Single Fin vs. Thruster: Why Pro Surfers Are Ditching the Three-Fin Setup

The thruster is the standard. You know it, I know it, every pro knows it. Three fins work in almost every condition. But here's what nobody talks about: the best surfers in the world have a secret weapon for certain waves, and it's the one setup that forces you to actually learn how to surf.

Single fins are back. Not as a novelty. As a legitimate choice.

Why Pros Are Riding Single Fins Again

Joel Parkinson won the Burleigh Single Fin Festival and competed at the Uluwatu Classic in Bali. He's not doing this for fun. He's competing seriously on single fins, which means elite surfers see something real here.

Mikey February designed a signature single fin specifically for stylish surfing. That's not a throwback move. That's a pro saying, "This is how I want to express myself in the water."

Mark Richards won a world title on a single fin in 1979. Modern shapers are recreating his designs because they work.

The Real Difference

A thruster requires pumping, rail to rail energy transfer. A single fin glides. Less drag means you catch waves easier and maintain speed with less effort.

But here's the thing: a single fin won't let you muscle turns. You have to read the wave, position yourself correctly, and flow with what it gives you. That forces better fundamentals. Better rail awareness. Better timing.

On reef and point breaks where waves have shape and power, that hold is everything.

My Take

I personally love my single fin on larger reef and point waves. The speed is there, the control is there, but more importantly your style gets better. You can't force your surfing. You have to learn to flow with what the wave gives you.

Once you ride a single fin properly, you start seeing waves differently. You understand why surfers in the 70s looked so smooth. It wasn't just style. It was the board forcing them to be better.

Ready to Try a Single Fin?

Finding the right single fin for your setup and wave type is the hard part. Different fins have different rake, base, and depth, all affecting how they perform.

FinFinder.ai helps you skip the guessing. Get personalized recommendations based on your surfing style and the conditions you actually ride. Log what works, track what doesn't, and build a quiver that actually matches how you surf.

Get your personalized single fin recommendation in 60 seconds. Stop overthinking it. Start flowing.