Beau Foster’s New Signature Claws

Settling on a pair of fins is a mysterious affair for most.

It’s a complicated affair, a slew of modern variables—and the ever-inflating pricetag means that the average wiggler won’t be able to afford enough silhouettes to get a handle on what works best for them.

Hence, the pro model, a modest beacon of light in skeg selection. Who do you feel like you surf like? Whose surfing do wish yours recalled? Whether it’s Kelly Slater or Mr Beau Foster here, you can bet that they’ve trialled a stack of templates and materials, in the process discovering which combination compliments their surfing best. 

“I’ve been using the Alkali Bug 3s in my boards for a while now, and loved them in my wide 5’6” groveler all the way through to my standard shortboards. I’ve also been adjusting the centre fin back or forward slightly to add more drive or more release depending on conditions.”

Now, we’re admitting out some pretty important details – board, weight and the ability to actually turn/ride/paddle a surfboard. Plugging in a shiny set of Alkali Bug 3s won’t award you the nimble elasticity of Mr Foster; your top turns won’t suddenly extend into wafting reverses, but you can get a rough idea of their potential arc and release. And that’s a decent head start.

“The Bug 3 draws inspiration from Al Byrnes thruster templates, along with Beau’s love of wide based fin designs,” explains Alkali, the creator of the Australian handmade fins. “The width in the base offers a lot of drive and stability, whilst the more upright and narrow tip controls release while still maintaining speed out of turns.”

The width in the base offers a lot of drive and stability, whilst the more upright and narrow tip controls release, while still maintaining speed out of turns.

Base: 115mm/4.6″ Depth 147mm/5.7″ 

See more, here.