Product Overview
Our Freestyle fin developed with up and coming freestyler Nic Hibdige. This is a fin for modern freestyle, plenty of lift, pop and release to spring you into the next spin!
Whereas our Bubble freestyle fin was designed for grip and control in all conditions, the ZBD is about maximising lift and speed, ideal for flatter water. It has been described as having more pop than any of the current freestyle fins on the market!
ABOUT K4 FINS
K4fins are a unique innovation in windsurfing, we have opened up another page in windsurfing's progression book.
The K4 fin shapes, design, and innovation has come from water time. There is no better way to develop a product than trying it out with lots of good old quality water time. Coupling this with science and know how has culminated in something ground breaking.
What are we on about? The truth is as always in the pudding but....
When Jumping and general sailing you feel the fins under the foot complimenting your movements. When heading up-wind you feel the fins flex and work with the power you're putting through them. When landing they again flex and work with you, rather then against you!
Waveriding is where the fins really excel. In your bottom turn the flex of the fins allow you to drive them hard and fast. As you're going through the bottom turn and your speed starts to drop off the fins give you something back. All that 'stored' energy from flex is given back to you when you need it most. In doing so you don't get stuck through your turn. You can power all the way through to the lip and smack it at full velocity. We think Graham Ezzy hits the nail on the head:
"The flex allows me to go more vertical and hit later lips. Instead of getting stuck in the curl, I can push on top of it and get more projection. Super cool."
Where it started, where it's going...
K4 is the sail number of Steve Thorp, a UK Hotsailsmaui rider. Based in Leicester Steve travels literally hundreds of miles to find the best breaks with the best conditions. Steve turned the wind skunkings into surf opportunities and consequently is a pretty good surfer. This is where K4fins started. When surfing, the manouvrability, speed and looseness was simply not existent to the same degree in windsurfing. The evolution of twin fins brought something to the table, that surf feeling was nearly there. Twins were the petrol, now all it needed was a match on it to go off.....
''I studied physics, maths and furthur maths at A-level and remember once scoring one of the highest marks in the country for a fluid dynamics test -the tutors were amazed that I'd coloured in all the diagrams in the time I had left. I always wanted to study boat design but was persuaded by careers advice to do a Civil Engineering degree -at least there was some Fluid Dynamics involved. After graduating I decided to work for my fathers Injection moulding and toolmaking company as it meant more flexible time for my windsurfing and surfing obsessions. I've now managed to combine all of these skills and become a fin designer and manufacturer. Pretty lucky really!''
K4fins have now been running for a couple of years. In this short period of time the brand has projected itself onto a global arena. Pro Riders such as Graham Ezzy, Jamie Hancock and Mikey Clancy have chosen the fins out of preference and the team is likely to grow as word continues to spread.
K4 are looking forwards. The intention is to innovate and expand. We are always working on new models of fins and will push forwards working closely with our riders.
K4fins have a long list of new ideas and concepts to try. Developement is never ending; testing new materials, tweaking our existing fins and looking for new ways to improve performance. We're currently working on some radical ideas which seem obvious but have not yet been seen on a windsurf board. We are pushing forwards working closely with our team members.
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MATERIAL:
K4fins have created a unique and new material for windsurfing. OptoFlex is a molded resin long fibre matrix that has been carefully manipulated to provide the perfect flex patterns for windsurfing. Our K4 technicians took a long time to create the perfect material with the qualities needed to provide the performance we now appreciate. Lighter, snappier and with outstanding flex memory. The fins are extremely robust too -we haven't had a single return through breakage.
K4 fins have tested the highest grade materials in the lab and on the water for nearly two years, continually improving the aesthetics and the performance.
