Sunday, February 17, 2013

The new UDTs and some raillery?

Finally got my hands on a pair of the new compound UDTs and my tootsies in to them for a slightly unsatisfactory session. I was hoping the swell would be pushing through nicely in the corner as the wind direction was making it a bit blown out further around the bay. I persevered there for about 45 minutes with a bunch of longboarders, who were doing a lot of sitting around too, before surrendering and paddling around the bay where there was considerably more swell getting in even though it was not that far away. Exactly like the new compound DuckFeet, the UDTs feel more forgiving and comfortable on the feet and have much more tip flex. This makes them a great deal easier on the legs. So the set waves were a solid head high breaking in to a good sized hole so even though they were closing out pretty quickly I was able to get some face time and give these new UDTs a good test. If there is less power than the older and much stiffer UDTs it is negligible as it feels like there is a more efficient transfer of the power generated from the movement of the legs to the tip of the fins as having that much more flip seems to be pretty effective. I even found myself changing my kicking style from using the quads at the front of my thighs to the hamstrings at the rear. Is kicking hard upwards actually a more efficient use of the legs to create drive than driving downwards? Harder work on the legs but it seemed to be working using these new UDTs. The foot pocket of the UDTs is more pliable and I was not experiencing quite the usual secure feeling of the fin on my foot wearing just a pair of 2mm fin socks. So I am going to drag out my reef booties again next time I get a chance for a session.
"What's that you ask?"
"Oh, how did I get my hands on a pair of UDTs?"
Well, the good news is that MT's first shipment has landed in OZ and he has them in stock right now. Apparently, there will be a website up soon for on-line purchases but in the meantime you can email him on info@voitduckfeet.com.au for details on pricing and shipping etc.
So on to raillery and not the usual good natured teasing or ridicule you might have been expecting. Anytime one who is learning a new and complex skill will have experienced periods when nothing much changes and it has been this way of late for me in the way of mat riding discoveries. I believe the term for it is "To have plateaued!" Today, however, I felt something new and it relates to the revelation from MT in his masterclass on tube riding that he had learnt that setting the outer rail is the most effective way of maintaining position in a tube.

Whilst endeavouring to stay high on the rapidly disappearing faces I must have unconsciously adjusted my position on the mat and I felt the outer rail lock in so solidly, in a way that I have never felt before, that it shocked me for an instant. Long time mat riders have long proclaimed that everything you thought you knew about surfing a board you need to forget about when you ride a mat. Well, this is a biggie and one I will be investigating every time that I go out from now on!

2 comments:

  1. got mine from mark two weeks ago, i dont wear socks or booties and even though the foot pocket is a lot softer they still give my toe's a pretty hard time. i found the flex to give a good amount of kick speed compared to my original ducks. not a bad fin at all, and nice to be able to buy them in OZ and not having to pay a fortune for postage and the long wait by the letter box!!!

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  2. Absolutely mate. Cost me over $160 to get my first pair of UDTs freighted in. And yeh, I certainly have more knobs on my toes than I used to have!

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