Before 1980 it was all about the twin-fin.
Then, in 1981, Simon Anderson invented the thruster, and his three-fin setup was quickly adopted as the gold standard for high-performance surfing around the world. And it’s (mostly) remained that way for the last 40 years.
But what’s old becomes new again, and there’s been a big shift back towards high-performance twin-fins and quads in recent years, led by the likes of Matt Parker at Album Surfboards, and surfers like Josh Kerr, Jack Freestone and Victor Bernardo. All three look rejuvenated on their two and four fin setups, and are objectively ripping as hard as they ever have.
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No longer is the twin/quad reserved for a small wave fish. Shapers like Parker are building them in all shapes and sizes these days, meant for everything from a reeling point to a heavy tube.
Case in point: Recently, Kerr rode a 5’7″ twin to a 3rd place finish at the Nias Pro, in flexing, 6- to 8-foot slabs. Not once did he slip or slide out. Rather, his twin lifted over foamballs and flew through way-too-deep tubes. As if that wasn’t enough to pique our interest, in the edit above, Bernardo rides his twin (and asymmetrical quad) in solid Mainland Mex tubes, and they work beautifully in the barrel.
Clips like this are certainly enough to make you rethink your equipment.
Related: Nias Pro Produces Proper Tubes And Scorching Heat Totals