Kinetik Racing Fins

Got a new board. Which means gotto buy some fins. Bumped into Vaughan Jones in the Pipe carpark and was checking out his new Koeksister, and he was raving about how well the Kinetic Racing Fins were working on it. Got me thinking - haven't tried any Kinetiks before, so why not.

Turns out it was a fine decision. Cos these fins rock!

Bought two different sets to try out on the Greg Smith Gobbler (as it's a 5 fin set-up). Got the X-2's and the Bruce Iron's Quads. 

A quick head's up on the test vehicle: The Gobbler is a 5ft6 mini-simmons design, that's 20 inches wide by 2.5 inches thick, with a full nose and a big fat-ass square tail. A cruisey board made to catch lotsa waves, devour the chop and make all the crumbly sections. Got it to take the place of my 7ft mini-mal which I used on the marginal/onshore/ lumpy/ pap/ crowded days. 

Bruce Iron's Quads

Flip, these fins are kiff. Dig em cos they're smaller than the normal quads sets. So suited to smaller to medium surfers (rated for 55-75kg's). 

Nice and stiff in the base cos of the carbon, with some flex in the tip. Really straight up rake. Rake not being the thing you use in the garden, but a term applied to the angle of the fin.  The rake measures how far back the fin curves in relation to its base. The more upright the fin - the more pivoty it is - in other words it turns easier.

What's cool about these fins is that the stiff base gives them plenty of drive, but the small rake means they still turn super easy. And man, do these things FLY!

Greg Smith had a few rides on the Gobbler with this set-up in and was just loving them. He's sold on the quad fin set-up for the board cos just soooooo much more drive than the keels, and that extra stability so you don't slip slide all over the face.

Would I recommend these fins? Damn right. I'm gonna go buy another pair for my normal 5ft4 shortboard too!

X-2

This is a twinnie set-up that comes with the option of a small stabilizing fin. Stick the lil fin in if you don't wanna feel too skatey, or leave it out if you're looking for that super loose twin fin feel. The side fins are a bit bigger than your normal thruster side fins - slightly wider in the base and a coupla mil's higher too. 

The trailer fin is quite a bit smaller than a normal fin, and has the front tab set right at the front of the fin, meaning the fin itself sits a bit further back in the board than a normal fin.

These guys are designed for small wave fun. Think chest high and smaller - with the trailer fin they're cruisey through the turns, and whipping the trailer out gives you the full-on skatepark feel. They also work well in choppy or onshore conditions, the extra height gives you that added bit of hold through the bumps.

I loved them in small NW choppy conditions, but when the waves got better I preferred the Bruce Irons quad set-up for sure.

But definitely a fun fin set to have in your arsenal for the marginal or small days.

What's cool about the Kinetiks is that they come in both FCS and Future Fin options. So yah - something to think about when you get your next board. Cos let's be honest - it is kinda counter-productive to spend good bucks on a custom board, and then go whack in some cheap and nasty fins. Don't skimp on the fins peeps, they do make a surprising difference.