Best Surfboard fins: Our Favorite Pick
It’s hard to look further than the FCS surfboard fin system. They have consistently made the best fins, adopted fin designs from the best surfers globally, and constantly evolved and adapted to the market needs. Our personal favorites are the FCS II Mick Fanning Neo Carbon Tri Fins. It is hard not to want to surf like Mick, consistently known as the fastest surfer worldwide, and these fins give you drive and speed. When it comes to our twin-fin, we currently recommend the FCS II Rob Machado PC Keel Twin Surf Fins.
The Different Types Of Surfboard Fins
There are many types of surfboard fins available, and sometimes it can get quite confusing trying to choose between them.
The surfboard fins that you require are a combination of your own body weight and surfing preferences, as well as the equipment you surf on. For example, a young kid who surfs a high-performance thruster on small point-break waves will need a very different type of fin compared to his dad, who surfs a big twin-pin med-length in solid beach break conditions.
When it comes to surf equipment, fins can be for thrusters, quads, or twins. They can be keel fins and longboard fins. Even Stand Up Paddleboarding has a unique style of fins.
Then it comes to personal choices. These include your body weight and your unique needs in a fin. These are power, control, balance, or speed, and if you want to slide your board or maintain absolute grip at all times. It takes a bit of time to find them, but the right set of fins will make a world of difference to your surfing.
What To Look For In A Good Set Of Surfboard Fins?
Fins are made of different compositions, including plastic, fibreglass, carbon, and other options like bamboo core and foam core fins for lightness. Choosing a good set of surfboard fins, is like choosing the right surfboard.
First, you look at which side the fin is foiled on, and you test a fin for rigidity. For example, plastic fins are too pliable and tend to give less drive, while pure fibreglass fins are very rigid and give your surfing speed but tend to be quite stiff. So your best bet is somewhere in between. The FCS website and Futures Fins websites; can help you find the best fins for your personal needs.
Top Surfboard Fins On The Market
It is hard to define the best surfboard fins out there at the moment, but it would be remiss to not examine what fins the top surfers are using. John John Florence has a signature fin set from Futures called Techflex. Jordy Smith has a similar signature fin design from Futures that would suit the bigger surfer. Filipe Toledo’s range with FCS is also trendy for the smaller high-performance surfer.
But as you see, FCS and Futures are the favorite brands by many top athletes, so you can’t go wrong with a pair of surfboard fins from these brands. Together they are leading the industry, and with a strong focus on innovation and functionality, they are making the best surfboard fins available on the market.
