Which surf fins should I get?

The fins are a key element to for defining the behavior of the surfboard. As experts here in Single Quiver we have worked to make this choice easier when getting your surf material. For that, we have a post today where we´ll give you 5 tips for choosing your surf fins for your board.

1. What configuration does my surfboard need?

In a previous post we gave you a guide on how many fins do I need. In this post we will comment on the importance of this accessory. Surfing a board without fins is very complicated. Imagine trying to do a cutback without the grip at the tail of the board… it would be complicated. The first boards from the Polynesians had no fins. But they weren´t really worried about doing complicated maneuvers.

Today we have a great variety of models. Longboard fins, twin fins, single fins, quad fins, five fins, fcs fins, futures fins, FCSII fins and a long etc… These have evolved, and today there are many doubts when trying to choose the ones that best adapt to our style. In fact, the large catalogue that exists can be very confusing for someone that’s just starting. That’s why the first tip that we give you is that you limit your search of fins to the type of board you have.

How to choose your surf fins

Tri Fin @shapers surf

So what we mean is, if you have a board that only lets you mount three fins, filter your search and limit it to tri fin models also known as thruster. If your board admits the tri fin and quad configuration, and you want to try something new, we encourage you to try out the quad configuration. This is the preferred configuration of Kelly Slater. In fact he made the quad fin popular.

2. Mount system: FCS or Future

Before getting your surf fins you should take into account the mounting system that you have in your board. FCS, FCSII or Futures. For more information on these systems we advise you to check our post FCS or Future? Here we talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each of the systems.

  • FCS system: it’s the most popular mounting system. Practically 80% of the boards that are sold in our country (Spain) have this system.
  • Futures system: very popular in the U.S. it’s the second most used mounting system in our country
  • FCSII system: is the latest to come into the market and there are more fans every day. This system lets you mount and unmounts without the need of a tool.

In the next video we summarize the advantages of the Futures vs the FCS

3. What type of waves am I going to surf?

This is another one of the key questions that you have to ask yourself before buying one model or another.

Crumbly waves, vertical fast waves, beachbreaks, Mediterranean waves, fast tubes like in Indonesia…

  • For small waves, like the waves that we have in the summer or the Mediterranean, its better if you get fins with not much of an angle (small sweep or rake). With these types of fins you´ll get more stability and maneuverability in your board and you can do turns more comfortably.
    how to choose your surf fins

    Shapers Tri Fin With Futures Sytem

  • For faster more vertical waves it´s better to get more inclination angle, so a fin that’s lying down more. With these surf fins you´ll be able to go faster and do wider bottoms. A good fin model for these types of waves is the Carbon Hybrid MB2 from the surfer Matt Banting.

4. What´s my surf level?

If you´ve just started, don´t complicate your life. It´s possible that you don´t notice the difference between one set of fins and another. If you already have an intermediate level and you want to try different sensations with the same board, we encourage you to try different materials. The carbon fins are more rigid than the plastic fins, so they are more stable.

How to choose your surf fins twin fins

5. What size do I need?

To choose your fins correctly you have to take into account your weight. Just like with wetsuits, fins are also classified by sizes. The manufacturers assign a range of weights for each of the sizes. The sizes are: XS, S, M, ML, L and XL. The majority of manufacturers indicated the weight for the rider.

Get your Tri Fins in Single Quiver

In Single Quiver you will find a large catalogue of fins. From cheap fins to fins for prosurfers like Matt Banting or Asher Pacey. We indicate the recommended weight for each of them. If you have any doubts, use the surf fin recommender that we created to help you make your choice.