Behind Every Surfboard, There's A Complex Decision About Fins
Quite the debate. How surf shops and board manufacturers choose between FCS and Futures fins for your next new surfboard.
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Traditionally, our brand has always been a big supporting partner with FCS. I always liked the product. We made Futures earn their growth in the market. Twenty years ago, we were maybe 75% FCS, 25% Futures. That whittled down to maybe 60% / 40% over time, but when FCS II came out, I was smitten — as were many. The box itself, the fin assortments, and merchandising that rolled out with the box… it was awesome! They probably pushed Futures back to 25-30% max for a couple years.”
“Recently, things have swayed,” Biolos continues. “As a brand, we are focusing more on working closer with Futures than we have in the past. Their box is probably 25 years old now, but it’s firm and effective. Every single Futures box is made in the USA. This means something in our world today. I respect it. Even though they are made in Huntington Beach, they are selling for the same price as the imported Chinese fins that dominate the global market. We deserve a choice when buying fins — support China or support domestic manufacturing. Importing products is a fact of life, and we all do it to some degree, but I would love to see FCS commit to some domestically made products. They have a painfully slow development process compared to Futures, which is also frustrating. These two things alone put Futures on a pedestal — for me, at least.”
Biolos also cites the impact of team riders in his recent sway towards Futures. “Another valid point for Futures is custom fins for team riders and shapers made in-house. As a designer, having quick access to developing new ideas and models — for myself and for team riders — is very beneficial. It’s the number 1 reason Griffin switched to Futures. They dialed him in fast. Lately, we’ve been making custom fins with the bases moved around, allowing us to tweak fin placement on existing boards. It’s not available to the public, but the positive outcomes that trickle down to customers are real…and rapid. I like doing business with Futures — I talk to the owner when I do, which has never been the case with FCS.”
And Matt’s final thoughts? “In the end, it’s up to the two brands to earn the customer. We [board manufacturers] simply sit in the middle, between them and the surfers. The surfer decides.”