Fins or no fins

Dudeski · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:22 pm Post subject: Fins or no fins

I'm still very new to wakeskating but I already love it. So, I'll keep this short. Basically, I bought The Book Wakeskate Edition and it is really helping me. However, I don't feel like it gives a clear cut answer of whether to ride with fins or without fins (or maybe even 1 fin). So...fins or no fins (or one fin)...keep in mind Im a beginner. Thanks.

Evan71 · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:26 pm Post subject:

have you tried both?

do that and decide what you like better, simple as that

DMagg · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:27 pm Post subject:

ZackFL(BRE) · Backside 180 Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 2386 City: Tampa

if i was you i would just go no fin at first so you can easily slide back and forth from switch and regular.. it will help so much with board control.. then once you start trying tricks you could decide if you wanted fins or not.

Jay Bird · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:44 pm Post subject:

oh come on man

fastgreens · Kickflip Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 3563 City: baytown

no fins

RUSSIAN · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 8:58 pm Post subject:

It depends on the board. I ridden with fins 9 years, but I just started riding an excelsior and love it finless. There is absolutely no reason to not try both, a lot

Mr. Wes · Ollie Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 96 City: Austin

Here's how i see it Wink

,

Riding with fins will allow you to probably cut harder and easier and have more stability on the board (as in the board will not feel as slippery). Riding without fins will feel a little more buttery on the water (which i actually prefer), and it also helps on some tricks in my opinion, especially when learning them. For examaple, shuvs (for me) were a lot easier to learn without fins on, because i was able to not worry about kicking the board so hard or catching one of the fins in the water. I also learned 3 shuvs, front bigs, and ollie 3s with no fins because you are able to slide out of tricks you would normally not be able to get away with when you have fins in. But again, fins can also come in handy when learning other tricks, like going wake to wake or any other trick where stability is extremely important. And riding with one fin allows you to switch back and forth between what kind of ride you want. Say you want to do a 3 shuv, so you start with the fin in the front of the board so it is not affecting the board's overal ride, and POP that sucker and stick the 3 shuv, riding away clean. And now you decide you want to do a wake to wake, so you do a shuv to get the fin in the back of the board and go do your wake to wake and so on and so forth. I hope that makes sense to you as why some people (including multiple pros) ride with one fin, to be able to switch back and forth. And thats not the only reason to ride with one fin, there are many more.

I hope that wasnt to confusing Laughing

but like they said above, its like an ice cream flavor, gotta try 'em all to find which one you like best Very Happy

Dudeski · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 10:04 pm Post subject:

thanks everyone. you really helped clear things up for me.

mojo · Posted: Jun 21, 2010 10:56 pm Post subject:

riding w/o fins will make you a better ride, at least initially, because you learn how to use your rails as opposed to relying on a fin for traction. in the end it depends on what you prefer. for me it depends on the board itself having channels or not and of course the fin.

Bcoy · Ollie Joined: 26 May 2009 Posts: 94 City: Kalamazoo

no fins

mergeleft3 · Backside 180 Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 673 City: Orlando

I used to ride with fins but I just started about 3 weeks ago riding without fins and I love it.

Raven · Posted: Jun 22, 2010 12:49 pm Post subject:

look who's really riding gracefully in the water......dolphins.....shark, tuna, marlin, flying fish.........

SleuCrew · Posted: Jun 22, 2010 2:43 pm Post subject:

Will this stupid debate ever end? Seriously...

NO ONE can tell you what's going to be better, go out and try both ways. If you want something in the middle try a smaller fin. There's no legit or right way, only what feels best to you.

Think of it like skateboarding, some people like loose trucks others like tight trucks, neither one is more "legit" or "right" it's all based on what works best for that individual.

Dudeski · Posted: Jun 22, 2010 3:02 pm Post subject:

jc · Posted: Jun 22, 2010 5:57 pm Post subject:

it's not your bad, it's a legit question. As a beginner it is a hard to know what can be best because you are just concentration on learning not what the board feels like. I was confused after watching 'the book' too. It's good to get the opinions of people that have ridden longer than you.
I didn't even think there was any debating going on in this thread. Almost everyone stated their preference but insisted that the best way to know is to try the options out for yourself.
I have been riding my integ without fins but most other boards I have prefered small fins in. What sort of wakeskate do you have?

TWG · Kickflip Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 3258

PIRATE · Kickflip Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 2651

This girl rides finless.............. Do you want to be like her?

Dudeski · Posted: Jun 22, 2010 8:09 pm Post subject:

SleuCrew · Posted: Jun 23, 2010 1:25 am Post subject:

Dudeski, It's nothing personal so don't take it that way, it's just over the years people went back and forth of claiming that one was more "legit" than the other and it's really silly because everyone seems to think their way is the right way when really it all comes down to personal preference.

Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody's got one... Just cause something works for one person doesn't mean it's the best. It's only the best for that person... Or so they think Laughing