As we learned last week, fins are an exciting part of your board setup & really make a difference in how your board rides.

Luckily, this gives you the chance to explore new feelings & styles of surfing with a simple swap of the fin.

The type of fin isn’t the only important factor to consider though. In this case, size does matter 👀.

One way I like to think of it is that a bigger fin will do more of whatever the type of fin you’re using is meant to do (check out tip 32 if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

For example, a 10” sweeper-style fin will have more drive than a 9” sweeper. Or a 10” rudder-style fin will have more hold than a 9” rudder.

But how do you know what size to go with?

👉 As a general rule of thumb, you want a fin that’s about as tall in inches as your board is long in feet.

So if you’re riding a 9’0” board, a 9” single fin is a great place to start. Or if you’re on a 9’6”, you might want a 9.5” or even a 10” single fin.

This is just a guideline though and there is most certainly wiggle room depending on the waves you ride, how you surf, and what your preference is. So experiment!

And while there’s an overwhelming amount of possibilities, there’s also a lot of “right answers”.

I consistently swap the fin on my 9’4” noserider between a 10.5” sweeper, a 9.75” pivot, and a 10” rudder depending on the wave conditions and what I’m feeling for the day.

By the way, it’s also worth mentioning that we’re talking about traditional style longboarding on a single fin here – not performance longboarding or riding a 2+1.

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💬 What fin setup have you been riding?

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