Less is more - part II: A Keel fin testimonial

We've been going insane over the Codfather II in its new twin keel fin form. Lucky for us, the boss pooled together 5 different templates to chew on with the new Cod II prototype rolling off the press from our glassers. We're still waiting to see what happens when the surf turns to critical, but from knee to chest high, crumbly to groomed, fat to steep, we've had a good little spatter of semi-playful surf to give them a go. Here's what we know, and what we found!

Futures: K1 Bamboo Keel

A blend of aesthetic and technologically advanced materials in a classic, large surface area template, give way to the incredibly fun K1 keel fin. This template is designed to fit ALL keel fin applications. The mid-range flex comes from a honeycomb-backed vertical bamboo inlay providing heaps of down-the-line drive and steadfast hold through power carves. This was a crowd favorite for hold in more solid surf. The release on turns comes a little late, meaning you can drive through corners without a slip up and can transition out of the corner early and the K1 keels will follow your lead.

• AREA - 25.53 in.
• HEIGHT - 5.07 in.
• BASE - 6.65 in.
• FOIL - FLAT 

Futures: K2 Keel

Much like the Rasta sea shepherd, but with a flat foil and less surface area, this is the high performance keel for the medium to smaller rider. Larger riders that want more of a skatey feel will enjoy this template as well. Lower surface area will lessen the drag, allowing for more glide at high speed. There's plenty of rake, so a full crank in 5th gear will hold you tight through the turn. The K2's release when you want them to and are keen on a vertical approach. Smaller, cleaner waves with a chunkier shoulder spotlighted these fins nicely.

• AREA - 22.25 in.sq.
• HEIGHT - 4.63 in.
• BASE - 6.34 in.
• FOIL - FLAT

Futures: Sea Shepherd Keel

These keels were designed for Dave Rastavich, using a foil profile that's also been tested and approved by Rob Machado. The V2 foil starts with foil through the base, into a flat tip. A slight curve on the under side of an airplane wing provides extra lift, aka, jet juice. This is the highest level of performance keel fins for fishy templates! It's shorter, with a mid-level base length, but heaps of rake out to a low profile tip. How they figured out speed and release in a single fin, we don't know, but we love it! There's a reason they sell out of these seasonally. We got our paws on a set and hope to get a hold of more shortly. We recommend these for all weight classes, especially in steeper, racier sections.

• AREA - 24.59 in.sq.
• HEIGHT - 4.77 in.
• BASE - 6.87 in.
• FOIL - V2 

True Ames - Hobie Fiberglass Keel

As the fish template gained wildfire fame through the 60s, fins struggled to catch up until a solid decade of play was had. For our modern retro fish, we chose the Hobie template for an aggressive, drivey, grounded fin. Fiberglass construction adds some weight, but the stiff response is sturdy in clean, playful surf. Flat foil with a leaned back rake gives a solid flick through pumpy sections with tons of release off the lip. If you want control and don't need to create a whole lot more speed, the TrueAmes Hobie fin bonds with our Codfather modern retro fish like a cold beer after a warm surf. Recommended for the bigger surfer, especially in larger surf.

• AREA - 26.16 in.sq.
• HEIGHT - 5.25 in
• BASE - 7.25 in
• FOIL - Flat

101 Fin Co - Bamboo Keel

Marlin Bacon of 101 Fin Co. is a ghost, quietly making magic fins between appearances. We were lucky enough to get our hands on a set of his bamboo keels, a relationship that he's graciously granted us access to. Without spilling his secret, he went over the vertical grain attributes of the bamboo, creating an extremely uniform flex pattern across the fin. The bamboo flexes much like fiberglass, stiff, but responsive. Bamboo is 50% lighter than other honeycomb technologies, and comes straight from Mother Earth's womb. The template sits half way between the K1 and Hobie keel shape, rounded, fluid, simple, FAST! With tons of hold. There's simply nothing like a glassed in keel fin, the response and leverage are unparalleled. Tougher to travel with, so keep your beloved 101 Keel Codfather II at your homebreak, then try one of the fin sets above when you're surfing abroad.

• AREA - ??.?? in.sq.
• HEIGHT - 4.9 in
• BASE - 7.5 in
• FOIL - Inside Foil