

Kevin
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[zonker]

[reply]
I was also looking at these. The foot pockets look soft. How much softer are the diving fins? Can these diving fins be had at places like Cabelas?

Kevin [/reply]

There is a very significant difference in softness and comfort between the diver's fins I use and the Creek Company fins. Of course that doesn't mean the CC fins aren't functional or useable, nor that you have to have the others. Just depends on how far you want to go.

As far as I know you'll have to go to a dive shop to get them. Mine are Mars Plana Avanti X3's. I think they may have discontinued this model - or perhaps upgraded them. Not totally sure of that though.

zonker
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[flygoddess]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I know Zonker and Tube Dude use the scubba fins and swear by them.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I use the upper end Force Fins with the neoprene upper and heel guard and swear by them, but I were either boot foot hip waders or regular wading shoes due to the fact that most my winter fishing is rivers and I already have the shoes.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The quick clip fins work okay, but with the hard plastic over the top and the heel, I noticed it was wearing on my boots or shoes. The Force fins go on quick with no adjustment between boot and shoes and there is no wear, plus they do float.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I fish primarily from a pontoon and the FF work very well for me, even with the fact that I sit out of the water higher.[/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Just my preference.[/size][/black][/font]
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