JS Red Baron Review

Twin Fins are all the rage at the moment, hell, look at the recent EAST from Stab – the majority of the boards there are twins. With Akila Aipa making a guest cameo talking about the same thing – it’s a twin fin revival! Easy to ride for most, they go fast and they float well. Hard to hate, more so if you’ve been stuck in the HP board era of too thin, or riding something that doesn’t suit your ability, etc. 

The best way to describe the JS Red Barron is it’s short, thick and wide. It’s beefy up the front and paddles like a dream, giving you the ability to catch pretty much anything that moves. However the Vee that runs down the whole board mixed with some rocket fuel of double concaves means this isn’t your traditional tracking hard to turn keel finned twin fin. The Red Baron is a little looser, snappier board compared to the Black Baron. The Black Baron is a little wider in the tail block so it’s generating way more speed on its own in the smaller stuff. 

Fin wise I was running FCS plugs so threw in the FCS Modern Keel Twin set (buy here) and wasn’t upset at all. The keels just added a little bit of extra spice to the set up. I should have tried some other fins (MR’s or AM’s perhaps) but was having such a fun time with the Keels I just left them in and kept surfing. Sometimes you don’t need to change shit up, you just keep it as…

If you run Futures, you’re probably best off getting a set of the JS x MFC Keels that were designed specifically for the Red Baron.

JS isn’t lying when they say this board goes in pretty much anything. Reefs, points and beachies this board is straight fire, for a short stubby twin fin. Forehand, or backhand, the JS Red Baron goes.. Which is surprising as most people generally struggle on their backhand when surfing twin fins, so for those who do struggle on their backhand riding twinnies, come say hello to the JS Red Baron. 

The best waves for the board are the same for any twin fin really, and the JS Red Baron isn’t any different. It loves 2 to 3 foot long running waves on your forehand. Waves you can link multiple turns on, get highlines happening and enjoy alot of speed without having to over work yourself for it. All this extra speed gives you the ability to draw creative lines because this is what this board demands, creativity. Not creativity like Filipe in the pool, but more just you enjoying the different lines you can draw on this. Generally on a twin fin you have to draw your turns out a bit more, not be as aggressive as you would be on a thruster, but the JS Red Baron allows you to get a little different on the wave. I found the lines I was drawing just added to the enjoyment of riding the Red Baron.

Think Greenmount, Rincon, Raglan, Tea Tree (yes, I’m a natural footer) and for the goofies, this could even perform out at Bingin. The lines this board could draw on these waves would make anyone a modern day surfing Picasso. Just like Asher Pacey and Josh Kerr are doing all over the internet. In short, this board is a fun as fvck to surf.

Overall Best Conditions:
2-3ft semi-chubby waves (although I will say the Red Baron had no trouble when it was piping) that have a couple of fast and slow sections. Preferably on your forehand. Bonus points if the sun is out and it’s warm.

Stats were:
15 Sessions
110 Waves
Top Speed 30km/h (North Burleigh)
Longest Ride 150m (Gas Bay)

It’s no wonder that the likes of Josh Kerr, Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning are turning to twin fins post CT careers. You get on one and you go faster, paddle faster and catch more waves. You’re drawing different lines, hitting different sections and just generally having more fun – i say ‘generally’ as I know a few people who hate the things, and I should say twin fins aren’t for everyone (but I reckon 60% of the time, they’ll work all of the time). 

Of course Josh and Mick are tied to their shapers so you won’t see them on a Red Baron, but I think if they had the opportunity you’d see them ripping on it just as hard as a Album Twinsman or DHD Mini Twin (or, more recently a ‘Horseshoe Twin’). Parko is lucky enough to be an elder statesmen in the JS stable and word on the street is he doesn’t leave the house without the Red Baron in his Defender. 

The JS Red Baron has the ability to draw classic twin fin lines but then give you enough performance to push right through turns and get that extra spice out of the board. It does it in a way where you could imagine Parko making a few heats on this board! 

It does beg the question why more surfers aren’t surfing twin fins in sub par conditions on the QS or the CT, however that’s an argument for another article. 

Most of us have more than one board, we’re all gluttons like that, so instead of getting yourself another high-performance shortboard that you’re not going to shred on I suggest you place that cash on a JS Red Baron for something different that will still allow you to surf well and push it.

If you want this as your only board, you’ll have trouble. It’s not the one board for all surfboard, but it is a shit ton of fun as an alternative to your everyday quiver. And it’s a board you can ride every day in sub-par conditions, then slide back on your shorty when it’s pumping, etc.

The Red Baron is an exciting, fun Twin Fin to ride although if it’s your first Twin Fin purchase, I’d suggest checking out the Black Baron first – it’s a little easier entry into the Twin Fin world.

The only drawback I had was one of the keel fins popping (or sinking, I should say) the fin box out. While traveling with fin systems is great, I’d love this board with glass-in fins so I can avoid anything remotely close to popping out my fin box.

The Wins:
*A twin fin that you can really push hard. 
*Surf if it, confidently, on your backhand
*Paddle power for days

The Challenges:
*Fin boxes. Keel fins put a lot of pressure on the box, we popped one out.
*Going vertical. Not that I was, but remember it’s a keel fin fish, not a shortboard…

If you’re not quite sold on the JS Red Baron but are interested in getting a twin fin, some alternatives include the Channel Islands Fishbeard, the Christenson Fish, the DHD Mini Twin or go over our Twin Fin Buyers Guide for a full run down of Twin Fins.