Easily the best and most informative video you’ve put out to date. Fact that you’re not trying to sell us any particular products makes it the most genuine, no BS review channel out there too. Went 30 years of my life not dialed in on my gear, and didn’t want to risk picking up new boards, your channel helped me update my quiver and gear, and I’m surfing the best I’ve ever surfed, better than my early twenties. Cheers Noel, keep up the great content and continued success! PS. Got MS pivot template in my cart, just waiting on my js sub xero to arrive. Stoked to see how they’ll go
+1 on the best most informative vid of the entire surf n show series, thanks so much Noel for being brutally honest and continuing to keep us all frothed and stoked on it! Ki Ora from NZ!!
Absolutely priceless information. Dude, can’t express how grateful I am for all the content you provide and how well you break down fine details. You are a gem man, thank you. 🙏
You nailed it Noel! Your discussion about fins and your buddy from my home state of Texas that surfs BSR was on point. I surf mostly mushy beach break waves in Corpus Christi and when I switched to the Stretch by Futures my board went to another level. The pivot fin with a speed factor of 9 helped me through the slow sections and allowed me to get to the lip and recover faster. As I learn more from your videos I think I may be riding a board that’s oversized for me. It’s a 6’2” butterfly fish and I stand 5’8” and weigh about 180. I think I need to shave off a few inches and try something under 6’0”, but I have this mental block that says I wouldn’t be able to paddle a board that short. Maybe I need to shave off a few pounds to go with the shorter board. Lol! Thanks for the educational videos.. At 50 I find myself learning more than I ever have thanks to you and I’ve been surfing since I was 14.
I had my views changed last year and have been riding a 'horrible' board as a twin fin and my enjoyment levels have gone through the roof. Amazing channel! 😍
Well bugger me, you've reached new heights with this one Noel and Zach's comment below mine is pin point perfect. I've been an avid watcher since your beginnings and you have literally just nailed your best video to date!!! Just bloody brilliant 🤙
I feel like I’m not good enough to watch your channel but that doesn’t stop me. Maybe someday this will be useful information to me but starting surfing as late as I did, sadly I doubt it. Love the reviews though!
This video is blowing my mind. Brilliant. Most useful video I've seen about how to size and judge a board. Thank you for helping draw out some of the greater complexities that are not considered according to the conventional wisdom regarding board buying.
Hey Noel I’m riding this new 5’10 fever and I was riding the John John fins which were meant for bigger waves just cause I saw some guy that rips use them but they felt stiff for me and I remember you telling me like a year ago in the comments to use am1 blackstix and when I used them I instantly had more drive off the bottom and speed and my cutbacks feel so good now. Thank you!
Good on you for making the change to the Blackstix and keeping the Fever. When the waves get bigger and you want a little more hold... throw back in those MF fins and you will love the Fever and MF combo.
My local spot/beach break is usually small, slopey and mushy (a longboard spot). From your suggestion, I bought a pod mod. Board paddles great, but the medium thruster fins (I'm 6 ft/165 lbs) I first used had zero drive. Took your advice, again, switched to large thrusters and the board came alive...but turns were a little too wide for groveling. Swapped the center out for quad trailers and turn arc is now nearly twice as tight, plus the board has significantly more glide (faster). This thing is fantastic!...thanks for pointing me toward a setup that works so incredibly well.
Can you make a video on how to get around whitewater sections? I don’t know how close I should be to the white water and also see pros get around sections I think are impossible.
Totally agree on the comments on the RNF96 and boards like that. I think the “up in volume” recommendations don’t fit boards like that and the Seaside. The width and foam forward make the “extra” foam being recommended redundant in a lot of ways. Even with East Coast winter rubber, that volume fails me on boards like that. Great call.
I struggled at my local beach or for a year on a over volumed wide point forward board. They like to get hung up on the lip and resist dropping in. When I switched to a lower volume hpsb found it way easier to get into waves. To this day I’m skeptical of WPF boards and the claim that they catch waves easier- especially on steeper stuff.
It's a great review with very, very sensible advice. The low rocker vs more volume point is very good to hear more about from a neutral's POV (no motivation to sell 'more volume for more waves' argument).
Hi Noel can you do a video about getting waves at a crowded break? I know you surf lowers so you’re probably an expert on this. Every time I try to surf a spot like swami’s or black’s beach I feel like I can’t get waves cause somebody always ends up being deeper than me.
My favorite way to get waves in a crowd is sit further inside… closer to the beach and catch waves most surfers are to far out to catch. I might not get the sets or the best waves but I catch more waves that way. The other way is positioning game and I don’t like to play it anymore….
@@surfnshowreviews7777 yeah that’s what I usually do. I just find myself avoiding point breaks and reefs cause I don’t feel like competing with a thousand people for a wave. But I feel like it’s hard to progress with your turns when you only surf fast and punchy beach breaks
@@wesleychapman9001 I saw the cameras it’s insane lol. Problem with swami’s is that it’s almost impossible to sit on the inside and hope somebody misses a wave or something. The wave almost always breaks in the exact same spot every time and the chances of at least one of those thousand people catching it is extremely high and they’ll surf that wave till there’s nothing left.
Hi Noel, Very Grateful for your videos. Keeps my carver moving and Knowledge growing. As I get older, I'm interested in boards with more volume then I've ridden in the past. Curious, do you ever review boards that are not high performance and above your preferred volume range? Thanks
I’d imagine if you tell it “you’re hired” and pay it well, it’ll work for you…. All jokes aside, these videos are sooooo helpful with progressing in surfing.
Noel I watched very carefully this I have my PodMod 5'6 Futures setup I was wondering which thruster fins do you recommend on it, I just want to do quick responsive turns but there are too many fins out there to choose! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
If you are surfing a lot of beach breaks then I suggest a neutral template . I highly recommend my MS-Neutral template for maximum drive through turns without sacrificing maneuverability. Check them out here. surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-neutral-thruster-set There is nothing like my fins on the market today at Futures or FCS. If you only have access to Futures then I recommend the F8 or JJF templates. If you are a FCSII guy then you can go Performers Or Gabriel Medina templates.
Hi, enjoying watching your videos, just wanting a bit of advice it you are bale to give it. I am wanting to start surfing again after about 25yrs away from it and I want to get the right board, I am 55yrs old around 5'.8" and approx 78kg Im still fit and active although joints are starting to get a little creaky. people keep telling me to get a mini mal but I dont want one I still want a performance borad or at least one that looks like one, went out the other day on the last board that I had made which was in the early 90s, (before all this volume stuff)it is a rounded square tail thruster, 6.5 and very thin and very narrow.... I could catch waves on it but standing up was another story I kept going over the handlebars, i am keen snow and water skiier so balance is not a problem. I will mostly only be going out in smaller surf 3-4ft or maybe a little bigger so just after your suggestions on what to look for, cheers Sean
@surfnshow great content as always, i have a ghost with merrick aircore, it was horrible like a door, try with old arc fcs1 honeycomb, a bit better, i bought fcsII performer espacially for this board, and it's lot better... Way more loose! Yet the merrick aircore goes really good with my RW spinetek! And it's Thanks to all your reviews i watched... understand board and gears to get what we are looking for surfing feels take a looooong Time, but thanks to you it's faster! 🙏🏻
Hi Noel, I loved the video and your channel, just a quick question. I want to get the CI Fever for my home break of El Porto. I have some small wave boards but I am looking for this board to be good for when the waves are good-ish, so several times a week and probably everyday during fall and winter. I am 5'7 and 145 pounds, and I am an advanced surfer. Right now my other boards are at about 25.5 liters. What dimensions do you think I should go with? Thank you!
Have you tried Kinetic racing fins in Andy Irons template, Nole? I've been loving the drive and release in my performance board. It seems like a cross between a racked fin and a pivot fin in one template.
Hey Noel, great insights on fins. I was surprised to see you mention about going from a large fin to medium when the surf got bigger - that would seem counter intuitive to most! I’ve a question for you regards a Holy Grail I just picked up, I’m around your weight in my full 5/4mm winter gear and I surf twin fins most of the time. I have a 5-fin set of medium FCS Biolos fins which are the Reactor template, I set this board up as a thruster and found in fast breaking surf the board was really lacking the drive I’m used to - really pivotal in the pocket but when I needed to pump to try get ahead I couldn’t. So I’m in a quandary, do I try the board as a quad or twin + trailer as I have those options available to me or try a larger thruster set? Thanks!
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Hi again Noel, I should probably give a little further context - I live in the NE of the UK and surf mostly smaller waves, on a clean swell it's 9-13s period and usually waist to head high, often I'm working for speed hence riding a low rockered twin as a daily. So I just came across this older video of yours remarking about using the larger MF fins in smaller conditions so rather than going for the mediums it seems the large (maybe in Neo Carbon - more flex) would seem better in my circumstances with the more rockered Holy Grail? Thanks! Surfboard Fin Review FCSII "Mick Fanning Fins" by Noel Salas Ep. 28 - th-cam.com/video/A8WgXwHOMmU/w-d-xo.html
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Hey Noel, just a bit of feedback, I ended up getting the large MF fins in Neo Carbon, and not only has it reigned the board in, I can push off the bottom as hard as I please, fully engage the rail and generate all the drive I need, feels really solid in overhead waves too. In case you haven’t tried those fins in that construction I think you’d be pleasantly surprised! Thanks Dave
Wow! Your videos opened my eyes. Great explanation for volume and length. What would you recommend a woman (5‘5“/122lbs) intermediate riding level (like your student Eli) when feeling too much length and volume on a Quiver Killer (5‘10, 30,5L). But a bit too less paddle power on my former Tokoro B3 (24L). I‘m looking for a solid lib tech board for traveling and pool riding - which is easy to paddle into the wave 🙏🙏
Thank you! May you think one of these would fit to improve turns und first cutback? - short round - puddle jumper HP - RNF 96 Also thinking of booking an coaching or surfboard consulting if needed ;)
Can finding the sweet spot for your front foot only be done in water, or can you also determine it by identifying the center of gravity on land? For instance, by balancing the board on your hand? Thank you!
I bought a 5.8 firewire seaside and feel too wide for me (174lbs 185cm advance surfer) sk y have too really push the board to go rail to rail or be heavy in the tail to make the board to snap, I live in el salvador , so it's no easy to change board, what kind of fin can I use to make the board more rail to rail more easy?, thank you
I suggest my 5 fin set. Check them out here… surfnshow.com/products/momentum-series-5-fin-set FCSII click in fins… Large Reactor Side fins with Medium Reactor Quad Rears.
How about boards that are “heavily channeled”, like the Cymatic or Evo? I would think that because of the extra bite of the channels in the tail, you should go less rake, and could go smaller fin overall than on boards without it. Thanks!
Hi Noel, Great VID.. but I have a to ask.. I purchased a used like new JS Monsta bOx 6.3 al 38 lts.. Usually ride 6.0 from 35.6 to max 37 lts.. Now The board feels very difficult to turn up top, and feels like a longer 6.6 or so.. Tried her 4 sessions with Overhead and head high waves.. went with my GO TO Carver fins and Performer fins, both on Large..Still feels this way... What can I do to make this board feel responsive and light ? to make it feel like a shorter board ? less slugish and sticky in the turns ? BTW the board paddles super fast, so fast that the take off is somehow out of control sometimes... and then is difficult to adjust my stance after the drop and then comes the hyper long bord catchy feel I mentioned... My Level is Advance BTW.. let me know your thoughts my friend.. Thnaks in Advance, Cheers
Hi Noel. I use your MS-N fins in my groveler, my daily driver, and my step up here on Oahu and I'm a huge advocate. They go just as advertised: lots of drive without sacrificing snap. But I often rock up with my Phantom and the waves are larger than forecast (the struggle). What fins would make my daily driver be more usable when it’s 2x overhead and pumping? Thank you!
Stoked you Louie my MS-N fins. When the waves get bigger I switch to my MS-Raked template. A Raked template has more drive and hold so it’s more stable in bigger waves. My Raked template comes with two center fins too… one is a little smaller to keep your board loose with a little more release, and a center fin that is the same size as your side fins for more hold in bigger waves. Check them out here. surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-thruster-rakes
Choppy surf can be hard to surf for sure. I suggest boards that have a bit of Vee in the bottom contours. The Vee will make it easier for the board to roll over and keep the rail engaged. Other board attributes that help engage the rail easier are boards with a little lower apex rail, subtle Concaves and a board with a little more weight to it. Boards that come to mind…. Rusty Twin Fin, DVD 3DV, Rusty Miso.
You "should" (poor verb choice as it sounds like I am telling you what to do, but we will leave it for now) start a fin subscription service with your fins (kind of like that one that used to be around, but disappeared...the netflix of fins) where we can try different fins on the board we just dropped 800 bucks on. I can't buy three sets of fins to try either, even if it is cheaper than a new board. But to be able to "rent" fins, try them, send back...that would be kind of sick. I am sure it is much more difficult to pull off, and be a smart business decision. Great video and a lot to consider in it!
Hey Noel, unfortunately I don't have the money for a new board, i'm an intermediate rider and I'm riding a Puddle Jumper Lost Board 5'9. The board feels amazing, getting into the wave so easily and like the way it feels under my feet. I ride it quad and it feels like i get a lof of speed without pumping, what happens to me is that I run out of the wave too fast since waves here are small and slow, trying to do cutbacks but i cant perform them properly on the board, to me it seems like i cannot turn it that easily. I weight 183 lbs and I am 6 feet and 0.8346 inches tall. Tried finding people riding that same board model in order to get more information or feedback but I won't find anybody. Just wanted to know if you could give me any tip If you have tried that model! Thanks for your work keep going with your videos I really enjoy learning from you!
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.
Great episode (as usual :) Fully agree on the fins, and more and more I prefer Large fin (even when my weight is 70Kg). My line of thinking is : since I only use epoxy now (which floats a bit more) a Large fin gives me really more projection (but compromises a bit the maneuvers) one question: if you need to increase a bit the board volume would you prefer to increase the Width or the Length. For example: if your baseline is a 5.9 , 19 3/8 (and 2 3/8) and you want to move to another board with a similar volume, and the same Thickness, would you prefer a 5.10 with a Width of 19 1/2 OR a 5.11 with 19/ 3/8 ? THANKS
Tough call on going up on width or thickness. It really depends on the board type and wave size range. Example a HPSB in 3-8’ surf I would not want to add more width or thickness. The width will increase surface area and offer more speed and stability but make the board tighter. (hard to turn quickly) going thicker will make the rail harder to engage and penetrate the water surface at high speeds.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 thank you Noel. My case is for the NB3 :) Following your great review, I have acquired the NB2 5.9 , 19 3/8 (and 2 3/8) 2 years ago. since the NB2 is not so great in 4 feet waves (I have the problem of the loose tail that you mention in your NB3 review) .I ordering a NB3. To keep the same volume in the NB3 I either take 5.10 with a Width of 19 1/2 OR I take the t 5.11 with 19/ 3/8 ...and I was wondering which one could be the best solution for the 4 foot waves without compromising the performance. Thanks
Hi Noel, great video as always. Your commentary here as well as other videos raises an interesting conceptual question: how much should surfer height affect surfboard length? You mentioned not wanting to go above 5'3" on the RNF 96 because the board would start catching on a lot of your turns. I'm not much heavier than you at 175 lbs, but I'm a bit taller at 6'0". It seems like if the 5'5" would catch for you it would catch just as bad for me doing the same turn on the same size wave. The shortest groveler I currently have is 5'8", but should I, and other taller surfers be considering dropping length down radically for small waves? Should we be letting the height of the wave dictate board length, rather than the height of the surfer? Thanks and keep ripping
I think talker guys can go a little longer. If your current Groveler isn’t catching in the nose area at 5’8” then no need to go shorter if you feel like it’s quick in transition. If your 5’8” turns slowly in small waves and tend to catch then consider going down to roughly 5’6”.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Thanks for the reply! If you don't mind a follow up, what in your opinion is the advantage of the extra length for taller guys in a small wave situation? Say you have one guy at 5'6 160 and another at 5'10 160, why should the taller guy ride a longer board? Is it just so he has more room for his feet to spread out because his stance will naturally be wider?
Great video as always Noel. Can changing fins help when a board feels over volumed? Currently running AM2's in a Superbrand Pigdog that feels good down the line when it's walling up, but I can barely get it on rail. I know it's a barrels board, but wondering if some pivot fins could help before I cut my losses and go down a couple of litres
Yes the rounded/pin tail has a lot more hold. Similar thing happened to one of my boards- someone suggested going down one size on fins and going with a more flexible fin. Night and day difference- the outline has so much more hold compared to squash or swallow. It’s counter intuitive for big waves because conventional wisdom is to go with a very stiff fin.
Hey Noel, I would love to get your thoughts on the JS medium fins, specifically when the waves are a bit bigger/faster. I bought this set a while ago and had mixed feelings, but found the AM template to suit my sessions better overall. Any off the top thoughts would be welcomed, thanks!
The JS fins have a good amount of rake from what I remember and the Large felt super tight for me. I prefer the AM's most of the time due to them having a smaller center fin to keep the board feeling lose and the narrow tip on the AM's offer a little more release . I like a board to feel loose with drive and a bit of release when I want it and that's why I liked the AM's so much. The JS fins have good drive through turns and you can push hard on them on rail but not much release. I would like the JS fins a bit more if I surfer more powerful waves..
@@surfnshowreviews7777 that’s great insight, I appreciate your thoughts on both fins. I’ve been hesitant to put the JS fins back in, but now I think I’ll give them a go when the waves are pumping. Thanks again!
I just wanted to ask why you ride most of your boards so short ? In my experience going anything more then a inch below your height makes things weird and twitchy
I like my boards quick in tight transitions and super responsive. Boards that are my height and longer make my turns feel like they are in slow motion.
That was really good. I’ve been wanting someone who knows to explain fins really well in terms that are better than general, especially with regard to how it will change a board. Is there a general rule of thumb for the board a certain fin “goes on”, or is it more wave dependent? Like if a board has more tail rocker, is there a general rule for the fin it will work better with? Or for nose rocker, different bottom contours, etc? I know you spoke to rake and how it is lengthening the feeling of a rail line. That was interesting. I’ve always had the same feeling, that I like the drive from a large base but I’m too light often for a larger fin depth, like it’s creating too much drag. You talked about a fin’s overall area and drive, but is there a point at which fin depth creates drag despite overall area providing drive, whereby they negate/cancel out?
Boards that have a bit more rocker do best with a Raked Template fin to maximize drive on rail. Yes, a large Raked Fin for a lighter guy makes a board tighter and has more drag. That’s exactly why I designed my own fin templates. All of my Thruster templates (Raked,Neutral,Pivot) fave a Large base to maximize Drive, and Medium fin depth for less drag and to keep your boards feeling fast and loose. Check them out here…. I did a video on it. surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-thruster-rakes
Here's a reality check: I feel like the intermediate surfer is forced to ride more and more longer and over-volumed surfboards because the line-ups are so crowded. Yes, it would be great to ride these short and maneuverable boards. But unless you have the paddle power of Noel, you will never have priority, because a dude on a huge stick has gotten on the wave a few meters before you. Is the current mid length trend the answer to this reality?
I wouldn't say anyone is forced but it's all a question of wave count, there's no doubt that you will catch less waves on smaller boards as people will already be on them way before you. They can also paddle back out faster. So generally speaking more volume = higher wave count. But there are a lot of other factors that determine wave count such as local knowledge of the break and your physical abilty. I personally would rather catch less waves on my shortboard but make some awesome turns, many people just want lots of waves at the sacrifice of perfomance which totally makes sense too. I think when I get past 60 I will probably start using some much bigger boards as it will be hard to compete at that point.
Noel I just noticed in your right eye you have the form of pteygiuim like myself in both. Maybe make a topic of awareness to this medical issue suffered by surfers alike.
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.
Easily the best and most informative video you’ve put out to date. Fact that you’re not trying to sell us any particular products makes it the most genuine, no BS review channel out there too. Went 30 years of my life not dialed in on my gear, and didn’t want to risk picking up new boards, your channel helped me update my quiver and gear, and I’m surfing the best I’ve ever surfed, better than my early twenties. Cheers Noel, keep up the great content and continued success! PS. Got MS pivot template in my cart, just waiting on my js sub xero to arrive. Stoked to see how they’ll go
Stoked you are dialing in your gear and thank you for the kind words!! Let me know how the MS Pivot fins go after a few sessions.
Thank you a lot. You make surfing comprehensive and more logic so every one can understand . Hope you will get better after you surgery .
+1 on the best most informative vid of the entire surf n show series, thanks so much Noel for being brutally honest and continuing to keep us all frothed and stoked on it! Ki Ora from NZ!!
Cheers for the kind words... stoked you liked this episode.
Absolutely priceless information. Dude, can’t express how grateful I am for all the content you provide and how well you break down fine details. You are a gem man, thank you. 🙏
You nailed it Noel! Your discussion about fins and your buddy from my home state of Texas that surfs BSR was on point. I surf mostly mushy beach break waves in Corpus Christi and when I switched to the Stretch by Futures my board went to another level. The pivot fin with a speed factor of 9 helped me through the slow sections and allowed me to get to the lip and recover faster. As I learn more from your videos I think I may be riding a board that’s oversized for me. It’s a 6’2” butterfly fish and I stand 5’8” and weigh about 180. I think I need to shave off a few inches and try something under 6’0”, but I have this mental block that says I wouldn’t be able to paddle a board that short. Maybe I need to shave off a few pounds to go with the shorter board. Lol! Thanks for the educational videos.. At 50 I find myself learning more than I ever have thanks to you and I’ve been surfing since I was 14.
Outstanding video, no one could summaried so much key information so well as you just did
Such a good episode Noel! Changing fins can turn a dog into a magic stick (it's happened to me multiple times).
Agreed
I had my views changed last year and have been riding a 'horrible' board as a twin fin and my enjoyment levels have gone through the roof.
Amazing channel! 😍
Best, most informative, surf show out there!!!! Hands down!!! 💪🙌
🙏🙌🔥
Well bugger me, you've reached new heights with this one Noel and Zach's comment below mine is pin point perfect. I've been an avid watcher since your beginnings and you have literally just nailed your best video to date!!! Just bloody brilliant 🤙
That s so true!! I ve recently surfed my oldies with the Mr 2+1, and never gone back... So. Much fun and spark on 2-4 ft waves
Great honest review as always , everything makes perfect sense. Best youtube surf channel out there
I feel like I’m not good enough to watch your channel but that doesn’t stop me. Maybe someday this will be useful information to me but starting surfing as late as I did, sadly I doubt it. Love the reviews though!
Starting 2022 with a banger episode! Excellent work Salas bros.
Thank you for taking the time to put this together Noel. Super informative
Love your reviews, specially comparing with other models and different fins set up.
Thats how a surf review has to be.
Thanks bro.
This video is blowing my mind. Brilliant. Most useful video I've seen about how to size and judge a board. Thank you for helping draw out some of the greater complexities that are not considered according to the conventional wisdom regarding board buying.
That was definitely one of my favorite videos you’ve made! Thanks for all the info keep ripping!
Noel Salas is W TH-cam with great surf advice, information and more. He rips too and is fun just to see awesome high performance surf at Lowers.
Hey Noel I’m riding this new 5’10 fever and I was riding the John John fins which were meant for bigger waves just cause I saw some guy that rips use them but they felt stiff for me and I remember you telling me like a year ago in the comments to use am1 blackstix and when I used them I instantly had more drive off the bottom and speed and my cutbacks feel so good now. Thank you!
Good on you for making the change to the Blackstix and keeping the Fever. When the waves get bigger and you want a little more hold... throw back in those MF fins and you will love the Fever and MF combo.
So much Great help coach ! Thank you so much for helping us out again ! :D tremendous help !
Brilliant !!!! So well explained mate.Thankyou.
your best video period.
Thank you so much, you’re really one of the top. One love
My local spot/beach break is usually small, slopey and mushy (a longboard spot). From your suggestion, I bought a pod mod. Board paddles great, but the medium thruster fins (I'm 6 ft/165 lbs) I first used had zero drive. Took your advice, again, switched to large thrusters and the board came alive...but turns were a little too wide for groveling. Swapped the center out for quad trailers and turn arc is now nearly twice as tight, plus the board has significantly more glide (faster). This thing is fantastic!...thanks for pointing me toward a setup that works so incredibly well.
What size podmod did you go with?
@@Surf_Salt 5'10
Can you make a video on how to get around whitewater sections? I don’t know how close I should be to the white water and also see pros get around sections I think are impossible.
Totally agree on the comments on the RNF96 and boards like that. I think the “up in volume” recommendations don’t fit boards like that and the Seaside. The width and foam forward make the “extra” foam being recommended redundant in a lot of ways. Even with East Coast winter rubber, that volume fails me on boards like that. Great call.
I struggled at my local beach or for a year on a over volumed wide point forward board. They like to get hung up on the lip and resist dropping in. When I switched to a lower volume hpsb found it way easier to get into waves. To this day I’m skeptical of WPF boards and the claim that they catch waves easier- especially on steeper stuff.
* local beachie for over
Very good video! So much info! 👏👏
Thanks
It's a great review with very, very sensible advice. The low rocker vs more volume point is very good to hear more about from a neutral's POV (no motivation to sell 'more volume for more waves' argument).
Great episode mate, thank you!
Hi Noel can you do a video about getting waves at a crowded break? I know you surf lowers so you’re probably an expert on this. Every time I try to surf a spot like swami’s or black’s beach I feel like I can’t get waves cause somebody always ends up being deeper than me.
My favorite way to get waves in a crowd is sit further inside… closer to the beach and catch waves most surfers are to far out to catch. I might not get the sets or the best waves but I catch more waves that way. The other way is positioning game and I don’t like to play it anymore….
@@surfnshowreviews7777 yeah that’s what I usually do. I just find myself avoiding point breaks and reefs cause I don’t feel like competing with a thousand people for a wave. But I feel like it’s hard to progress with your turns when you only surf fast and punchy beach breaks
@@shaheena.3803 swamis had 100 people out today lol. Great question.
@@wesleychapman9001 I saw the cameras it’s insane lol. Problem with swami’s is that it’s almost impossible to sit on the inside and hope somebody misses a wave or something. The wave almost always breaks in the exact same spot every time and the chances of at least one of those thousand people catching it is extremely high and they’ll surf that wave till there’s nothing left.
Hi Noel, Very Grateful for your videos. Keeps my carver moving and Knowledge growing. As I get older, I'm interested in boards with more volume then I've ridden in the past. Curious, do you ever review boards that are not high performance and above your preferred volume range? Thanks
I don’t ride bigger boards much… I find them to be slow to turn and boring.
SO helpful. Thanks! :)
I’d imagine if you tell it “you’re hired” and pay it well, it’ll work for you….
All jokes aside, these videos are sooooo helpful with progressing in surfing.
Noel I watched very carefully this I have my PodMod 5'6 Futures setup I was wondering which thruster fins do you recommend on it, I just want to do quick responsive turns but there are too many fins out there to choose! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
If you are surfing a lot of beach breaks then I suggest a neutral template . I highly recommend my MS-Neutral template for maximum drive through turns without sacrificing maneuverability. Check them out here.
surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-neutral-thruster-set
There is nothing like my fins on the market today at Futures or FCS. If you only have access to Futures then I recommend the F8 or JJF templates. If you are a FCSII guy then you can go Performers Or Gabriel Medina templates.
Hi, enjoying watching your videos, just wanting a bit of advice it you are bale to give it. I am wanting to start surfing again after about 25yrs away from it and I want to get the right board, I am 55yrs old around 5'.8" and approx 78kg Im still fit and active although joints are starting to get a little creaky. people keep telling me to get a mini mal but I dont want one I still want a performance borad or at least one that looks like one, went out the other day on the last board that I had made which was in the early 90s, (before all this volume stuff)it is a rounded square tail thruster, 6.5 and very thin and very narrow.... I could catch waves on it but standing up was another story I kept going over the handlebars, i am keen snow and water skiier so balance is not a problem. I will mostly only be going out in smaller surf 3-4ft or maybe a little bigger so just after your suggestions on what to look for, cheers Sean
@surfnshow great content as always, i have a ghost with merrick aircore, it was horrible like a door, try with old arc fcs1 honeycomb, a bit better, i bought fcsII performer espacially for this board, and it's lot better... Way more loose! Yet the merrick aircore goes really good with my RW spinetek! And it's Thanks to all your reviews i watched... understand board and gears to get what we are looking for surfing feels take a looooong Time, but thanks to you it's faster! 🙏🏻
Stoked to hear that you work things out with your boards by changing the fins and the different fin constructions.... good on you!
I am blown away at how your boards have no pressure dings whatsoever.
My boards are loaded with pressure dents…
Hi Noel, I loved the video and your channel, just a quick question. I want to get the CI Fever for my home break of El Porto. I have some small wave boards but I am looking for this board to be good for when the waves are good-ish, so several times a week and probably everyday during fall and winter. I am 5'7 and 145 pounds, and I am an advanced surfer. Right now my other boards are at about 25.5 liters. What dimensions do you think I should go with?
Thank you!
You practically high jumped the wave at 19:20, what kind of a superhuman are you? Great surfing and a super informative video, thanks for sharing.
Have you tried Kinetic racing fins in Andy Irons template, Nole? I've been loving the drive and release in my performance board. It seems like a cross between a racked fin and a pivot fin in one template.
Hey Noel, great insights on fins.
I was surprised to see you mention about going from a large fin to medium when the surf got bigger - that would seem counter intuitive to most!
I’ve a question for you regards a Holy Grail I just picked up, I’m around your weight in my full 5/4mm winter gear and I surf twin fins most of the time.
I have a 5-fin set of medium FCS Biolos fins which are the Reactor template, I set this board up as a thruster and found in fast breaking surf the board was really lacking the drive I’m used to - really pivotal in the pocket but when I needed to pump to try get ahead I couldn’t.
So I’m in a quandary, do I try the board as a quad or twin + trailer as I have those options available to me or try a larger thruster set?
Thanks!
Just use Medium side fins with more rake and you will get more drive. Leave your Quad Rears the same. You can also go Twin + Trailer
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Hi again Noel, I should probably give a little further context - I live in the NE of the UK and surf mostly smaller waves, on a clean swell it's 9-13s period and usually waist to head high, often I'm working for speed hence riding a low rockered twin as a daily.
So I just came across this older video of yours remarking about using the larger MF fins in smaller conditions so rather than going for the mediums it seems the large (maybe in Neo Carbon - more flex) would seem better in my circumstances with the more rockered Holy Grail?
Thanks!
Surfboard Fin Review FCSII "Mick Fanning Fins" by Noel Salas Ep. 28 -
th-cam.com/video/A8WgXwHOMmU/w-d-xo.html
@@3rdtonefromthesun in smaller weaker waves go large for more drive.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Thanks again and much appreciated!
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Hey Noel, just a bit of feedback, I ended up getting the large MF fins in Neo Carbon, and not only has it reigned the board in, I can push off the bottom as hard as I please, fully engage the rail and generate all the drive I need, feels really solid in overhead waves too.
In case you haven’t tried those fins in that construction I think you’d be pleasantly surprised!
Thanks
Dave
Could you do a video on ordering step up boards?
Sorry we have no waves and I don’t surf step up boards much
Wow! Your videos opened my eyes. Great explanation for volume and length.
What would you recommend a woman (5‘5“/122lbs) intermediate riding level (like your student Eli) when feeling too much length and volume on a Quiver Killer (5‘10, 30,5L). But a bit too less paddle power on my former Tokoro B3 (24L). I‘m looking for a solid lib tech board for traveling and pool riding - which is easy to paddle into the wave 🙏🙏
I recommend roughly 28L.
Thank you! May you think one of these would fit to improve turns und first cutback?
- short round
- puddle jumper HP
- RNF 96
Also thinking of booking an coaching or surfboard consulting if needed ;)
@@sandaiiy 96
Nice vids got the surf skate thanks for info
Can finding the sweet spot for your front foot only be done in water, or can you also determine it by identifying the center of gravity on land? For instance, by balancing the board on your hand? Thank you!
Maybe… never thought of it that way.
It I want to do a bunch of turns in one beach break wave would a pivot template be the best??
Yes… pivot fins will get you into the lip fast
I bought a 5.8 firewire seaside and feel too wide for me (174lbs 185cm advance surfer) sk y have too really push the board to go rail to rail or be heavy in the tail to make the board to snap, I live in el salvador , so it's no easy to change board, what kind of fin can I use to make the board more rail to rail more easy?, thank you
I suggest my 5 fin set. Check them out here… surfnshow.com/products/momentum-series-5-fin-set
FCSII click in fins… Large Reactor Side fins with Medium Reactor Quad Rears.
How about boards that are “heavily channeled”, like the Cymatic or Evo? I would think that because of the extra bite of the channels in the tail, you should go less rake, and could go smaller fin overall than on boards without it. Thanks!
Hi Noel, Great VID.. but I have a to ask.. I purchased a used like new JS Monsta bOx 6.3 al 38 lts.. Usually ride 6.0 from 35.6 to max 37 lts.. Now The board feels very difficult to turn up top, and feels like a longer 6.6 or so.. Tried her 4 sessions with Overhead and head high waves.. went with my GO TO Carver fins and Performer fins, both on Large..Still feels this way... What can I do to make this board feel responsive and light ? to make it feel like a shorter board ? less slugish and sticky in the turns ? BTW the board paddles super fast, so fast that the take off is somehow out of control sometimes... and then is difficult to adjust my stance after the drop and then comes the hyper long bord catchy feel I mentioned... My Level is Advance BTW.. let me know your thoughts my friend.. Thnaks in Advance, Cheers
Hi Noel.
I use your MS-N fins in my groveler, my daily driver, and my step up here on Oahu and I'm a huge advocate. They go just as advertised: lots of drive without sacrificing snap.
But I often rock up with my Phantom and the waves are larger than forecast (the struggle).
What fins would make my daily driver be more usable when it’s 2x overhead and pumping? Thank you!
Stoked you Louie my MS-N fins. When the waves get bigger I switch to my MS-Raked template. A Raked template has more drive and hold so it’s more stable in bigger waves. My Raked template comes with two center fins too… one is a little smaller to keep your board loose with a little more release, and a center fin that is the same size as your side fins for more hold in bigger waves. Check them out here.
surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-thruster-rakes
Any reccomendations on board types and fin setups for super choppy waves? Great lake and windward carribean surfer here 🤙
Choppy surf can be hard to surf for sure. I suggest boards that have a bit of Vee in the bottom contours. The Vee will make it easier for the board to roll over and keep the rail engaged. Other board attributes that help engage the rail easier are boards with a little lower apex rail, subtle Concaves and a board with a little more weight to it. Boards that come to mind…. Rusty Twin Fin, DVD 3DV, Rusty Miso.
You "should" (poor verb choice as it sounds like I am telling you what to do, but we will leave it for now) start a fin subscription service with your fins (kind of like that one that used to be around, but disappeared...the netflix of fins) where we can try different fins on the board we just dropped 800 bucks on. I can't buy three sets of fins to try either, even if it is cheaper than a new board. But to be able to "rent" fins, try them, send back...that would be kind of sick. I am sure it is much more difficult to pull off, and be a smart business decision. Great video and a lot to consider in it!
Finatic was the fin rental program you're thinking of, it was ahead of it's time
Hey Noel, unfortunately I don't have the money for a new board, i'm an intermediate rider and I'm riding a Puddle Jumper Lost Board 5'9. The board feels amazing, getting into the wave so easily and like the way it feels under my feet. I ride it quad and it feels like i get a lof of speed without pumping, what happens to me is that I run out of the wave too fast since waves here are small and slow, trying to do cutbacks but i cant perform them properly on the board, to me it seems like i cannot turn it that easily. I weight 183 lbs and I am 6 feet and 0.8346 inches tall. Tried finding people riding that same board model in order to get more information or feedback but I won't find anybody. Just wanted to know if you could give me any tip If you have tried that model! Thanks for your work keep going with your videos I really enjoy learning from you!
Try a 5th nub fin, also I rode my PJ as a twin plus trailer (MR twin) and loved it. Fast and loose.
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.
⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡five bolt review. Excellent!
Great episode (as usual :)
Fully agree on the fins, and more and more I prefer Large fin (even when my weight is 70Kg). My line of thinking is : since I only use epoxy now (which floats a bit more) a Large fin gives me really more projection (but compromises a bit the maneuvers)
one question: if you need to increase a bit the board volume would you prefer to increase the Width or the Length. For example: if your baseline is a 5.9 , 19 3/8 (and 2 3/8) and you want to move to another board with a similar volume, and the same Thickness, would you prefer a 5.10 with a Width of 19 1/2 OR a 5.11 with 19/ 3/8 ?
THANKS
Tough call on going up on width or thickness. It really depends on the board type and wave size range. Example a HPSB in 3-8’ surf I would not want to add more width or thickness. The width will increase surface area and offer more speed and stability but make the board tighter. (hard to turn quickly) going thicker will make the rail harder to engage and penetrate the water surface at high speeds.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 thank you Noel. My case is for the NB3 :) Following your great review, I have acquired the NB2 5.9 , 19 3/8 (and 2 3/8) 2 years ago. since the NB2 is not so great in 4 feet waves (I have the problem of the loose tail that you mention in your NB3 review) .I ordering a NB3. To keep the same volume in the NB3 I either take 5.10 with a Width of 19 1/2 OR I take the t 5.11 with 19/ 3/8 ...and I was wondering which one could be the best solution for the 4 foot waves without compromising the performance.
Thanks
@@josesnowsneves5132 I say go 5’10” I think the 5’11” will feel to long. The Round Tail will offer more hold through turns compared to your 5’9” NB2
@@surfnshowreviews7777 GREAT and thank you
Hi Noel, great video as always. Your commentary here as well as other videos raises an interesting conceptual question: how much should surfer height affect surfboard length?
You mentioned not wanting to go above 5'3" on the RNF 96 because the board would start catching on a lot of your turns. I'm not much heavier than you at 175 lbs, but I'm a bit taller at 6'0". It seems like if the 5'5" would catch for you it would catch just as bad for me doing the same turn on the same size wave. The shortest groveler I currently have is 5'8", but should I, and other taller surfers be considering dropping length down radically for small waves? Should we be letting the height of the wave dictate board length, rather than the height of the surfer? Thanks and keep ripping
I think talker guys can go a little longer. If your current Groveler isn’t catching in the nose area at 5’8” then no need to go shorter if you feel like it’s quick in transition. If your 5’8” turns slowly in small waves and tend to catch then consider going down to roughly 5’6”.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Thanks for the reply! If you don't mind a follow up, what in your opinion is the advantage of the extra length for taller guys in a small wave situation? Say you have one guy at 5'6 160 and another at 5'10 160, why should the taller guy ride a longer board? Is it just so he has more room for his feet to spread out because his stance will naturally be wider?
@@ogp8589 A little of both… a taller guy might want a little more rail line through turns and more length for a wider stance.
@@surfnshowreviews7777 Makes sense. I hadn't considered that the length of the arc on a turn would also be correlated with height. Thanks!
Great video as always Noel. Can changing fins help when a board feels over volumed? Currently running AM2's in a Superbrand Pigdog that feels good down the line when it's walling up, but I can barely get it on rail. I know it's a barrels board, but wondering if some pivot fins could help before I cut my losses and go down a couple of litres
Yes the rounded/pin tail has a lot more hold. Similar thing happened to one of my boards- someone suggested going down one size on fins and going with a more flexible fin. Night and day difference- the outline has so much more hold compared to squash or swallow. It’s counter intuitive for big waves because conventional wisdom is to go with a very stiff fin.
@@alang253 cheers for that, I'll give it a try with a set of P6's or similar
Hey Noel, I would love to get your thoughts on the JS medium fins, specifically when the waves are a bit bigger/faster. I bought this set a while ago and had mixed feelings, but found the AM template to suit my sessions better overall. Any off the top thoughts would be welcomed, thanks!
The JS fins have a good amount of rake from what I remember and the Large felt super tight for me. I prefer the AM's most of the time due to them having a smaller center fin to keep the board feeling lose and the narrow tip on the AM's offer a little more release . I like a board to feel loose with drive and a bit of release when I want it and that's why I liked the AM's so much. The JS fins have good drive through turns and you can push hard on them on rail but not much release. I would like the JS fins a bit more if I surfer more powerful waves..
@@surfnshowreviews7777 that’s great insight, I appreciate your thoughts on both fins. I’ve been hesitant to put the JS fins back in, but now I think I’ll give them a go when the waves are pumping. Thanks again!
Totally agree epic video just what I needed to hear, I've 2 boards that r shitting me, I'm gona mix it up
What is retro fish to u, bigger board like 6’ vs 5’3”
I just wanted to ask why you ride most of your boards so short ? In my experience going anything more then a inch below your height makes things weird and twitchy
I like my boards quick in tight transitions and super responsive. Boards that are my height and longer make my turns feel like they are in slow motion.
That was really good. I’ve been wanting someone who knows to explain fins really well in terms that are better than general, especially with regard to how it will change a board. Is there a general rule of thumb for the board a certain fin “goes on”, or is it more wave dependent? Like if a board has more tail rocker, is there a general rule for the fin it will work better with? Or for nose rocker, different bottom contours, etc? I know you spoke to rake and how it is lengthening the feeling of a rail line. That was interesting. I’ve always had the same feeling, that I like the drive from a large base but I’m too light often for a larger fin depth, like it’s creating too much drag. You talked about a fin’s overall area and drive, but is there a point at which fin depth creates drag despite overall area providing drive, whereby they negate/cancel out?
Boards that have a bit more rocker do best with a Raked Template fin to maximize drive on rail.
Yes, a large Raked Fin for a lighter guy makes a board tighter and has more drag. That’s exactly why I designed my own fin templates. All of my Thruster templates (Raked,Neutral,Pivot) fave a Large base to maximize Drive, and Medium fin depth for less drag and to keep your boards feeling fast and loose. Check them out here…. I did a video on it.
surfnshow.com/products/surf-n-show-thruster-rakes
Surprised you haven't picked legendary Lance Collins of Wave Tools for a ride on his SUPER unique modern twin fin by now ........
The boards on the far right and left, forward,…. look extra-wide, like grossly-distortedly wide, though they look evenly contoured, just expanded.
i seen you at lowers a few times shralping the shit out of it it! yew!!
Finatic fin rental/exchange company. Excellent source for testing different feels in fins, if they're still in business.
Here's a reality check: I feel like the intermediate surfer is forced to ride more and more longer and over-volumed surfboards because the line-ups are so crowded. Yes, it would be great to ride these short and maneuverable boards. But unless you have the paddle power of Noel, you will never have priority, because a dude on a huge stick has gotten on the wave a few meters before you. Is the current mid length trend the answer to this reality?
I wouldn't say anyone is forced but it's all a question of wave count, there's no doubt that you will catch less waves on smaller boards as people will already be on them way before you. They can also paddle back out faster. So generally speaking more volume = higher wave count. But there are a lot of other factors that determine wave count such as local knowledge of the break and your physical abilty. I personally would rather catch less waves on my shortboard but make some awesome turns, many people just want lots of waves at the sacrifice of perfomance which totally makes sense too. I think when I get past 60 I will probably start using some much bigger boards as it will be hard to compete at that point.
Noel I just noticed in your right eye you have the form of pteygiuim like myself in both. Maybe make a topic of awareness to this medical issue suffered by surfers alike.
🧠loaded
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.
Lost produces in Cali. Pyzel produces in Hawaii and Cali
Boards that are under license to be made outside US by CI, Lost, Pyzel etc. will not be the same as the ones reviewed on this show. Different materials, rail refinement and even fin placement are all up to the local manufacturer. They just have the file and the stickers. Buyers beware.