lol Hey guys, you know if I start a blog post with lol it’s going to be absolutely ridiculous. Today I am going to talk about one of the smallest parts in surfing that is becoming more and more important as we move further and further down the 5-Fin road. You may not know these exist, but they do and they’re IMPORTANT for any one that owns a 5-Fin board with Futures Boxes. Future Fins Box Fillers are a relatively new product. (Please understand that I say all this because it needs to be said and because a blog post about two 4 1/2 pieces of plastic has the PERFECT amount of comic relief I’m looking for) They didn’t even exist before the entrance of the 5-Fin, though they should have. (For people turning a thruster into a twin.) Basically, a box filler is a piece of plastic that you wedge into your empty Futures Boxes when you’re not using them. (i.e. running a 5-Fin as a Thruster or Quad) This creates a completely flat surface on the bottom of your board. It makes sense and it’s about time. Those empty boxes actually cause a good bit of drag. I mean if you’re buying a $120.00 5-Fin set from Futures you should probably splurge and get the $4.00 Box Fillers to fill the boxes you’re not using. Simple, but GREAT! Which begs the question… Shouldn’t FCS make plug fillers? How can you not enjoy my blog?? With that I bid you good day.
Category Archives: It’s all about the Fins
Ke11y IS 11 time world champ!
Hey Guys! So, it was a bit delayed because of the ASP’s poor math skills, but despite the issues there, Ke11y IS 11 time world champ! (I all ready said my “told you so’s”, before Ke11y ACTUALLY won, so I won’t do it again.) With Ke11y’s victory will no doubt come a NEW Ke11y fin from FCS. (Just trying to call it now so I can say another told you so later.) The FCS K3 was made with 8 circles to signify Ke11y’s then 8 time world champ status! So, I think it’s about time! We want a new Ke11y fin, right?!? I mean we do have the FCS K2.1 PC‘s, but those are a revamp of the K2.1 in Natural. We want something fresh, something that has Ke11y’s 11 time world champ experience behind it. Certainly his surfing has to have changed (I would argue gotten better) since the release of the K3‘s. If it has, we want a NEW fin, a NEW template and a NEW material to reflect any changes in Ke11y’s style. Honestly, at the root of it, we all just want to surf like him anyway. lol With that said, I’ll get on the horn and talk to FCS about it. I’ll tell them that all of you are DEMANDING a new Ke11y Fin. lol Truthfully though, I’ll at least call them and ask if anything’s in the works. If so, you know you’ll hear it FIRST, RIGHT HERE!
FCS and The Surfboard Warehouse 101
Sorry to blog so late on a Friday! (I meant to have this up in the AM, however once again I got tied up! This time it was helping with the Finatic Fin Testing Program.) So, it’s time to let the pendulum swing the other way and talk about our INCREDIBLE relationship with FCS! FCS has been around longer than Futures, thus when we came onto the scene in 2005, FCS had to feel us out for a bit and make sure we were a good fit for each other. I think they saw me as a crazy man that may just be able to pull off such an insane online surf shop! lol Once they gave us the green light in early 2006, BOY did I prove them right! ha ha (Yes, I realize I’m admitting to being a crazy man.) The Surfboard Warehouse‘s sales have grown consistently year after year with FCS! This brings us to where we are today, one of FCS‘s LARGEST online accounts in the US! This is NO small accomplishment with the amount of competition there is on the Net now a days. So how did we do it? Well, when you pair FCS, an established global leader in both surfboard fins and surf gear, and The Surfboard Warehouse with our exclusive Finatic Fin Testing Program which has helped to fuel our FCS Fin sales, there was no doubt in my mind that it was just a matter of time before we would begin to aid FCS in setting the bar.
Future Fins and The Surfboard Warehouse 101
Hey Guys! I’m a bit Travel Surfboard Bagged out… lol So I figured I would talk about Future Fins and our relationship with them for a bit. The Surfboard Warehouse has a GREAT relationship with Future Fins as WE PIONEERED selling Future Fins online. (Don’t let anyone tell you different.) Back in 2005 when we opened we were just selling Custom Surfboards. By 2006 we had received our contracts with both FCS and Future Fins. However, Future Fins as a company was much smaller than they are today, and to our knowledge, didn’t have ANY other all online accounts. (We’re still one of the ONLY all online accounts for many of the companies we sell.) Anyway, fast forward almost 6 years and Futures Fins is as glad they took a chance on us as we are that we took a chance on them! Because, within that time both Future Fins and The Surfboard Warehouse have experienced MASSIVE GROWTH that may not be equaled anywhere else in the surf industry! By combining Future Fins, one of the world’s leading Fins and Fin Box systems, and our effort to give everyone EVERYWHERE an equal opportunity to get the EXACT surf gear they demand, both companies have experienced massive growth that otherwise may not have happened. Now you know…
Future Fins or FCS Fins?!? (Final FINAL thoughts)
Hey Guys! I figured this would be a GREAT time and place to throw a plug out there for our EXCLUSIVE Finatic Fin testing program! (No shame here!) While our discussion concluded that FCS Fins and Future Fins are just “different”, depending on which fin system you choose, you NEED the Fins that take YOUR surfing to the next level! And the BEST way of knowing which fins are best for YOU is to try them all! What’s that you say? That’s impossible?!? Well it was… (You can thank us later) This problem is EXACTLY why we created Finatic! (INNOVATION and we are the MASTERS! Again thank us later.) For one LOW monthly price (currently $9.99 a month, shipping INCLUDED) you can check out and test virtually EVERY set of fins that FCS Fins, Future Fins and Kinetik Racing Fins have to offer! Keep the Fins as LONG as you like! Surf on them WHEREVER you want! (Now is the time to thank us.) You can only find the Finatic Fin testing program here at The Surfboard Warehouse and we’re the ONLY one’s with anything like it! So what are you waiting for! Become a Finatic today!
Future Fins or FCS Fins!?! (Final Thoughts)
Good Morning! I am excited to finish our review of Future Fins or FCS Fins! In retrospect BOTH companies make a product that has changed the surf industry. You have to give FCS a pat on the back, because they were first to market. (Innovation NOT Imitation! As we discussed before.) However, that would make Futures the new guy in town with a lot to prove and they have done that. (Take the Future Fins Elevon Quad for example, INNOVATION in it’s truest form.) So, in conclusion if we’re taking the (most important) information we’re given at face value; that FCS Fins were designed with 2 tabs to create flex in a certain way and help protect your board and Future Fins has designed their product for maximum strength (sometimes at the expense of your board) and for a “true” glassed in feel, then it should be said that one is NOT better than the other, one is just different than the other. I mean if one was truly “better” than the other, one wouldn’t be here. Because after all, wouldn’t everyone surf on the “best” fins?
Future Fins or FCS Fins?!? (Part Three)
Sorry Guys! I’ve been SWAMPED today, meant to continue our discussion LONG before now. Prioritizing is the new black (or something like that) and I had to help out in the warehouse today otherwise a few of you would have been pissed. Anyway, on to the discussion at hand, Future Fins or FCS Fins and now it’s time for us to take a look at Future Fins. Future Fins haven’t been around as long as FCS, (not even half as long) but BOY do they make a product! Future Fins are SOLID, once locked into your board nothing’s taking them out. (apart from a fin key) That’s a good thing right?!? Well, not necessarily, remember how I told you FCS’s fins are designed to break off upon impact to avoid damage to your board? Not so with futures, if you hit something hard enough you’re pulling your fin plugs right out of your board and looking at some SERIOUS damage. Not only are the fins gone, but your board could be totaled and if you’re the impactee it’s going to HURT. (trust me on that one) More to come…
Future Fins or FCS Fins?!? (Part Two Point One)
Two, FCS also claims that their boxes actually provide a level of protection for your board. How is that, you ask?!? Good question! Well, FCS‘s two tab system was also designed so that upon any kind of impact to your fins, they will break off with out any damage to your board. Interesting thought, huh?!? Proof? Yep, I have some… I personally have had a close encounter with my own fins (took a barrel to the head in Costa Rica and landed on my fins) and to my surprise when I got to the beach there I was missing a fin, HOWEVER both tabs were still securely locked into my board and there was ABSOLUTELY NO damage to the board itself! So FCS’s concept seems solid! However, now that we’re dealing with $120.00 sets of fins, the question is would we really actually loose our fins or damage our boards… Interesting… Discussion to be continued…
Future Fins or FCS Fins?!? (Part Two)
Now that we’ve talked about some of the most important pros about FCS Fins, lets look at the potential cons. The only REAL con is, is their system strong enough? In other words are the two tabs and the two screws enough to secure the fins in such a manner that your fins seem like glassed in fins? Well if you talk to FCS, the two tabbed system was designed that way from the beginning (PURPOSEFULLY) for a few reasons. One, this design actually helps create an intentional flex pattern within every fin that transfers more speed from the fins to the board through turns. I can follow the logic, but is it a fact?!? I guess that’s for us as surfers to determine. (One day I completely intend on finding some science guru to do some flow tank testing on a few different fin templates from both Futures and FCS, but until then well just have to go with the information we’re given.) Discussion to be continued, sort of...
Finatic Fin Testing Program!
Hey guys! Before I continue with our discussion, “Future Fins or FCS Fins“, I figure I should point out that we have a one of a kind fin testing program called Finatic, which allows you to test UNLIMITED Fins from FCS, Futures and Kinetik Racing Fins! Basically, it’s a Fin Testing Program modeled after NetFlix and wouldn’t you know we’re the ONLY company with anything like it! (Innovation, NOT imitation! And that begs the question, if imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, what does that make innovation? I think I feel a thought of the day coming on.) How we came about starting Finatic is a different discussion altogether and I will undoubtedly touch on that one day, but for now all you need to know is that it’s ABSOLUTELY SICK on every level. Currently, I have made the executive decision to give new members their first month for $0.99 cents! (Against the wishes of our accounting dept., I should point out) After your initial month the program currently runs for only $9.99/mo. and that INCLUDES all of the shipping costs! The way I see it is that EVERY surfer should be a part of Finatic, different Fins ABSOLUTELY change your surfing and we’ll prove it! So, what are you waiting for, sign up for Finatic today!