Odd question about rubber?

So long story tried to be made short...
I bought a new pair of fins for my sport (Lifesaving). I decided to try a different company that manufactures them (there's only 3 companies in the world that makes them and they are all in Russia) My first pair that I ordered from Special fins I got a size XL and they are perfect.... but I wanted to upgrade from a fibre glass fin to a carbon fibre fin. So I ordered a size XL from Leader Fins (they have the same size conversion grid) assuming they would be the same.
I got them on Thursday. And so that night I put them on, get in the pool, push off the wall and THEY FELL OFF!!! They were too big!!! I tried putting neoprene toe socks on and they fell off again. I was in the pool for 10 minutes.
I email them and tell them they are too big. They say they will do returns or exchanges with in 2 weeks, but they can't be scratched. I look at the bottom of my fins and it looks like they are scuffed. I send them a picture and this is what they emailed back:
Based your photo fins have scratches.
By our terms and conditions:
"We accept claims to replace or return goods during 2 weeks after receiving (only for new product - without damage and scratches). Shipping cost not refunded.

Anyway - when we receive fins and check surfaces we offer you solution.

If there will be any questions, please, don't hesitate to ask us.
We are looking forward to hear from you."
So I don't want to just send them the fins back and say "too bad, do you want a new pair? Full price!"
I would try to sell them here, but everyone that competes in Lifesaving Sport already has fins.
My dad brought up an idea of: contact a dive shop and see if they can shorten the heel strap? Which brings me to CP... Is there anyone in the rubber industry that would be able to do this for me? I don't want to pay too much, because I've already spent $270 on fins that are useless to me. But I will eat a bit if I can use them...

The black ones on the right are the new ones. You can see how much bigger they are. Do you think it's possible to shorten the ankle strap and still get my foot in? Or would I have to get the foot pocket filled in as well?
This is a long shot, but I thought I'd give it a try. I'm wishing that I had just stuck with the original company... sigh.

[CMPunk]

Could you stuff something in the toe?

[RougeUnderoos]

Best Thread Title Ever

No. I just tried. The bottom of the foot pocket needs to be close to my heel or it flops around and doesn't act like an extension of my foot (does that make sense?) It mightwork by shortening the strap. This pic shows where I would like the bottom of the foot pocket to sit... closer to my heel.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Best Thread Title Ever

Most disappointing thread ever

[afc wimbledon]

Can't you just stitch a 'pleat' of the strap, thus shortening it

[tvp2003]

Does the strap have to flex or stretch? Maybe some padding taped or otherwise attached to the inside of the strap would do the trick.

I can't stitch through 1/4 inch of rubber. It would have to be cut and glued or melted or both? I don't know anything about rubber construction. Remember: I'm supposed to be racing in these. I can't have globs of crap wrapped around the parts. It should be a little hydro-dynamic.

[Da_Chief]

It's not the rubber it's you

[Slava]

I don't know what the sport of lifesaving entails, but if you aren't fast enough and someone actually dies I hope this makes it into the olympics some day!

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

I can't stitch through 1/4 inch of rubber. It would have to be cut and glued or melted or both? I don't know anything about rubber construction. Remember: I'm supposed to be racing in these. I can't have globs of crap wrapped around the parts. It should be a little hydro-dynamic.

If you can stitch through leather you can stitch through rubber, you need to go to a leather supplies shop and get a needle from them, there's a leather working needle called a sewing awl. Think needle with a big wooden handle.

[afc wimbledon]

I would try pinching off some of the strap with a couple of bits of wood held together by a locking plier, try them on, then once you have the right fit punch holes through the rubber and stitch it up.

[photon]

What about the scuffs, think they could be polished out? Toothpaste maybe (has some grit in it), or maybe super high grit sand paper that's used to polish surfaces?

[pylon]

If I were you, I would get a couple strip of rubber, and add to the inside of the strap. For adhesive, get yourself a tube of windshield urethane. Make sure your test it with double sided tape first, because windshield urethane is a one shot deal. You could glue a battleship together with it.

Rubber:
https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AGI...&zone_id=PDPZ2

Windshield urethane:

http://www.amazon.ca/3M-08693-Uretha.../dp/B000RW1XCK

About 30 bucks in supplies, and probably and hour of cutting/gluing.

[rbochan]

Just put a little JB Weld on your foot. You'll be OK.

[calgarygeologist]

There is an awesome movie called Rubber. I watched it on Netflix a couple years ago. I'm not sure if it is still available but it is worth a search.

[taco.vidal]

I would sell them. Even though you say everyone who competes has these, Im sure there are people who are getting into the sport or are upgrading and need a pair just like you did.

I wouldn't mess around with this. Even if you find a workable solution, you will notice the fix every time you put them on and you will know its not the way it should be. That could would be a terrible distraction to have every time you use this piece of equipment at a competition. You don't want any unnecessary stress, negative thoughts or loss of focus occurring at a competition because of fins with a homemade fix. Maybe you are easy going and it wouldn't impact you at all. If not, cut your losses now and sell or trade the fins rather than messing around with a fix and then having an inferior fin and not being able to sell them.

I think taco gave me my "aha" moment. I think he's right. It'll bug me everytime I put them on. browna helped me with an email to the company and I'm just going to send them back. If they say I'm out of luck then maybe when someone searches "Leader Fins" or " Leaderfins" or " Leaderfins reviews"
this thread will come up and they just lose business. Those commie ####ers.
And I measured them today. They are 11 inches which translates to a EU 45 shoe. They advertised them as a 43-44 EU size.
And did you know:

Update: Found out that it was going to cost me $80 to get them shipped there in 4 months using ground service. And even then, they said I would have to pay for the shipping for the new pair. So I still wouldn't have a pair before Provincials at the end of the month.
So I emailed every Lifesaving club in Canada and offered out a really good deal. An awesome guy from the Saugeen Shores Lifesaving Club is willing to buy them! (This particular club was just featured on Rick Mercer the other week!!!!See below video.)I'm going to lose $90 in the end. So lesson learned... Leaderfins... even though they are fast and cheap, are NOT the way to go.