Fin Technology

[dracop]

SO what do we know about the function of fins for twin tips?

I do know smaller fins and more elongated fins (vs a sharp peaked fin that drops off) is better for wakestyle as the skatier feel makes for a better experience while doing lots of rotational tricks.

Seems to me for high powered big air that bigger fins with a taller "bite" (the long part of the fin that represents the leading edge where the fin first splits the water) seem to track better and perhaps let you load more?

I am experimenting with different fin shapes/sizes and attempting to research more. I have a high wind board I LOVE but due to its rocker can be a headache to upwind sometimes. Adding on larger fins seems ot improve the experience for big air style tricks.

Overall I seem to like the feel of 52mm fins over 42mm fins for big air and I like smaller Wake fins (28mm) for more low alt tricks. I am eyeballing larger TT fins (50-60mm).

Anyone try different materials? eg, How do Carbon fins compare with G-10 fins vs plastic fins? What does the scale of stiffness actually DO in terms of fin performance on a TT? I read complaints about softer materials back in 2012 when CrazyFly came out with a compound. How do super stiff carbon fins feel? Anyone out there riding North/Duotone Carbon 5.0 (50mm) fins?

I came up with these articles from Mark Shinn in a blog by Progression. Anyone else have info regarding TT fin design and selection? Only thing I do not care for re: the article is that they entrust too much to manufacturers as the manuf like to overstate their gear's usage/application (with every kite being the best at every discipline) .

http://www.progression.me/blog/tech-ser ... the-board/
https://www.progression.me/blog/tech-se ... the-board/

[edt]

when you are in boots you are locked in, so if you have really long fins it kind of sucks if you slightly mis-align your landing, you can get knocked down. In straps if you land hot and are a little bit off you just shift your feet inside the straps. It's the same doing wakestyle tricks, in boots you muscle the board around, in straps you move your feet inside the straps. Bigger fins generally are better in chop and help you go upwind, but past a certain extent (somewhere between 50-60mm) you start losing upwind performance due to drag. It's not the fact that you are doing wakestyle that forces people to use smaller fins it's how locked in you are on the board, and how you want to prevent catching an edge in boots. I don't think stiffness does anything in terms of performance but it makes a huge difference in how long the fins last if you ever run over sand or hit a rock, something like that. In straps i like to use 50mm and in boots I like 15mm. Another problem with boots is if you hit a sandbar with long fins you are rag dolling and maybe face planting, so that is also another reason to prefer small fins in boots, where as with straps you just leave the board behind. Also in boots you usually are kiting in butter, so you don't need the long fins to fight chop.