How do you decide on what type of fins to use? There are all sorts of variables to consider, from your weight and size, what board you’ll use the fins on, how much flex, responsiveness and drive you want from them, and the list goes on. Not all surfers have an intimate knowledge of how rake, foil and flex alter the performance of a fin, but Futures Fins is trying to make it easier for surfers to pick the right fins for the job. Whether you’re a power surfer or small wave trickster, surfing barrelling reef breaks or crumbly beach breaks, Future Fins ‘Ride Number’ is a new scale that rates their range of fins in a super easy way to understand. Check out this video to find out more:
http://vimeo.com/101147174
The ‘Ride Number’ Scale
Rating fins from 1 to 10 might seem like Futures Fins are disregarding a lot of the variables that come with fin design, varying surfboards, different waves and surf conditions, but these guys are the experts so lets delve into the theory. The basic premise is that fins at the low end of the scale, 1, are more predictable and stable, while fins at the high end of the scale, 10, are more lively and fluid. Fins in the middle of the scale, 5, are neutral, so they neither offer more stability or more responsiveness, just a balance of the two. Fins rated 5 are the best setup to let your board perform the way it is designed to.
A Helping Hand for Surfers
Above all the Futures Fins Ride Number makes it simple to compare fins, and by doing that the surf fin company are helping surfers to find that perfect fit, just the right type of fin for any particular surfers style. It also helps surfers progress, in the sense of moving from a fin setup that offers more control to a fin setup that is more responsive and loose. The incremental steps of the scale (fins are rated with decimals, so 1.5, 3.4, 9.2 etc) make small changes and big changes easy to recognise before buying a new set of fins.
Futures Fins are working to make choosing fins simpler, which is no easy feat, so hats off to them. The Ride Number system is still in its BETA stage, and you can expect the rating system to be tweaked and improved as things move on.