I've tried those fins in just about every condition, on a few different boards, and never could get them to work. In mushier waves, they didn't have any drive, and in good surf I never felt locked in, I much prefer the "Matt Archbolds."
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Large fins vs. Medium fins for medium sized surfers...@ 130lbs Lakey rides size L, Filipe "always" rides size L @ 155lbs
- Thread starter casa_mugrienta
- Start date
I've tried those fins in just about every condition, on a few different boards, and never could get them to work. In mushier waves, they didn't have any drive, and in good surf I never felt locked in, I much prefer the "Matt Archbolds."
The Archbolds are pretty massive. The graphics are hideous but I actually dig them
Large fins upgrading the forward placements of another labels board .
Yup, came friday
Placement:
Sat.- waist to head high, clean. Thrusters all the way back@11 1/2”, Trailers all the way forward @5 5/8”.
Never had trailers so big, was worried board would feel stiff. Nope. This setup felt great.
Sun.- HH+,onshore choppy. Thrusters all the way back@11 1/2”, Trailers all the way back@5 7/16”.
Because wave direction and chop made less than good conditions - couldn’t get much of a read on this setup.
Mon.- HH, clean, gorgeous. Pushed trailers all the way for’d again like saturday.
When the conditions are good, everything feels better….BUT, I just loved this setup: Speed, drive, Yet looose off the top. I started to get how to adjust the speed of the board on the face with how much pressure I put on those fins. Very interesting, I have not perceived this happening before - pretty exciting.
Out by myself, so probably rode 20-30 waves. Got a good feel for things.
Yup, came friday
Placement:
Sat.- waist to head high, clean. Thrusters all the way back@11 1/2”, Trailers all the way forward @5 5/8”.
Never had trailers so big, was worried board would feel stiff. Nope. This setup felt great.
Sun.- HH+,onshore choppy. Thrusters all the way back@11 1/2”, Trailers all the way back@5 7/16”.
Because wave direction and chop made less than good conditions - couldn’t get much of a read on this setup.
Mon.- HH, clean, gorgeous. Pushed trailers all the way for’d again like saturday.
When the conditions are good, everything feels better….BUT, I just loved this setup: Speed, drive, Yet looose off the top. I started to get how to adjust the speed of the board on the face with how much pressure I put on those fins. Very interesting, I have not perceived this happening before - pretty exciting.
Out by myself, so probably rode 20-30 waves. Got a good feel for things.
I'm down to 143.
Rode the DHD larges today...It's been prob close to a decade since I rode a large set of fins.
Put them in a brand new board I had never ridden - Xanadu Xank - mellow waist high surf in North County
Yeah, it takes a little getting used to but wow what a difference in speed in small waves. TBH had never really experienced anything like it small surf. Initially I just wasn't ready for it - there was more speed than I knew what to do with and the muscle memory felt a bit different. Sooooo much more speed held though cutbacks. And you can really lay into them.
The negatives
- sticking in sections with the expectation the tail would slide in the whitewater like normal
- I can't imagine wanting to ride bigger fins in a good waves board. At least right now.
- The other thing is if you're going to ride a smaller fin in your good waves board how is that going to feel after surfing bigger fins all the time? Muscle memory is going to significantly different... but If you live in a consistent place where you surf good chest high + waves on the regular (Hawaii, South Africa, South Oz) I can see this not being an issue.
Next I'm going to try the large DHDs with the medium DHD center.
Rode the DHD larges today...It's been prob close to a decade since I rode a large set of fins.
Put them in a brand new board I had never ridden - Xanadu Xank - mellow waist high surf in North County
Yeah, it takes a little getting used to but wow what a difference in speed in small waves. TBH had never really experienced anything like it small surf. Initially I just wasn't ready for it - there was more speed than I knew what to do with and the muscle memory felt a bit different. Sooooo much more speed held though cutbacks. And you can really lay into them.
The negatives
- sticking in sections with the expectation the tail would slide in the whitewater like normal
- I can't imagine wanting to ride bigger fins in a good waves board. At least right now.
- The other thing is if you're going to ride a smaller fin in your good waves board how is that going to feel after surfing bigger fins all the time? Muscle memory is going to significantly different... but If you live in a consistent place where you surf good chest high + waves on the regular (Hawaii, South Africa, South Oz) I can see this not being an issue.
Next I'm going to try the large DHDs with the medium DHD center.
This is basically the same question I asked JKB because he is my similar weight.
I am about 5'6 and 145lbs and I've always rode AM medium... but I was talking with a friend that is my exact size and he rides AM Larges. I rode his Large AM fins and they felt a lot better! More drive and more hold. They still pivot just as good. I just bought a pair of Large AM fins and like them better.
I am about 5'6 and 145lbs and I've always rode AM medium... but I was talking with a friend that is my exact size and he rides AM Larges. I rode his Large AM fins and they felt a lot better! More drive and more hold. They still pivot just as good. I just bought a pair of Large AM fins and like them better.
That’s so interesting that you liked it. At almost 180, I’m between M and L fins depending on the board. Rationally, It doesn’t seem possible that the L pivot just as easily as the same template in smaller size. But whatever works for ya. You’re stocked
Honest question about the power drive fins that you like... what factor(s) determines when you use those vs. a more traditional template like AMs? Btw those are obviously a relatively large fin.
i think it probably makes the lil tomos he rides less squirrely, you ride a lot of tomo stuff Too ?
Cause i had am2 in my RNF and it was fast but i had to use all my 135 big dick da hui energy to turn, fins would not blow out even on foam
I have Tomos but use M fins in mine... and more upright than most seem to like. Half the fun of those small boards for me is throwing it around like a skate/snowboard. I found the bat tail on the SP2 provides some grip and likes less fin- M performers go great in it. I've had the grey/wood Machado blackstixs in Evo for the last year- great combo. The X-wing hasn't been picky about fins, maybe the Machados or WCTs went best.
I use Griffin fins in all my boards. I don't know if they are small medium or large. I know they work perfectly. I may swap out the center fin, not for wave size but if I'm looking for a specific feel.... I think it's about a 1/4 inch difference. I could probably get a similar effect by moving the fin a bit but I feel I have the position dialed and don't want to monkey with that anymore.
This, especially speed held through cutbacks and laying into them.
Regarding bigger fins in good waves board, if the good waves involve late drops especially into the pit, no thanks. If the good waves involve more open-faced on-rail surfing with the occasional tube section, sign me up all the way.
My experience as well. Baby Buggy, for me has a sweet spot and those are the fins it likes. Larger and the board feels sluggish; smaller, and it loses projection. I like Roberts L in futures and Griffin G-10 in FCS.
Sub Driver, I can put Jordy Large in for HH+ open-faced good surf, Roberts Large for most fun Florida, and F8 for pockety/tight surfing with lots of snaps, release, etc.
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