Recreational Swimming Ensemble

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for enhancing swimming and facilitating walking on land. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a foot thong having a body and a toe tether. The apparatus can include a swim fin device having a sole portion, toe portion, and fin portion, wherein the sole portion and toe portion cooperate to define an opening for receiving the toe tether to secure the swim fin device to the foot thong. Additionally disclosed herein is a recreational swimming ensemble comprising the swim fin device(s), the swimming glove(s), and/or a mask configured to be secured to goggles, wherein a common theme can be distributed across the swim fin device, swimming glove, and mask.

1 . A recreational swimming ensemble for a swimmer, comprising:
 a plurality of swim fin devices, including a swim fin device having a sole portion, a toe portion, and a fin portion extending from said toe portion;   a plurality of swimming gloves, including a swimming glove having (i) a midsection formed of a front layer and a rear layer secured thereto to define a plurality of chambers configured to receive and conform to inner digits of a hand of the swimmer, and (ii) a plurality of generally planar hand fins flanking said midsection and articulable with respect thereto by outer digits of the hand of the swimmer; and   a mask having (i) a plurality of eyeholes positioned for alignment with lenses of goggles, and (ii) a plurality of nasal openings configured to securingly receive a nose strap of the goggles;   wherein a common theme is distributed across said plurality of swim fin devices, said plurality of swimming gloves, and said mask.   
     
     
         2 . The recreational swimming ensemble of  claim 1 , wherein said swim fin device includes a slotted opening, and wherein said swim fin device is resiliently flexible to open and close said slotted opening for attachment to an anchor of a foot thong. 
     
     
         3 . The recreational swimming ensemble of  claim 1 , wherein said swim fin device includes a slotted opening, and wherein said slotted opening includes a substantially longitudinal component and a substantially transverse component for attachment to an anchor of a foot thong. 
     
     
         4 . The recreational swimming ensemble of  claim 1 , wherein said swim fin device is integrally formed with a foot thong. 
     
     
         5 . The recreational swimming ensemble of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of nasal openings emulate the appearance of the number seven and a mirror image thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The recreational swimming ensemble of  claim 1  in combination with the goggles. 
     
     
         7 . A mask configured to be worn by a swimmer when the swimmer is wearing goggles having lenses and a nose strap, the mask comprising a plurality of eyeholes positioned for alignment with the lenses and a plurality of nasal openings configured to securingly receive the nose strap. 
     
     
         8 . The mask of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of nasal openings includes:
 a first slotted opening having a first segment extending generally longitudinally and a second segment extending generally transversely from said first segment in a first direction; and   a second slotted opening having a third segment extending generally longitudinally and a fourth segment extending generally transversely from said third segment in a second direction opposite said first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The mask of  claim 8 , wherein said first and second slotted openings of said mask are configured to have the goggle nose strap received in a flexed state by said first and third segments and received in a relaxed state by said second and fourth segments. 
     
     
         10 . The mask of  claim 9  in combination with the goggles. 
     
     
         11 . The mask of  claim 8 , including a head strap. 
     
     
         12 . The mask of  claim 11  in combination with a snorkel having a shaft, said head strap being configured to secure the shaft against a head of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The mask of  claim 7  in combination with a plurality of swim fin devices and a plurality of swimming gloves, wherein a common theme is distributed across said plurality of swim fin devices, said plurality of swimming gloves, and said mask. 
     
     
         14 . A swim fin device for use with a foot thong having a toe tether for separating a big toe of a user's foot from remaining toes of the user's foot, the toe tether having an anchor secured to the foot thong to, in use, so separate the big toe, the swim fin device comprising:
 at least one portion including (i) a sole portion, in use, seated upon a sole area of the foot thong, (ii) a toe portion, in use, seated upon a toe area of the foot thong, and (iii) a slotted opening extending from an edge of said at least one portion to receive the anchor for attachment thereto;   wherein said slotted opening includes (i) a first slotted segment at least partially aligned with a first axis of the swim fin device, and (ii) a second slotted segment extending from said first segment and at least partially aligned with a second axis of the swim fin device.   
     
     
         15 . The swim fin device of  claim 14 , wherein said slotted opening emulates the appearance of the number seven. 
     
     
         16 . The swim fin device of  claim 14 , including a plurality of openings in said toe portion for receiving a heel strap. 
     
     
         17 . The swim fin device of  claim 16 , including the heel strap. 
     
     
         18 . The swim fin device of  claim 17 , wherein said heel strap extends through said plurality of openings, and wherein said heel strap is at least partly positionable between said toe portion and the foot thong. 
     
     
         19 . The swim fin device of  claim 18 , wherein said heel strap includes a first end and a second end releasably fastenable thereto proximal a heel of a user. 
     
     
         20 . The swim fin device of  claim 19  in combination with the foot thong. 
     
     
         21 . The swim fin device of  claim 14  in combination with another swim fin device, a mask, and a plurality of swimming gloves, wherein a common theme is distributed across said swim fin devices, said plurality of swimming gloves, and said mask. 
     
     
         22 . A swimming glove, comprising:
 a midsection formed of a front layer and a rear layer secured thereto to define a plurality of chambers configured to receive and conform to inner digits of a hand of a swimmer; and   a plurality of generally planar hand fins flanking said midsection and articulable with respect thereto by outer digits of the hand of the swimmer.   
     
     
         23 . The swimming glove of  claim 22 , wherein each of said plurality of hand fins are provided with a strap for securing an outer digit of the hand of the swimmer. 
     
     
         24 . The swimming glove of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said front and rear layers of said midsection is resiliently flexible. 
     
     
         25 . The swimming glove of  claim 22 , comprising a plurality of seams securing said front layer to said rear layer to define said plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         26 . The swimming glove of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of said hand fins is formed of a front layer and a rear layer secured thereto. 
     
     
         27 . The swimming glove of  claim 26 , wherein said front and rear hand fin layers form a divergent area receiving said midsection. 
     
     
         28 . The swimming glove of  claim 22  in combination with a plurality of swim fin devices, another swimming glove, and a mask, wherein a common theme is distributed across said plurality of swim fin devices, said swimming gloves, and said mask. 
     
     
         29 . A swim fin device for use with a foot thong having a toe tether for separating a big toe of a user's foot from remaining toes of the user's foot, the toe tether having an anchor secured to the foot thong to, in use, so separate the big toe, comprising:
 a sole portion for alignment with a sole area of the foot thong;   a toe portion extending from said sole portion and for alignment with a toe area of the foot thong, said toe portion and said sole portion having slotted opening means for attachment and detachment with the anchor; and   a fin portion extending from said toe portion.   
     
     
         30 . The swim fin device of  claim 29 , wherein said slotted opening means includes a slotted opening extending from a lateral side edge of said sole portion and terminating at a hole through said toe portion. 
     
     
         31 . The swim fin device of  claim 29 , wherein said slotted opening means includes a substantially longitudinal component and a substantially transverse component extending from said substantially longitudinal component.