Soar Powerbase Fins

[prjwebb]

I just received my new set of Powerbase Soar fins. They are the DL template which is the go to template for a vast number of pro surfers, including Taj and the late AI, who use glass ons. Owen Wright is also a Powerbase team rider and using the larger DXL template fin and the Powerbase fin boxes.
www.powerbasefins.com.au
www.soarfin.com
There are 3 materials available. Electra, which is the softest flex pattern, Amour which is the medium and apparently very much like glass ons, and then the Ceramic material which is stiffer again. I believe it is similar in feel to G10 material. I went for the Armour tech.
The fins have a flanged base like that of a glassed on fin and pull down into the plugs as you screw them in which prevents the movement at the base of the fins. That should lead to a more immediate response, increased drive etc.

After surfing them, initial impressions are very good. They feel very connected to your board, no delayed response and no give. Very solid as I imagine glass ons are. Template feels good too, very neutral. Lots of drive from the stiff base thanks to the Powerbase tech, and then good release due to a nice bit of flex in the tip. They honestly feel like a step up from all other FCS fins I've used.

[Chris]

good stuff. how is the weight?

[prjwebb]

Very light I think. I'll whip them out in a bit and weigh them alongside a set of PC K3s. I'm thinking of ordering another set soon in the Ceramic material to see how the super stiff ones feel.

[iggy]

Then you have scarfini fins which offer their line on both Futures and FCS...and also glass on
http://www.scarfinifins.co.za/index.php?page=allfins.php&category=1

[core personal training]

i heard good things about scarfini's....but car park talk so who knows

[prjwebb]

good stuff. how is the weight?

I know this was a while ago but just did some weighing.

Soar DL Armour - 22.7g
FCS K3 Performance Core - 20.5g
FCS G-AM Glass Flex - 23.7g
FCS S25L Performance Core - 20.0g
FCS K2.1 Quad Rears - 10.7g
FCS MRTFX Twin Fibreglass - 22.5g
Firewire Deviant Rear - 8.8g

So I guess the Soars are pretty average on weight, but considering there is a little bit more to the fin then they are fairly light. I've got a set of the stiffer, Ceramic fins on they way. They might be a touch heavier, we'll see.
Surprised at how light the large S25s were. They came out the lightest of the thruster sets. I had a set of JS-1 fins and they were really light but I sold them a couple of weeks ago so can't weigh them.

[Chris]

good stuff Prj!

[prjwebb]

My local surf shop just came back from an Aus trip where they were sourcing new products for the shop as well as checking in with the Aus shapers on new models etc. I told then to try and get in touch with Greg at Soar to check out the fins.
Anyway, they messaged me yesterday saying to pop into the shop because they brought me back a set as a gift. How cool is that.
Not sure if they got them from Greg or if they blagged them from JS. I'll find out tomorrow when I pick them up.
Down The Line in Hayle, Cornwall though folks. Friendly folks who will look after you!
Stoked

[iggy]

New toys to play with... like Christmas!!

[prjwebb]

378
New set, very nice! They had a DL (large) set and a DS (small) set for me to choose between. The DL is my size, but the DS would have been handy as a smaller rear thruster fin and two smaller quad rears but I couldn't resist the proper size thruster set.

[iggy]

Is like "removable glass on fins!!!"

[prjwebb]

Yeah they are very cool.

[Chris]

yeah look cool. and they don't ride or feel heavy on the board??

[prjwebb]

Nope not at all, they feel light and free actually!

[Chris]

nice....may have to try a set...

[prjwebb]

You should! I can put you on to the guy I got my first set from in the US. He gets them sent in bulk from Soar in Aus and it works out better than buying direct from Aus.
He's the only distributor in the US as far as I know anyway.

The way he described them to me is that it feels like your board and find are one entity working together rather than it being just your board and the your fins attached to the board.
Id say it was a good description. Same way glass ons feel I guess.

[westy]

Hey PRJ - how is the profile of the DL compared to your G-AMs?

I'm looking for alternatives with similar drive before shelling out £75 on a pair of new G-AMs.

Cheers,
Chris

[prjwebb]

They are actually fairly similar right up to the last 10mm of the tip of the GAM where the DLs stop the GAMs keep going into a longer, thinner tip.
The DXL could be worth a look if you want a bigger fin. Those are what Owen Wright uses, although he has a little shaved off his.

[Chris]

I should try to find a set....

[westy]

Cheers PRJ.

Any chance you could PM me the details of your guy selling them in the US if that's ok?

[prjwebb]

The guy I get mine from is about to put in an order, do you want a set?

[westy]

Cheers for the offer bru. Got a mate in WA sending me a set.

[prjwebb]

hey westy, only just saw your previous message somehow, my original reply was to chris, ha!
if you're still interested let me know and i'll send his details over.

[Chris]

playing the middle man! I like it!

[prjwebb]

Haha, I'd put up his contact details here but dunno if he'd like that. I'll ask him actually, it would makes it easier for anyone interested.

[Chris]

no worries, its good. makes the forum more valuable.

[spawne]

I was looking at the powerbase fins and need some help in which fin to get. With their quad set DXLs, DL the rear fin is taller but not as wide as the front fins, what does this achieve. Are the front fins more drive and hold, and the rear pivot and a little hold. If i wanted more drive and hold for bigger waves could I just put bigger front fins in or is it better to go up equally front and back. They have DXLs and DMs which are more standard front and back size. I wanted to mix match some fins, so some help would would be great.

[prjwebb]

I'm not too sure about quads to be honest. Could be worth dropping them an email in the contact section to see what they suggest?

[spawne]

I did what you said Prj and emailed Powerbase fins and this was his response.


Information about size is not correct.
There were typo on the web site and it has been fixed.
We offer various combinations of quad fins based on our 4 shapes.
We always have the larger fin as the front twin fins. This is either DXL (XL
is for extra large) or DL (L is for large).


The rear fins for quads are offered as DM (M is for medium) or DS (S is for
small). With Powerbase fins it is important that the correct fin is used in
the rear for quads. Our centre fins will only fit into centre fin boxes
because of the orientation of the screws (alternate on centers) and the
angle associated with the Powerbase. Our side fins will only fit into side
fin boxes for the same reasons.


If you are ordering Powerbase quads it is important to know which boxes have
been used for the rear fins.


The front fins of the quad setup act like twin fins. They bury deep into the
water and give great holding power. They are positioned around your back
foot which gives a very short turning arc. The rear fins in quads lengthen
this turning arc to provide more drive than a traditional twin fin.


The size of fins is more a function of the weight of the surfer. Bigger
surfers need bigger fins. There is always some crossover with personal
preference on size of fin and surfing style. 1 size does not fit all.


With your weight at 85kg riding a big thick round tail use the DXL front
fins with DM rears for a setup with more drive or use DS rears for a looser
small wave kind of set up.


I don't usually get involved in forums but this information may help others
make better selections for themselves.


Best regards

[prjwebb]

Good info and good customer support from them!
I'm considering a set of DS as some quad rears for a SP.

[Will.]

Great fins, im loving mine!

[DGR]

I have been riding Dxl aromour flex thruster set in my spit and my alt for a few months now and here is what I found:

- they are fast and loose
- they carve beautifully
- board connection is so much firmer than FCS, they feel so solid. Only downside is they did leave some marks on the board where they overhang the FCS plugs. I would be wary about putting them on a RF board.
-I personally found them to be too flexable, I wish they made some stiffer ones, I think their material may be limited as it has to be flexy enough to fan out when screwed in. I had them give way a few times in more holllow waves and went back to my old fins.

[prjwebb]

Have you tried the Ceramic material? There's a C3 which lighter guys and the chicks have been loving, C4 which a lot of team guys use and C5 which some of the pros actually found too stiff, even in huge waves.

[DGR]

Did not know about these ceramic ones :(. when I got mine the shop keeper said they were the stiffest powerbase fins u could get. I'll have to find them and give them a try, because for me if they were a bit stiffer they would be perfect.

[prjwebb]

http://distilleryimage0.instagram.com/1814fda8a77a11e1be6a12313820455d_7.jpg

C4 Ceramic DL

[DGR]

broke 2 of my MF1s today :(.... ordered a new set of DXLs in C4..... looking forward to it.

[prjwebb]

You'll be stoked with them!

[surfgumby]

Hanging out for your thoughts as considering the ceramics for my next set!

[prjwebb]

i haven't had good waves to really try my ceramics yet, but first impressions is they are possibly lighter than the armour (haven't weighed but they feel super light), nice and stiff but still have a nice bit of spring in the tips. they feel like they are going to be the business.

[DGR]

Hey Gumby, you can have a go next time I see u at werri :)

[surfgumby]

Hey DGR r u the guy who rides that rad Orange artworked RF spud?

Really enjoyed that surfing lunchbreak we shared on that fine sunny day a while back!

I surf down your way once or twice a month depending on work, family & surf conditions so will be happy to take you up on that kind offer next time I c u out in the water!

Until then hope the C4s r everything you want in a fin & looking forward to your reviews down the track!

Enjoy!

[DGR]

yeah, thats my rad orange spud. New fins will be for my alternator.

[K24Surfer]

Hey guys has anybody tried these yet? Tehy come in FCS and Futures www.3dfins.com

[pmorgan]

Hi Prj can you give me the details to get a set of the soar fins, I would really like to try. I can't find any online shops that sell in uk. Cheers Paul.

[prjwebb]

I just ordered a new set direct for Soar. I think it worked out around £58 inc postage for a DL set in armour flex. Ceramic is a little bit more but probably worth it.
They marked as gift etc so I will let you know if I have any additional charges.