Windsurf y Surf Spot: what is the wave fin that I need? 3 types of wave fin test

Debido a algunas peticiones para tener el test en inglés, esta semana la actualización es la versión inglesa del blog.

Nowadays we can choose between an endless number of varieties and types practically of everything what we want, the windsurfing does not escape of this power of choice …

Undoubtedly this is an advantage, the problem often is that we doubt on which is going to be the best option and unfortunately we do not have the opportunity to try and prove things … But in this occasion thanks to Choco Fins have this opportunity.

Our intention is to try to solve the doubts you may have before buying the fin that perfectly suits to your conditions and sailing style.

At present if you have to choose a wave-fin the majority of brands give you at least 2 options, in this case Choco fins offers us 3 models focused on the waves for single fins boards:

La Revolution

La grip:

La Starfish:

We have taken these three fins in the same size of 22 cm. We took them to all the spots where we have sailed, from Fuerteventura, Almeria, Alicante to Murcia … so to say many different spots with different conditions.

We tested with many people of different sailing levels .

All for one reason; to discover the difference in models so that we know which one to choose.

Therefore we made the following table:

Tester: Date:

Spot: Conditions:

Quiver:

	Grip	Revolution	Starfish
planning abilities
upwind
speed
Board sticking to the watersensation
Loose board sensation
Keep onplanning
Speed in tightturns
Speed in wide turns
Control in tight turns
Control in wide turns
Voluntary slash
slide

observation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The evaluation of these aspects where:

- Planning: how fast the fin starts planning.

- - Upwind: which fin will give us more upwind angle.

- Speed: which fin willhave more speed.

- Board sticking to the watersensation: which fin is the best in will keeping our course .

-  - Loose board sensation: which fin will makeour board feel more direct and loose.

- Planning abilities: which fin will keep on planning through the gusts.

- - Speed in tightturns: from the moment of doing a tight turn, which of the fins will give us more speed and which one does it easier.

- Speed in wide turn: which fin is better in doing long turns and which one does it faster or will not slow down.

- Control in tight turns: when we do a tight snappy turn, which of the fins will have more control.

- Control in wide turns: from moment of doing a long turn, which fin gives us more safety, with which one can we push more.

- Voluntary slash: with which fin is it is easier to make the board skidand return again to the same traction.

- Slide: with which fin we feel the board slide better on maneuvers type volcanos, 360 etc…

For each of these aspect we gave points between 1 and 10:

The process was consisting of going to the beach and of sailing approximately during hour and a half with your equipment and three fins, changing every half hour the fin. And after sailing with three fins, completing the table.

The order of use of the fins was random and the moment in which the table was read also was variable, in some occasions it was before sailing and in others later.

These are the results of the testing:

	Grip	Revolution	Starfish
Planning abilities	6 p.9 + 2 p. 8= 70	4p. 9 + 3p. 8 + 1p.7 = 67	5p. 9 + 3p. 7 = 66
Upwind	1 p. 9 +2p. 8+3p.7+2p. 6= 58	1p. 9 + 3p. 8 + 1p. 7 + 3p. 6 = 58	3p. 7 + 3p .6 + 2p. 5 = 49
Speed	1p. 9 + 4p. 8 +3p. 7= 62	4p. 8 + 4p. 7 = 60	2p 7 + 5p. 6 + 1p. 5 = 49
Board sticking to the watersensation	1p. 8 + 1 p. 7 + 6 p. 6= 51	1p. 9 + 4p. 8 + 3p. 7 =62	7p. 6 + 1p. 5 = 47
Loose board sensation	2p. 7 + 5p. 6 + 1p. 5= 49	1p. 9 + 4p. 8 + 3p. 7 = 62	7 p. 9 + 1p. 8 = 71
Keep on planning	1p 8 + 6p. 7 + 1p. 6= 56	1p. 8 + 2p. 7 + 4p. 6 + 1p. 5 = 51	4p. 8 + 3p. 7 +1p. 6 = 59
Speed in tightturns	1p. 8 +3p 7 + 4p. 6= 53	1p. 9 + 3p. 8 + 3p. 7+ 1p. 6 = 60	5p. 8 + 3p. 7 = 61
Speed in wideturns	4p. 8 + 4p. 7 = 60	4p. 8 + 3p. 7 + 1p. 6 = 59	4p. 8 + 3p. 7 + 1p. 6 = 59
Control in tightturns	3p. 7 + 5p. 6 = 51	1p. 9 + 4p. 8 + 3p. 7 = 62	2p. 8 + 4p. 7 + 2p. 6 = 56
Control in wide turn	5p. 7 + 3p. 6 = 53	5p. 8 + 3p. 7 = 61	1p. 7 + 5p. 6 + 1p. 5 +1p. 4 = 46
Voluntary slash	1p. 8 + 2p. 7 + 5p. 6 = 52	4p. 8 `+ 4p .7 = 60	3p. 9 + 4p. 8 + 1p. 7 = 66
Slide	6p. 5 + 1p. 4 + 1p. 3 = 37	1p. 6 + 5p. 5 + 2p. 3 = 37	5p. 9 + 3p. 8 = 69

And, what does this information tell us?

Well, independently of your sailing level, what you will have to bear in mind before choosing a fin is the spot or spots in which you are going to use it,your windsurf style and in the end you will need to define exactly what you intent to do with it.

The Revolution, the side shore model of the brand

But it doesn’t mean that only it serves for a surf down the line. If we look at the performance then we see that in everything related to surfingit obtains the best performance, whether in wide bottom turns, in the controlling a powerful wave, inturns where you need to pull on the sailat on shore conditions or in maintaining the speed in the turn. It’s a fin that helps the board to keep the track in the water during the surfing, transforming both choppy waters as well as powerful glassy waves into a smooth highway for your board. At the same time it providesconsiderable lightness and a loose feeling to the board.

Well what ever you do and where ever you go you will always find good waves or not so good waves. Sometimes big and sometimes small waves, onshore and offshore conditions but as long as there is some wave building up then Chocofins Revolution is your choice.

At the other extreme we tested the Starfish,

According to the brand this is a Freestyle wave fin. This is undoubtedly true, although it is more freestyle orientated. This fin makes the board feel free and loose and gives a lively feeling asking for movements.

But you cannot demand from him that it bears many presion, undoubtedly his strong point isn’t to bear the presion of a powerful botton, it’s necessary to spin very thin to plan and to put on the right lines a perfect path along a powerful wave, and when you go down a good wave and decide to use the rails doesn’t give you a lot of safety. On the contrary, in on shore conditions with very small wave, practically only spume

But you cannot ask from him that it has much grip, undoubtedly his strong point isn’t the grip in powerful bottom turns.You will have to ride it very carefully and choose your way along bigger walls. If your riding a bigger wave then you will have to turn carefully because it does not give you a lot of security. At the other hand in onshore conditions with small waves it will plane early and make almost impossible turns even into the white water.

So, if yours is to do Freestyle and so now and then sometimes some wave riding but with little power, The Choco Fins Satarfish is your choice.

And finally we have the Grip, the " on shore " model of the brand,

But if we look at the performance then, we would consider this fin as being a authentic allterrain fin. What ever the situation it always works best. If you want to do a volcano, without any problems or if you want to go for freeride with excellent speed then the Grip is your choice. If today there are waves and onshore conditions then it turns and jumps real good.

-  If there is a good swell with off shore winds, don’t worry that it will bear the pressure. You will not have the loose and free feeling on the surf that gives you the Revolution. And if you want to do more complicated moves then the Vulcan you will also have some difficulties

So, if you are oneof those who likes windsurfing in all conditions, if you like speed andif you want a bit of everything undoubtedly The Chocofins Grip is your option.

We have to thank everyone who helped with this test of feelings about fins.