Do fins make a huge difference?

[avillax]

Hello, I finally bought my first upgrade now that I consider myself an intermediate surfer,
FCS PC-5 performance core fins:
http://www.surffcs.com/shop/surf-thrusters/pc-5-tri-set

I will have to wait perhaps more than 10 days in order to try them, so can't wait anymore and need to know your experiences when you upgraded from stock fins to something superior. What am I to expect?

Thanks.

[oldmansurfer]

I know this topic comes up often here. I used to surf a long time ago strictly on a single fin board. Those boards were quite different from modern boards. Multiple fins do respond differently and when I restarted I was on a tri fin set up like a single fin plus two. I modified the middle fin making it bigger because it was loose in turns compared to a single fin. After a while I came to enjoy the different type of turns that the multiple fin boards do. Then I got a quad and I have come to totally love that board. I still haven't figured out how to do a nice carving cutback on it but think It's likely I will be able to do it. I am sure I haven't learned everything this quad can do and it is fun learning to use it so even though it has a five fin setup I haven't even tried different sized fins yet or any other fin setups. At some point I will feel like the board is limiting my learning to surf and then I will try different sized fins or a different setup. The pro surfers pick their fins for the break on the day they are surfing. Your fins might make a difference depending on the surf you are using it in but the question is will you be good enough to notice? Someone recently posted a link to a guy who discussed fins and he really had a lot to say about it. If you scroll down this page the thread is titled "the best info on Surfboard, is Guru on youtube". There are several videos of this guy discussing fins for various boards. It's all quite interesting but for me at least I am happy with the fins I have for now so not changing it any but probably will at some point but before I purchase I will go check out that guy on youtube.

[liveswell007]

Yes they do make a HUGE difference. Stock fins are typically a cheap plastic....why that is not good? 1. They won't hold (so you will slip down the face of the wave) in large surf. 2. The break easy (again in larger surf) so you will be crap out of luck on a trip (that why you need to bring and extra set on a trip) 3. Less "drive" (high quality fins have more drive and direction so you can be more precise with turns and line set up) 4. Less speed 5. Look weak.

We wrote a bit about this on our site a bit back...hope it help, and you should be able to tell the difference once you get into the surf and take a few slides with the new equipment. http://www.live-swell.com/blog/2014/02/ ... e-fin-set/

[peazz]

there is a difference with fins but as a beginner u are not in tune with your board enough to realise the differences, I can say this as I tried lots of fins in Australia (and hong kong) and while u will notice a difference between quads and thrusters, I doubt ull notice the difference between individual modals (that is unless u are carving the face and taking on bigger waves)

You can find our resident uncle's fin guide here: https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16523

[oldmansurfer]

Yeah Jaffas guide I would check that out before purchasing fins too.

[peazz]

when u start ripping waves and find your 'style' thats when u will notice difference in the fins.

For example, carving and top to bottom surfing use different fins (from my chats with shops)

[pandarturo]

Most people will NEVER surf waves big enough to break plastic fins. That being said even if you DO get to the level you'll tell the difference. A Square inch of fin make a WORLD of difference in paddling and hold through a turn, I can blow the tail on my MB2 template but not with me AM2 set. they are slightly larger but a ton of hold compared to the MB2. There is so much surf tech out there with "tech flex" Texatallium, regular fiberglass, thermotech, all kinds of crap that is marketing, but when you notice it comes down to the SURFER. jus tho with what you like get a finatic subscription, and get your stoke on.

[avillax]

Hello, with my little experience I've noticed some difference:

Overall a bit faster when carving the wave but what has really made a very noticeable difference is when the wave is about to die or becomes mush the board will keep on going with good speed and a traction-like feeling, that alone makes them already worth it because it allows me to ride the wave longer.

There's been times when a mushy weak wave delivers me all the way to the shore like a rocket.