Flex

[kdropin]

so futures are available in blackstix, techflex, honeycomb, fiberglass.

for those that have ridden them whats the difference? how do they feel? what flex to you like? are some to stiff? flexy? how do they compare to fcs techs?

thanks

[iggy]

Techflex and blackstix on my part

[core personal training]

others will argue but i find the base feels totally solid compared to fcs...now for flex...i'm 90kg and load them up so keep that in mind here....have not tried futures f/glass but as for the others...

blackstix sideways flex and inner foil loop effortlessly thru turns...feels like less drag...but i'm too heavy for them in most situations

honeycomb..perfect for me...only mild flex until loaded..good return...

techflex..quite stiff...feel a little dead and/or bound up in crap...hold beautifully at speed in good open waves

have some inner foils without blackstix material to try...maybe the foil is the good feeling, not the directional flex....

[kdropin]

are the EA or the JC1's more of an upright fin?? was looking at both of those in blackstix.. i'm 170 and was thinking that one of these would be a good starting point for a 6' mb model

[core personal training]

ea slightly bigger and swept..but it is minor...despite this, i overpower the ea's but use the jc's in all conditions...the tip feels so much more drivey and yet with the slightly smaller base it is a free fin...normally you would go large base small tip for that and deal with the trade offs...but the jc is close to a one fin quiver for me as a guy that is heavy and pushes hard against them...314

[core personal training]

just holding both in b/stix now..ea's appear to have deeper inner foil and a thinner foil and are flexing more as a result...explains why they were flip flopping through transitions for me...jc's less so but still over-flexed...ea techflex i have are prototype and i think thicker and stiffer than retail ones, so almost zero flex....but i still over powered the tips...if you dont get as much weight/force through the fins as me then these negatives will be lessened or removed...also it is probably just my surfing style because MB uses ea blacksticks and i think he might push a "little" hard...!!

[prjwebb]

nah, spartan has chicken legs

[core personal training]

yeah, what a wimp..!!...more seriously though...his strength wont always have him pushing harder than a heavy social surfer...a lot of the time you need the body ballast to push against, otherwise pushing your strong legs will just make you stand up taller rather than driving the force through the fins/board...hence guys like MB dont ride 603 x19 x 2 1/2's

[kdropin]

which ones were looser core?

[core personal training]

i think you will find the ea releases easier off the top...too easily for me at my weight...and in blackstix you have that extra flex for wiggling too....again looking at them you expect the smaller jc to be looser but the ea off the top definitely needs less power...

[kdropin]

i'm asking bc i'm a bit lighter then you at 170lbs.. looking for something comparable to the k2.1s but i like the blackstix make up..

[core personal training]

both drive similarly off the bottom...ea uses base, jc uses tip...at least thats what i feel from them...for me it all connects better with the tip working through bottom and top...can turn them tight as i want or arc out...

i use the jcs as my 2.1 replacement...ea's are more of an al merrick style...drive off bottom then flick...at least for my weight/style...

so ea probably bit looser for you...jc closer replacement for 2.1s for me....closer but smaller(ish) and therefore less drive etc is the wct template...too small for me though...

[core personal training]

you more confused now...?????? :P

[kdropin]

yeah a lil.. ha. i'm thinking the ea's aren't as extreme as the merrick template rake wise.. i don't love how the merrick feel as they in my opinion draw turns out too much but they are still fun. i wish the future site put in the degree of sweep on the fins.

i was eyeing up the wct's as well in honeycomb as another set but i'm thinking i want to try the stix first considering the weaker period waves we get here < 10 sec for the most part

[kdropin]

smaller tip mean easier to flick through turn?

[core personal training]

nope, your fine..not like am's..i dont like them most of the time either...

yep, generally the thinner tips offer less resistance

wct's might be good...chris is lighter like you and likes them...too small for me

[core personal training]

i must add that its board dependent too....in a narrow thumb tail or pin with drivey rails i would find a smaller fin just fine...at the other end, a 510 hellfire goes great with sa3's or even pancho's...and thats even 70 kg guys...

[kdropin]

looking for them in a future 6' mb 2 2/8 thickness

[core personal training]

MB loves his ea blackstiks...