In his latest vlog, Zack Flores explores three of his wildest single fins while trying out a new blade and breaking down how each one performs. He offers some surfing history and great surfing footage, too.
Recently switching sponsors from Katin to Cedar, Flores shows why he’s one of California’s best surfers, no matter what board he rides—even with a fin that looks like it shouldn’t work.
Zack explains, “I just finished a new single fin, so instead of surfing it normally, I decided to test the three weirdest single fins I own.” He starts with the Greenough power Blade,wich he uses as a “baseline” for comparison. Zack shares the story of Greenough and why his designs are crucial. It’s no surprise the fin works well with his new board.
Next, he tries a crazy, sawtooth-shaped fin made with 3D-printing and computer-aided design (CAD). The goal was to create a “hyper hydrodynamic” fin. It worked better than expected, but Zack found it too “loose, unstable, and kinda sketchy.” Ultimately, computers can’t surf—Zack can.
he paddles out on a Cheyne Horan winged fin. Zack explains the unusual design was Cheyne’s attempt to improve single fin performance and keep it competitive. “As far as fins go, this is the final boss in single fin experimentation. It is, quite possibly, the weirdest fin I have ever seen. I’m actually super excited to try it.”
From the first wave, Zack looks smooth as he trims and turns with control, earning the fin his “Buff Seal of approval.”
