THE KIDS!
Best Surf Fins For Kids: FCS
For a long time, I wasn’t fussed about what fins I put in my kids boards. They were learning, so just having something to help the board go without spinning out was fine. But then they started actually turning and it was time to actually test if the right tools made the job easier. So, the question of ‘does your kid need specific fins?’ Yes, they do. And here’s why and what to pick..
For a long time…
I wasn’t fussed about what fins I put in my kids boards. They were learning, so just having something to help the board go without spinning out was fine. Being a bit of a tight-arse, I’d just shove my size Medium man fins into my kids’ boards and tell them to “just go paddle.”
But then they started actually turning. Once they moved past the straight-to-the-beach phase and were looking for a bit of rail-to-rail action, the “M for Everyone” strategy started to look a bit lazy. It was time to actually test if the right tools made the job easier.
We rounded up a crew of mates and tested the heavy hitters in the FCS lineup:
- FCS II Mason Ho Signature (Small): The “vibe” choice.
- FCS II Matt Biolos (Small): The “all-rounder” for the performance-minded.
- FCS II Al Merrick (X-Small): The raked-back classic for the lightweights.
- FCS II Mick Fanning (Grom): The pint-sized version of the fastest fin on earth.
As it turns out, kids can definitely tell the difference… to a point.
Size (Kind Of) Matters
Trying to navigate the FCS catalogue for kids is a bit like trying to understand a supercharged Pokemon evolution. It’s confusing. You’ve got some models that come in a specific “Grom” size (like the MF and Kolohe models), others that opt for an “Extra Small” (like the Al Merrick), and some that only go down to Small (like the Mason Ho and Matt Biolis models). None of them seem to offer everything.
Zion Walla testing some Grom FCS Fins
At first glance, I assumed “Grom” and “XS” were just two names for the same thing. In reality, there are slight template differences if you’re a total tech-head, but in practice? The kids don’t care about the rake or the foil specs. As long as you stay within the recommended weight guidance on the box, you’re 90% of the way there.
The real revelation was the jump from M to XS/Grom. It was an instant “aha” moment. Tester Mason put it simply: “These are so much smoother and easier to control.” Going from an oversized fin that felt like a boat rudder to something scaled for their weight made the boards actually responsive rather than just stable.
The Pepsi Challenge: Small vs. XS vs. Grom
This is where things got a bit murkier. Once we were in the right ballpark for size, the “performance” differences started to get overshadowed by the “cool” factor. Trying to get a ten-year-old to explain the release of a Matt Biolos Small versus the drive of an AM X-Small is a losing battle.
It usually came down to three things:
- Did they like the colour?
- Whose name was on the side?
- Did they happen to catch a good wave in the first five minutes?
The Field Notes:
One fin model wasn’t a clear winner. In fact, they all liked different fins best.
- Ry preferred the Matt Biolos (Small) over the AM (XS). Why? Hard to say for sure, but the Biolos template is a reliable “go-to” that just works in most conditions.
“I like the green ones better because, I don’t know, they feel cleaner. When you’re doing a carve, I kind of feel like they wouldn’t pop out. But they were pretty much the same.”
*Note, Ry’s board is green and matches the fin colour. Coincidence that he liked them better?
- Billy became obsessed with the AM X-Small. He claimed they were the best he’d ever used and basically staged a sit-in until I let him keep them. (He’s still got them).
“These are super fast and drivey but release when I want them to. So rad.”
- Mason gravitated toward the Mick Fanning Grom fins. He’s got an MF Bolt board, so the branding match-up was probably an influence. When pressed on the difference between those and the Mason Ho (Small), he admitted he couldn’t really tell.
“I just like the Mick ones better.”
- Kai honestly couldn’t care. He was the youngest and least skilled of the bunch, so just went for the Mason Ho ones because he likes his Youtube channel.
“These are the coolest.”
Caden Francis giving his set of Grom fins a run through.
Verdict
Does your kid need specific fins? Yes. If they are under 45kg-55kg, stop being a tight parent and get them out of your Mediums. It makes the board easier to turn, easier to control, and way less frustrating for them to learn on.
Is the specific model going to turn them into the next World Champ overnight? Probably not. Unless they’re already winning national titles and talking about “release through the lip,” they aren’t going to be fussed about the minute differences between an X-Small and a Grom size.
Get the size right based on their weight, make sure they like the look of them, and you’ll have a mostly happy grom. The rest is just making sure there’s snacks in the car for afterwards.
SHOPPING
Time To Buy
If you’re in the market for some fins for your kids, and we’ve convinced on what to buy from FCS. Hit the below links to either the Mick Fanning’s, Mason Ho’s, Mayhem’s or Al Merrick templates and enjoy watching the kids hit a new level with their surfing!
