Like everything, the products in the windsurfing market have proliferated to the point where it feels like you need a degree to make a choice.

What are the best fins for going fast on a slalom/freeride board?

BLACK DIAMOND FINS : www.blackdiamondfins.at/en/
BLACK PROJECT FINS : www.blackprojectfins.com/
C3 FINS : www.c3-fins.fr/
CARPENTER FINS : carpenterfins.com/products.html
CHOCO FINS : www.chocofins.info/
ELK FINS : elkplus.lv/fins1/news/
ERD FINS : www.erdproducts.com/
F-HOT : www.f-hot.com/
GASOIL FINS : ailerongasoil.free.fr/
HURRICAN FINS : www.hurricanefins.de/
I FINS www.ifins.eu/
KASHY FINS : www.kashyfins.com/
KING FINS : www.king-fins.com/index.html
KW FINS : kwfins.wordpress.com/
LSD FINS : www.lsdfins.com/
MAUI ULTRA FINS : www.mauiultrafins.fr/fr/
MAKANI FINS : www.makanifins.com/collections/windsurfing-fins
MB FINS : www.mb-fins.com/f/home.asp
MXR FINS : www.mxrwindsurfing.com/finoverview/
SELECT FINS : www.select-hydrofoils.com/fr/
SMART FINS : www.smartfins.com/technologie.html
SONNTAG : www.sonntag-fins.com/
TECHART FINS : www.techart.it/
TECTO FINS : www.tectonicsmaui.com/
THE BOSS FINS : www.thebosscustom.com/?page_id=186
TRIBAL FINS : www.tribalwindsurfing.com/
WINHELLER PROTOTYPES : new.winheller-prototypes.com/?page_id=640
Z FINS : zfins.eu/

Good luck

Rob11 said..
BLACK DIAMOND FINS : www.blackdiamondfins.at/en/
BLACK PROJECT FINS : www.blackprojectfins.com/
C3 FINS : www.c3-fins.fr/
CARPENTER FINS : carpenterfins.com/products.html
CHOCO FINS : www.chocofins.info/
ELK FINS : elkplus.lv/fins1/news/
ERD FINS : www.erdproducts.com/
F-HOT : www.f-hot.com/
GASOIL FINS : ailerongasoil.free.fr/
HURRICAN FINS : www.hurricanefins.de/
I FINS www.ifins.eu/
KASHY FINS : www.kashyfins.com/
KING FINS : www.king-fins.com/index.html
KW FINS : kwfins.wordpress.com/
LSD FINS : www.lsdfins.com/
MAUI ULTRA FINS : www.mauiultrafins.fr/fr/
MAKANI FINS : www.makanifins.com/collections/windsurfing-fins
MB FINS : www.mb-fins.com/f/home.asp
MXR FINS : www.mxrwindsurfing.com/finoverview/
SELECT FINS : www.select-hydrofoils.com/fr/
SMART FINS : www.smartfins.com/technologie.html
SONNTAG : www.sonntag-fins.com/
TECHART FINS : www.techart.it/
TECTO FINS : www.tectonicsmaui.com/
THE BOSS FINS : www.thebosscustom.com/?page_id=186
TRIBAL FINS : www.tribalwindsurfing.com/
WINHELLER PROTOTYPES : new.winheller-prototypes.com/?page_id=640
Z FINS : zfins.eu/

Good luck

And if you were to pick a top 3?

This is sort of my point, so many to choose from. Which are the best?

not to mention that many make their own fins....

Depends what sailing you do mostly. If you have access to super flat water, just about any old speed fin will do - particularly an assy for optimal conditions.

If you want to go fast in flat water and slightly choppier, tricky conditions and want good upwind performance on an assy, then Tribal or old Lockwood designed KA fins stand out from the pack. I've got a range of fins and nothing comes close to a Lockwood design for control, safety, top speed and reliability in tricky conditions.

C3 are also good in trickier conditions but not so good upwind.

Slalom performance again I'd place C3 up there but MXR, Maui and others are also really good. My C3 Vipers are reliable under load and rough conditions and keep good board trim. C3 have a clear out sale at the moment so might help you decide.

I think the Tectonics Fury's are going to change things a bit. It's CNC'd but not exactly G-10. Had very few brief chances to test so far but it seems to me they behave very very close to (good) carbon moulded fins, at a fraction of the price. Probably more true in smaller to medium sizes.

Wisdom from a legend of windsurfing:
Only when your technique is sooo good that you’re hitting the upper echelons of the fins performance could you consider changing a fin to further your potential.
It is really only the professional windsurfers who reap the benefits of a bag full of fins.
The average windsurfer has a speed restriction due to a combination of lots of factors, a minuscule one of which is fin size, a massive one of which is technique,
a medium one of which is tuning.

Powersloshin is spot on.
And its Mark Pedersen.

powersloshin said..
Wisdom from a legend of windsurfing:
Only when your technique is sooo good that you’re hitting the upper echelons of the fins performance could you consider changing a fin to further your potential.
It is really only the professional windsurfers who reap the benefits of a bag full of fins.
The average windsurfer has a speed restriction due to a combination of lots of factors, a minuscule one of which is fin size, a massive one of which is technique,
a medium one of which is tuning.

I'm not sure I agree with that entirely...

I have tried many brands listed above. But then I tried some carbon fins from Chris Lockwood (Tribal). The consistency and control from the fins allowed me to get distinctly better feedback which allowed me to be a better sailor. In other words, I could forget about managing the fin and focus on technique and the fins allowed me to read technique changes better. For a hack like me that makes a huge difference.

Just to add another into the mix, Meanline Fins.

these are designed and hand made by Kai Hopf (the North Sails designer). They can be fully custom or according to team rider models. meanline.com/

Tricky subject really as it'd be difficult to do a test of all available on the market.

If you judge by what's used in the PWA or Luderitz you may have the following (I could be wrong):

- SLALOM:
Kashy
Carpenter
Z fin
ERD
Tecto for smaller sizes

- SPEED (The guys who went to Luderitz last year can probably comment):
Gasoil
MXR

Bonominator said..
Depends what sailing you do mostly. If you have access to super flat water, just about any old speed fin will do - particularly an assy for optimal conditions.
If you want to go fast in flat water and slightly choppier, tricky conditions and want good upwind performance on an assy, then Tribal or old Lockwood designed KA fins stand out from the pack. I've got a range of fins and nothing comes close to a Lockwood design for control, safety, top speed and reliability in tricky conditions.
C3 are also good in trickier conditions but not so good upwind.
Slalom performance again I'd place C3 up there but MXR, Maui and others are also really good. My C3 Vipers are reliable under load and rough conditions and keep good board trim. C3 have a clear out sale at the moment so might help you decide.

I'd second the C3 Vipers that replaced the Venoms, great in rough conditions, a low lift fin and quick off the wind. Another low lift fin with great control is the Vector EX.

Yeah - the more I read here, the more I am reminded of why I posted in the first place.

Am I good enough for good gear to make a difference. I think so, but I am never going to be more than a fast recreational sailor. Maybe I'll spend the money of some beer....