https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1677310702/fluxfins-the-worlds-first-adjustable-dynamic-surf#
Flex is perhaps one of the least understood and yet integral characteristics of a surfboard. Think about it. Most boards on racks in surf shops these days have stickered on them key components that indicate how they might perform. Namely, dimensions (height, width, thickness, and occasionally nose and tail width), and volume (measured in liters of foam). Many a surfer knows his or her magic volume number that’s simply packaged differently, but for now there’s not a universal number to indicate a craft’s flex pattern and feel. Only actually riding a board can tell you that.
Fins, of course, are a little different. Flex is the end all be all. Too much, and your board feels like a soggy door. Not enough, and your board feels stiffer than a vodka tonic sans tonic. Different waves call for different flex characteristics, meaning to experiment with what suits an individual surfer’s needs, said surfer would need multiple sets to swap in and out.
That dilemma was the impetus for Flux Fins, an Australian company that’s pioneered what they claim to be the first flex-adjustable fin.
The premise is straightforward enough. Within the body of the fin is a lever that can be moved between the 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions. The more upright position increases the fin’s stiffness, while the horizontal position makes the fin flex more. And the lever is adjusted with a fin key. Because we haven’t tested them ourselves, we can’t tell you whether the lever mechanism has any impact on the fins’ durability.
With two weeks to go on their Kickstarter campaign, Flux fins has reached have of its funding goal – just over $7.5k.
Irrespective of whether or not Flux Fins get fully funded and begin proliferating throughout lineups, it’s interesting to see how smaller companies like Flux, AU Fins, and S-Wings, among others, are seeking to radically change fin design.
