What are the Best Fins to Use on a Surfboard?

The following basic rules can be used as a guide to selecting a second set of fins to tune your board, or to complete your fin quiver.

• Surfboards with a lot of rocker may require a fin with greater area, more depth or sweep. Alternatively surfboards with a flatter rocker require a more average or smaller size fin.
  
  
• Surfboards with a lot of rail (eg guns or long shortboards) require less fin area.
  
  
• Surfboards with deep channels in the tail also require less fin area.
  
  
• Surfboards with wider tails require more fin area than those with narrower tails.
  
  
• A smaller fin, one with less sweep (more upright) or more flex, will loosen a stiff surfboard.
  
  
• To give a loose board more drive, a bigger, more swept or stiffer fin selection will work.
  
  
• To make a board more forgiving, select a fin with a high amount of flex (K-Flex), for more responsive choose a stiffer fin (PC or PG).
  
  
• A particularly strong or powerful surfer should use a bigger and/or stiffer fin with more resistance area.
  
  
• If you are feeling a little under-gunned and want a small board to work in bigger waves, use a larger more swept set of fins.

Changing fins can change the way your board feels, and can freshen or improve your surfing.

Don't be afraid to customize fins to meet your needs by experimenting with different side and center fin combinations.

More info from FCS