Speaking of water wizards, these things look like a quartet of Gandalf fingers. Some kind of space-age surf spatulas that might launch you into the stratosphere. Daniel Thompson of Tomo surfboards is known for his unique-looking designs that somehow manage to go well in the water. This fin set-up was designed around the El Tomo Fish model for small waves. Because of their long rake, they’re supposed to sit deep in the water to create lift. The cutaway in the middle allows for quick direction changes. That’s the theory anyway. Watch this clip with Tomo talking about them. 

I have to admit, I was skeptical about these at first. They’re just so damn odd looking. But, they do help punch out speed through flat sections and offer lift as you drive through turns. On the forehand especially, they felt really nice. The one caveat I would give is they’re still pretty unpredictable. Some waves I’d get bucked off mid-turn, or just generally get the wobbles. If you used them all the time, you’d probably figure them out. But, I prefer stuff that’s a bit more reliable. Speedy indeed and something Toyko Drift fans would probably redline about.

I’d recommend using the Tomo Quad fins only in small waves when you need every ounce of speed in the tank. If you’re wanting something that works in a majority of waves without changing things around all the time, there are better options. I’d like to try them in the El Tomo Fish to see how everything syncs up, but for now I’d simply say, keep them for when you need to put afterburners on and are all about having fun. Not for serious waves, or for comps when you need some kind of reliability in the mix. 

Futures F6 Legacy Quad fins are basically your all-rounder. They’re a medium-sized template in a regular shape, with front fins that have more area to them than the back fins. Essentially what you’d expect in a regular set of fins. If you think about fin evolution though, it’s taken a while to get to this ‘regular’ template. Plenty of testing has happened over the years, and now ‘standard’ normally means ‘best’ for general-purpose conditions. No freaky stuff here. Just what’s proven to work.

The best quad fins I’ve used to date. They went in every type of conditions I tested them in (lefts, rights, 1-2ft all the way to 6ft). Balance is the best word to use here. They have a good mix of drive and release. You squirt around sections like a supercharged pokemon before releasing off the top and enjoying some of that quad drift. They then re-engage a treat, ready to do it all again. Normally I’d use ‘regular’ as code for boring as bat shit, but these fins are anything but. They just simply go.

I’d use the F6 Legacy Quads in pretty much everything. I’ll be honest, I’m a tight-arse and don’t like having to fork out for lots of sets of fins. I’m also too lazy to swap stuff around all the time. I just want to get out there! If you want one set of quads in the quiver, these ones are it. If you’re happy to get a few different sets (and pay extra in the process) then these are the first you’d buy and then branch out from there.

Eric Arakawa’s Control Series Quads are a solid fibreglass fin designed to go in solid waves. There’s a special foil to help keep everything sturdy and not allow any jitters when getting crazy amounts of speed down the line. They’re also raked in a shape that lets you turn easily, without things being too stiff. These futures fins are something to slot into the board when your nerves are tingling because of the swell.

I was pretty baffled when I pulled these out of the pouch. Like, they’re pretty much the same size as the F6 Legacy Fins, right? Wrong. When you stack them side by side there are small shape differences that turn out to have a big impact when surfing. In the most simple terms, the back and front fins are closer in size to each other. So, the set has a more even distribution of surface area pushing through the water, giving it a more controlled glide. Unfortunately, that also means they’re slower. That’s fine if you’re in heaving 10ft waves and have speed to burn. But, if you’re like me and nearly always want to go faster, then they’re not the best option. Considering I had these fins in a fun board, they weren’t the best match.

If I had a step up or big wave board with a quad set up in them, the EA Control Series fins would be my first port of call. However, for most surfboards, you’re probably looking at other options. Hawaiian trips sure. Big Indo tube threaders fine. Not playful beach breaks or sand spinning points. Definitely a solid option for those with bigger quivers, but a specialist set of fins most people will only buy as their 2nd or 3rd set.