Bali Is An Ideal Venue For Test Driving Fins

Just like with boards, screwing in a pro surfer-endorsed three-pack of claws isn’t going to magically enhance your surf ability.

The fin game is all a balancing act, a trade off between variables like flex, drive, hold, release and the hydrodynamically confusing world of foil. Bottom line being what works for someone’s setup and approach won’t necessarily work for someone else’s. 

If you like the way someone like Pama Davies here rides a wave, – the lines he takes, the arcs he draws, the silky poise of his trim – then you might be interested to find out more around the Rusty Shaper Series fins attached to the bottom of his board that FCS have just released.

Rusty’s skeg sits in the all-round category, so not swaying too far in any one direction. They’ve got a long base, to assist in drive, a long leading edge and an extended medium-to-large size tip. This pushes the Rusty set a tad away from the quick release category, tilting them more towards the grippier side of the spectrum.

Allow Pama’s turn at 0:48 to demonstrate.

In addition to having more hold, the fins have a thicker foil overall with added inside bite, “so you’ll feel more connected to the wave during a more committed, drawn out turn.”

“But what if I don’t like more committed, drawn out turns?” asked nobody, ever.

Anyway, with added volume and hold characteristics, these fins will perform just fine in more critical waves, so there’s no need to swap them out when the swell kicks. There’s even a quad set, if you’re into that trip.

Slide this way to see more.