Which surfboard fins

Rocking up to a solidly stocked fin wall can be daunting, to say the least. Ask yourself the following questions to help narrow your fin choices from hundreds to just a few. This seems like the most obvious question. But then again, it takes half the fins off the table and lets you narrow your focus. Also, when on the cut line, know that narrower-tailed boards like smaller fins since they are typically surfed at higher speeds, where super-wide-tailed boards like bigger fins to offset the added tail area.

Just like different board designs for different wave types, there are different fin designs for different wave types. Generally, fins with a more vertical leading edge turn in a tighter arc and are better for fitting more turns into a tighter space. For these fins, think dumpy, closeout beachbreaks where you only have a limited space to get the job done.

More rake in the fin makes it better for drawn-out turns. How does that feel? The depth of the fin is the height from top of the fin to the base of the fin that fits into your surfboard. This length is how deep the fin sticks into the water. The deeper the fin, the greater the hold and stability whereas the shallower the fin, the board will have less hold and will be easier to turn. The more the fin is tilted, the less pivot the fin will have, and the more upright the fin, the more pivot.

If your fins are more upright, they will be better on weaker, messier days whereas more sweeping fins will be better in bigger waves. The foil is the shape of the side of your fin — how much it sticks out from the centre.

This shape affects how the water moves past your fin and it helps to create a bit of lift underneath your board. Flat foils: Flat foils are usually found on side fins. These are flat on the inside and have a curved outer edge. This gives the foil drive, pivot and hold and provides a consistent, reliable feel over a wide variety of conditions. Inner foils: These foils consist of a curved outside foil and a slight concave inside foil. Inside foils provide more lift when the waves are slower and less powerful.

The curved edges result in an increased speed, smooth transitions, and feel consistent in an array of conditions. You will most often find these fins used as trailers for Quad setups. The Fin cant is the angle of the top of the fins in relation to the board — how far they are angled outwards.

A fin with zero cant is straight up and down whereas a fin with more cant would be angled slightly outwards. The more cant the fins have, the board will perform better and be more responsive when turning, whereas the less cant a fin has, the faster the board will be when surfing in a straight line.

Often the front end of side fins will be pointed slightly towards the centre of the board to create pressure on the outside foil of the fin which makes the board feel more responsive. Once you have decided what size fin you need, your next decision will be what shape to go for. You will quickly realise that there are several different shapes available and each of these fins offer something slightly different depending on how you want your board to surf and feel.

Longboard single fins are a good example as there are several different shapes available that will each bring something different to your surfing.

Flex fins are great for making your board easier to turn. These fins have a solid base and then thin out towards the end of the fin which helps to reduce drag. These are a very common fin for longboards , but they can be used on a variety of boards from eggs to mid lengths or 9ft plus logs. Your turns will be more drawn out the further back the tip of the fin is in relation to the base.

If you want to make tighter turns on your board then we recommend choosing a more upright shaped fin. As the name suggests, these fins are great all-rounders. They are popular as their versatility makes them a great choice if you want one go to fin for using in multiple boards and surfing in a variety of conditions.

These fins are wide at the base and they are typically less narrow at the tip than flex fins which makes them nice and stable whilst still offering performance and drive to your board. They will work in any longboard and will allow you to cruise, turn and will even give you enough hold on the wave to cross step or hang ten.

If cross stepping and nose riding is your style, you will probably want a pivot fin for your log. Although this seems daunting with hundreds, if not thousands of variations as well as your box system and the number of fins needed, this step isn't and shouldn't be scary. Follow our information carefully, and by the end, you will know exactly what fins are best suited for you. The very first step in determining your perfect fin, is starting with your body weight and the number of fin boxes on your board.

Depending on your weight, will depend heavily on the size fin you use, start by using accurate scales to determine your weight range.

Once you have determined your range, use the table below to identify your size fin, write this down. It will be important moving forward. Once you've determined your weight range and fin size accordingly, the next step is understanding your board's fin configuration. Looking at the base of your board near the tail, you'll see your fin boxes, this will likely range from 1 to 5 boxes, the more common setups are Single, Twin, Thruster, and Quad.

If your board has 5 boxes this is for you to make the choice depending on your style. Single fins are typically found in longboard configurations and older traditional surfboards. The single fin setup is ideal for surfers that want a more relaxed surfing experience, turning is limited, meaning it's ideal for fast, straight shot surfing offering control, stability, and predictability on your board.

Most single fin boxes allow you to make adjustments to fin positioning allowing forward and backward movements for different experiences. Also known as dual fins will make your surfboard not only more playful and fun but maneuverable. Twin fin configurations, however, are not ideal for large wave riding and typically found on shortboards to enhance the riders speed. Dual fins also offer a longer more drawn out turn and skateboard-like feel. These are by far the most commonly and widely used configuration and can be found on all boards shapes and sizes.

The who outer fins are closer to the middle of the board, these are angled towards the boards center or "Toed-in" and can be flat on the inside in order to increase water tracking and speed. The inner centered fin is asymmetric fin which means its the same on both sides. Thrusters perform extremely well as they add control, , and stability whether you're a seasoned professional or a complete amateur. Quad fins are the perfect fin configuration for smaller surf, offering greater speed by channeling the water to the end of the board which offers a much better acceleration.

The two outer fins offer great stability whilst the two inner fins offer more of the speed. Quad fins are great for generating drive through your turns. This is becoming a more commonly used system due to it's flexibility. The fin positioning allows for your own configuration based on your desired surfing style. Lastly, quad fins are great for generating drive through turns. Five fin configurations are not meant to be surfed with all five fins.

Five fin boxes allow you to mix and match fins depending on your preference and the surf conditions. Swap from the freedom of a twin fin, to the traction of a thruster, to the speed of a quad without changing boards.

The Sweep, toe, Base Length, Foil, Flex, Height and Cant are important measurements of every surfboard fin, and should be considered when choosing your next surf fins. The flexibility of a fin, or lack thereof, can significantly affect the way a surfboard rides. In general, a flexier fin will provide a skatier feel on more playful waves, but a stiff fin is ideal in faster more hallow waves. It is important to note that high end fins can be both soft and stiff - they have flex patterns.

Many fins now have a stiffer base for tracking and stability, with a softer tip that make it easier to break your board loose while turning. As a rule of thumb, stiffer fins work well for all ability levels; they are forgiving, stable and predictable, creating a solid platform for progression and big wave riding alike.

Soft and flexible fins are great for making fast, sharp turns and will give free surfers a lively feel to their boards, but are more difficult to control compared to stiff fins. The best way to know what fin is best for you and the waves you surf is to try different sets. Just like test driving a car, you should test drive fins in a variety of configurations and types. Fin Buying Guide.

Although longboard fin boxes are generally cross-compatible across all boards, the rest of the fin boxes out there are almost certainly equipped with one of these three box types: These fins have two tabs that are secured to the board using set screws. All of our twin tab fins come with screws The other fin box, Futures Fins, connect to your board using a Truss Base along the entire length of the fin box unlike plugs for a strong, lightweight connection.