Welcome to FIN SPEX
No two waves are alike and no two surfboard models are alike. This makes for a tricky environment for getting your equipment dialed in.
So we rode all the Futures Thrusters for you and we arranged them in a spectrum from loosest to stiffest. What we are hoping to achieve with this is help you figure out what templates are options for you if you want more drive, want more release, or want tighter turns.
What we recommend is to ask yourself what you are wanting more of out of your board, find what fin your are riding in the spectrum, and then explore the templates that are above it (looser) or below it (stiffer). We have also linked the Fin Spex episode related to the fin for those of you that want some more in-depth explanation.
Josh Norcross, Usedsurf employee and Lifeguard, rode all of these fins in the videos. He weighs 170lbs(give or take) and is 5'10"
Enjoy, and we hope you find this useful. Love to hear from you about any fin questions, thoughts etc. - finguru@usedsurf.com
And don't forget....All these have free shipping on them as well as the BTD program, where you can buy them, try them for up to 30 days, and return them for a full refund!
* We still have the Dark Arts, Glenn Pang, and Pancho templates to ride and add to the spectrum....coming soon!
Tokoro Thruster Medium - Very responsive fin. Perhaps the most responsive out of the bunch. While most fins have their angle at 6.5 degrees, the Tokoro is at 9 degrees making for incredible response all the while still holding a carve. Very surprised by this fin. While some fins have more "rotation" because of the shape of the fin, therefore making it loose, this fin is in the "loosest" spot because of its responsiveness. Watch Episode
HS Hayden Shapes Thruster Large - This template is one of the most upright ones out there. Being the Hypto Krypto has a lower tail rocker, it is only fitting that Hayden designed a fin that was upright in order to increase rotation. The Generation construction has a good amount of flex/spring as well as an inner concave foil. This makes for a great fin for smaller waves and low/medium tail rocker boards. One of the loosest for sure. Watch Episode
Ando Thruster Blackstix - These had speed, good release, and I liked them. On some of the turns I could feel the fin flex which is typical of the blackstix construction. They are designed to flex and then snap back. This construction is good for small waves where you need lift. If you ride stiff fins you will notice the flex and even a hint of delay. Takes a little to adjust but when you do you can see the advantage of the flex/snap back that construction provides. Upright fin template and good for small waves. Had good release on airs too. Watch Episode
P8 Pivot Thruster Blackstix - This fin is loose but surprisingly still has good drive. This template is one of those that has 2 front fins that are a different size and shape as the center fin. The center fin is smaller. Typically you get more pivot when the center fin is smaller. The fronts are upright but wide having surface area that provides the drive. These are great for a low to medium tail rockered boards or a beach break where you need to get in tighter turns. The ones I rode were the Blackstix. These have more flex than other constructions and have an inner concave foil for additional lift. I would ride these in small waves as well as the Alpha material. I would ride the HC and Vaporcore construction in good medium surf or to gain some additional drive and stiffness out of this template. Watch Episode
JS Jason Stevenson Thruster HC - This fin is interesting. It needs energy from the wave otherwise it feels slower. But as soon as it gets speed it lights up. Also I tend to carve my turns and what this fin wants is to hit the lip and release. In other words it likes advanced surfing. So where I would carve it really just wants to have someone on the same wave pop the corner closer to the lip and release the tail. So where would you ride this? Point break or in some good waves. Small beach break I think would not be doing the template service. Also I think fins like this would pair good with a JS or DHD type shortboard. Watch Episode
TP1 T. Patterson Thruster HC - This fin is a pivot fin. It is a large fin but if felt like it didn't quite have quite enough surface area for my weight. This fin was fast and loose. I noticed the speed for sure. If you are a medium surfer you can ride this for sure. If you're borderline you can ride this. If you are a larger surfer though might not quite be enough area in my opinion..I weigh 170 or so. There could be an exception if the board you're riding is a lower rocker board. This is a good fin for sure. Watch Episode
JJF Scimitar Thruster Vaporcore - This fin will float! They are so light. That in and of its self is awesome. I was so surprised by this fin. I rode it in a beach break down the street from the shop. It came around so nice and held the carve all the way through. The cut off tip was allowing for noticably tighter radius turn. The inner foil was supplying a lot of speed. This was a fin where afterwards I was like "I need a set of these!". Fast and loose but held speed through turns...what more can you ask for??? Watch Episode
AM2 Thruster HC - This is the fin I pretty much put in all my boards initially. It is my go-to! I love this template and more often it works well for me in the boards I ride. The fronts are a different shape and size than the center fin. The fronts are big and raked back with a long base. This gives the template drive. But all the while the tips are narrow which help the fins release and/or go rail to rail easy. The center fin, being smaller, counters all that drive from the fronts by allowing more pivot than if it was a full size fin back there. Templates with smaller center fins turn tighter typically. So with this template it's the best of both worlds pretty much. Watch Episode
Mayhem 3.0 Thruster HC with Carbon - This fin seems like it should be used on only higher rockered boards, super good waves, and have all this drive. But it has a narrow tip. The area at the top has less surface area overall. What this ended up feeling like in my higher rocker board was like I was riding too small of a fin that lacked drive. But!...in my lower to medium rockered board it felt way better. Faster, had drive, and was responsive. In my opinion, contrary to Mayhems intended use of this fin in higher curvier rockers, because of the lower surface area toward the top of the fin, it ends up being a fin that works well in boards that don't have a lot of tail rocker. It felt way way better in my low/medium rocked boards than my higher tail rocked board. So that is why it is in this spot on the spectrum of loosest to stiffest. Watch Episode
Jordy Thruster HC - This fin had good speed and hold. I could push on turns harder on the Jordy's than the AM2's and it would carve through nicely. Very similar to the AM2 as far as having bigger fronts and a smaller trailing fin. The Jordy trailer I believe was a little bigger than the AM2 trailer. I felt like on the board I was on, which had a fair amount of tail rocker, the Jordy's looked and felt better than the AM2's. Watch Episode
JJF Large Techflex - This fin ended up being one that I bought after riding it. Good drive, good hold through the turns, and good speed. Pretty Sick Fin. Watch Episode
Pyzel Thruster HC - This is another fin I ended up buying. Really like how they had a great combination of drive and response. A long base for drive and an upright template I feel like gives you that combination making it a great fin. Tight turns, I could push on them, and when I pumped I found another gear in my board. Watch Episode
Sharpeye Thruster HC - Carried good speed. I could get in tight to the lip and fit into the pocket nicely. This fin is very close to the Mayhem 2.0 that they don't make anymore. But the sharpeye has a smidge more rake. Great for beach break. I liked this fin a lot. Watch Episode
EA Techflex Thruster - This fin might be a medium fin but has a big ole tip which gives it a lot of drive and hold through the turns. I rode this at lowers and I could feel when the wave got slow the board got slow and when the wave got fast the board got fast. This template is one of my go-to's in my board when I take trips and surf strong waves. Good waves and higher rockers boards suit this template...especially in this stiffer construction. Watch Episode
Vector 3/2 Alpha Thruster - Good easy speed on these fins. When its on rail it holds through and still can get a nice tight turn. I think the chopped off tip cuts the rake down and lets you get tighter turns than if it was raking out all the way. Has that inner foil base to tip pretty much. These will still release out of the lip for airs no problem. Unique and functional fin for sure. Worked well in small waves too. Watch Episode
Jack Robinson HC Thruster - This fin has a good amount of rake. They had nice and easy speed. I liked them a lot actually and was surprised how well they worked. Maybe not the best for small waves unless you had a lot of rocker in the tail. But yeah, best for good waves and higher tail rockered boards. Watch Episode
Jack Freestone FG Thruster - All fiberglass "Control" construction. This is typically for stronger waves. But, the template lets you get it some nice tight turns. The construction gave me a good amount of drive and carried speed all the way. Went well even it ok lowers. I was suprised by these for sure. Watch Episode
F8 Neutral HC - I rode the Vaporcore version of this fin but I am displaying the HC version because the Vaporcore are not available while they are making the NEW JJF Smitar vapor cores. This fin has good drive and good projection. Good hold into the lip for launching airs. Solid carves too. Fatter tip holds your turns all the way through. Watch Episode
DHD HC Thruster - Good for higher rockered boards and good waves. Holds through turns really good. Solid carves a definite possibility. Watch Episode
R8 Rake HC Thruster - These carry good speed. Good for higher rockered boards and good waves. Holds through turns really good. Solid carves a definite possibility. Watch Episode
Coffin Bros. FG Thruster - Even though this is a medium I found it to have a tremendous amount of drive and hold. These felt really good even though I rode them in less than ideal conditions. Good for open face and good waves. Ultimately, I felt they were the stiffest out of everything I tried. If you have a good wave board or higher tail rocker board these would be great. Watch Episode