Rhys Porter said...Ok heres my view on fins - everyones different...
Go big - always get the large sizes - we use fins for grip all the time, with the odd turn thrown in, surfers use fins for lots of turns and a bit of grip when gunning it down the line...
Go stiff - we also put more pressure on fins than surfers, so getting soft fins = mushy boards
Get a set with the inside foil technology - we ride faster, and fins with a flat inside tend to slip out easier - when they have the foil they hold onto a bottom turn a lot better.
I find fish boards work very well with a smaller trailing fin - FCS let you buy fins individually for a little more, so get the Large size for your front fins, and buy the medium for the back if they'll let you do it - depends on the retailer.
If i was to pick the fins for you - i'd go for the
PC-7, unless your under 60kgs, then choose PC-5's.. But then what on earth are you doing on a 6'2" lol... The PC-7's are big fins, quite stiff, and have that inside foil - plus they look the goods
Remember there are other options to fit the FCS system that aren't made by FCS - Check out the KinetiK Racing brand, expensive but great fins...
As a long time surfer short time kiter this information sounds right to me.
The interesting part to know is when a fin 'lets go' which is the difference between getting hung up in the lip when taking off, or completeing that lip devestating tail slide by gently side slipping into a driven bottom turn and ending up bogged up to the nose on the front foot with nowhere else to lean.
A balance of rake to the tip and the area of the base and majority of the fin. More rake equals more drive, a more vertical trailing edge 'lets go' better and both of these are affected by the base length and height which determines the power applied.
on a small board I ride size 5, I put size 7 on bigger boards purely to benefit more from the foils at faster speeds, but unless im riding a single fin (check the other thread) the rake is not so worrisome, take a look at the h2 for instance.
in conclusion the base and height of a seven will make up for the loss of drive from a smaller rake, thus still getting the benefit of the fin letting go to get that all important drift of the tail during a turn under power.
I can only guess that kite wave ridding is kinda similar.
Weight plays a bigger part if your a light footed surfer than if your a power surfer.
Material makes a difference, glass over plastic, the more expensive price tag is the give away!
FCS suck compared to future fins coz the plugs on fcs just dont do the job.
my 2cents
) were all heaps better than the original plastic fins.
