I certainly have a preconceived opinion on these - as I am a total skeptic in regards to fins and the way we are marketed the "next best thing" - however, has anyone actually tried these yet? http://www.slidefins.com/au/

No mate. But I have thought of a few variations. Just wondering if you would get the same variation with stiff rubber fins. I just took a couple of thinner plastic surfboard fins off my 7ft Hyper SUP after hearing fin whistle when tearing down my first wave! Lol! Wonder if these would do the same?
Actually I have been thinking of pivot fins. Similar to shopping trolley wheels, Lol!! Not invented yet as far as I know. Ones that don't fold but pivot on a longitudinal axis as a higher side pressure is made on a turn which would then add to a quicker, tighter turn on demand. This would be great on a front & backside turn on the lip, & tail slides. But when doing a rail turn the fins would not pivot much. The pivot fin would have less drag & a snappier turn without the tail lifting out I think. If only I had the time to create my concepts.
But hey, the slide fins would have their place for a different variation again.

Very impressive surfing with the slide fins! This is what the current pros are trying to imitate with the stiff fins for extra comp points. I wonder if these fins would be made illegal in comps?

if you could restrict them to a range of say 45 degrees from the board surface in each direction you would have grip when your on the rail and slide when the board is flat.

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Seajuice said..
Very impressive surfing with the slide fins! This is what the current pros are trying to imitate with the stiff fins for extra comp points. I wonder if these fins would be made illegal in comps?

I'd have to disagree. These days it's all about flow and no-one will have it with these fins. All though it looks like fun it's more like skim boarding and no speed carries off the top

They don't show him taking off on those fat waves, I'll bet he's shoulder hopping a lot. They seem kinda like the fins you have when you don't have fins lol...you could just stick on some smaller fins or a nub for your centre

Good for circus tricks but Not one proper bottom turn in the whole clip or turn for that matter.

Be interesting to see if the fins stay up with a proper bottom turn vertically off the bottom. Lots of nursing it through half a mid face turn and into chop hops and weak slides.

IMo That far from what a pro would want it's not funny and they would get laughed at if they put these in during a comp..

Last three comments... yep, yep and yep - this is my impression. However, I would love to hear from someone that has given them a go... and be totally unbiased? I doubt the company would just hand a set out to someone who is going to be ultra critical - and I dare to suggest, that give it a year or so... and they will have come and gone as another novelty. Want that kind of performance from your board, as MickPC said - take your fins off, or some homemade nubs.

If it's all about flow, I might be in with a chance at my old age Haaa!! Just watching a replay on the Quicksilver Gold Coast men's final & all the cheers etc from the crowds & commentators were for airs, 360s, big tail slides by Toledo & Wilson who received high point scores. Toledo winning & scores a perfect 10. More sliding with the boards than flow in the metre & half waves they were surfing. Maybe easier to imitate for a less than perfect surfer with the slides fins I think.
In the last 15 years it seemed all the surfers that surfed like they were in a skate park seemed to be the best point scorers. But hey I suppose it all depends on what waves & conditions that would determine board & fin choice.

^^^ I don't think you have an understanding of what really good surfing is. And yes put the Pro's into absolute pus and someone like Toledo will come out on top. As for cheers from the crowd there were a huge pile of brazzos on the beach and the seppo commentators are paid to froth no matter what's going on.

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mitchbat said...
^^^ I don't think you have an understanding of what really good surfing is. And yes put the Pro's into absolute pus and someone like Toledo will come out on top. As for cheers from the crowd there were a huge pile of brazzos on the beach and the seppo commentators are paid to froth no matter what's going on.

Well.said. Would also like to.see if they can bottom turn amongst other things. Would be heaps of fun on big fat waves...

In theory you should have no problem on the bottom turn because they only tilt in one direction. So you actually need a different set for left and right handers.

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Mahanumah said...
In theory you should have no problem on the bottom turn because they only tilt in one direction. So you actually need a different set for left and right handers.

Think about it...