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The Cphynz Test Drive

19th January 2007 Sean Tickner

"I was amazed by how much thrust they had ... enough to actually make a big difference"

Team Rider: Vaughn Harris Photo: Mark Reitz

Team Rider: Ian Kruger Photo: Ralph Sanchez

What do you know about swim fins?

Other than the fact that they're one of the most important tools for a bodyboarder besides your board. They provide the power to get you out and into those heavy waves at your local break and help to create those awesome memories of getting the ride of your life. So important but hardly ever properly looked at. So here goes, a look at Cphynz swim fins.

I'm pretty fussy when it comes to my fins so I was interested in trying out Cphynz for the first time to see if they could get the " Sean Tickner Stamp of Approval".

First off, the fins themselves. Cphynz come in a range of sizes and colours, always a good start. The colours are black, grey and blue. I ordered myself a nice black pair and compliments of Factory 7 I had them in 3 days, ready to hit the water.

The Fins have a fresh, new, proudly South African design. When seen from the side, the blade is slightly higher than the foot pocket, so when you're climbing over rocks only your foot will come into contact with the ground, giving you a better grip. They have a wide blade and soft comfortable foot pocket with more than adequate drainage for those shorebreak days when half the beach gets stuck in the foot pocket. They have an ergonomically designed ankle strap so you minimise the risk of developing fin ulcers aka Volcanoes which can get pretty nasty.

So once I had marvelled over the design and manhandled the fin to test it's strength, I was ready to hit the surf. Unfortunately, Durban has been hit by a serious swell drought so I got to test in typical North Beach conditions - 2-3 ft bowls with the occassional outside wave. First thing I noticed, the fins were comfy, my toes were enjoying enough freedom and they were happy. Everytime I surfed with the Cphnyz, I was amazed by how much thrust they had, more than you'd normally expect, enough to actually make a big difference. I felt I could really paddle faster and I enjoyed the fact that I could get onto waves much quicker with a lot less effort. Up into the DK position, no problems, easy enough. It was a bit different to have the sensation that more of my foot was actually on the board than the whole blade but I definitely had the control I needed. Everytime I surfed with Cphynz I felt confident in the fact that they were nice and comfy, I didn't need to worry that my feet were going to start rebelling and cramp up. I knew I could get out and get onto the waves I wanted, get up into DK and ride how I wanted to, not once feeling like the Cpyhnz were holding me back.


Overall, great fins! I was more than happy to take them for a test drive and they definitely got the "Sean T Stamp of Approval".

Any questions, drop me a line at sean [at] randomprojects.co.za. You can get your grubby mits on a pair of Cphynz at www.factory7.co.za or check out your local surf store - if they don't stock them ask them to get them in for you. You can grab their details from the Cphynz website www.cphynz.com where you can find more information.

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