Gerry Lopez Futures SUP fins

[Southbay]

Has anyone tried these Lopez Futures?  I guess that they come in a tri and a quad setup.  I need to get a new set of fins.  My current setup keeps buzzing no matter how much I sand the trailing edges, and I like the thruster set up that my board currently has.  Any feedback?  Other suggestions?

Thanks, Southbay

[lopezwill]

Southbay-

  I've used the GL Futures for about two weeks now.  I used them as quad set up on my C4 sub vector.  If you like a "Flexy tip" fin type of ride you will love these.  I like the quad set up with GL's for smaller mushier waves in no wind or chop conditions.  They make the board a little more surfy and slashy on turns.  They do make the SV less stable for me at my 225 pounds. 

  I now use the back smaller GL fins put up front with a 7 inch Manta cut away fin all the way up in the box.  A two plus one set up.  For me...the sv paddles faster, easy for me to get back on the tail and get the board up on a plane and most important to me, more stability.  I tried he two GL's taller fins in front with the 7 inch manta and the board became slow and too heavy in the tail.

  The GL front fins are high about 5 inches but not stiff.  There is flex in the tips.  I think they are a great design but I have never liked the whip you get with the flex tip type of fins.  I prefer stiffer tip with wider base side fins for direct power and stability in turns.

  I really like messing around with different fins and it can really make your board ride the way you want it to.  Having said that...what I like to ride somebody else might dislike.  I hope I didn't confuse you.  If you like the whippie type of turning the GL's are great.  I do like them in smaller clean surf.  Like everything in this sport it would be nice to try them out before you purchase them.  They cost me $90.00.  I should mention the sv has a thicker tail area than most sup's so maybe the GL's quad set up would really make a thinner tail sup rip?
Good luck.

[Dwight (DW)]

Southbay-

  I've used the GL Futures for about two weeks now.  I used them as quad set up on my C4 sub vector.  If you like a "Flexy tip" fin type of ride you will love these.  I like the quad set up with GL's for smaller mushier waves in no wind or chop conditions.  They make the board a little more surfy and slashy on turns.  They do make the SV less stable for me at my 225 pounds.  

  I now use the back smaller GL fins put up front with a 7 inch Manta cut away fin all the way up in the box.  A two plus one set up.  For me...the sv paddles faster, easy for me to get back on the tail and get the board up on a plane and most important to me, more stability.  I tried he two GL's taller fins in front with the 7 inch manta and the board became slow and too heavy in the tail.

  The GL front fins are high about 5 inches but not stiff.  There is flex in the tips.  I think they are a great design but I have never liked the whip you get with the flex tip type of fins.  I prefer stiffer tip with wider base side fins for direct power and stability in turns.

  I really like messing around with different fins and it can really make your board ride the way you want it to.  Having said that...what I like to ride somebody else might dislike.  I hope I didn't confuse you.  If you like the whippie type of turning the GL's are great.  I do like them in smaller clean surf.  Like everything in this sport it would be nice to try them out before you purchase them.  They cost me $90.00.  I should mention the sv has a thicker tail area than most sup's so maybe the GL's quad set up would really make a thinner tail sup rip?
Good luck.

Lopezwill,

I recently tested 5 1/2" front fins too. It is that size fin making the board slow in my testing. It was "not" the fault of it being quad. My testing of smaller quad fins show them to be less dragging and much faster than 2+1.

Vector II 450 or 460 fronts, with 400 or 437 symmetric rears, give my sub vector the most speed, looseness, and drive.

[lopezwill]

DW-

  Good to know.  I just took off two Vector 460's on one of my lay down boards and will test it on the sv tomorrow.  Thanks for the input. 

[Southbay]

Lopezwill, thanks for explaining the flex.  I have a 10'3'' Lopez  with a thruster set up.  The fins that come with it are 5.5in (I think) sides with a slightly smaller center fin.  I wish the board was looser, so maybe the more flex will help with that.  Anyway, thanks again for your input.

[lopezwill]

Hey Southbay-

  Here is an invitation to come up to Pismo Beach for some sup time.  I have several sets of future fins and a dozen center fins from years of surfing.  You would be welcome to try them out. 

  In the meantime I would get a hold of some 4 3/4 inch wide base side fins with a 4 1/2 inch center fin and see if that loosens up your board.  Your 5 1/2 side fins sound huge. Some surf shops will let you use the fins first before you buy em. 
Good luck.

[Southbay]

Lopezwill, thank you for the invite and the info.  I'll let you know how the smaller fins go, and I would love to make it up there.  I am going to Santa Barbara next month and was hoping to go up the 1.  I will let you know for sure if that pans out!  Thanks again.

Southbay

[SUPer Dave]

5 1/2 in Side fins is yer problem.....Toooooo big...   Me 3 1/2 thrusters 6 in cutaway ...on my 8/10...

[chipmonk]

Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with others. I  purchased the Gerry Lopez thruster  fins and used them for the last week, when admittedly, it was silly small.  The first day I took them out it was in beachbreak style conditions. I thought that they felt OK because they were real solid off the bottom and it was peaky with a bit of a drop on the takeoff.

But then I was feeling[/img] in the following days that there was a noticeable amount of drag from having these on, confirmed when I switched back to my normal set up on a PSH 9'6. My normal setup is a 6" Future performance center fin with  the Vector II Blackstix 437's. 

Lastly, my standard disclaimer in reviewing stuff, which is that I am featherweight and these fins may be just the ticket for someone 200lbs who can a push a board around.

Photos attached of both setups...

[lopezwill]

chipmonk-

  Your 6 inch center with the 437 sides looks great!  My PSH friends ride their boards the same way switching to a bigger tri fin set up on larger surf days.  Too bad the GL's didn't work for us.  I took DW's advice and switched out the side front fins with 460's and back fins with 400's and my sub vector was faster and more surfy.  I'll still use the 460's side with a 7 inch Manta center for bigger surf and stability in choppy water.