H4 FCS
A few sets of second hand as new showing up
saving $ and postage is about $10 Auswide
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/coffs-harbour/surfing/fcs-h4-thruster-fi...
Seller will take $155 for this set of Mediums.
A few people i know have really liked them, but a bit of mixed feedback i think? I saw Harrison Roach riding them briefly in one of his stab vids... didn't talk about the fins much as its mostly a review about boards. Starts at 6mins
H4s are the real McCOY!
More speed and drive than normal fins,its a NICE sensation.
Are they worth the 230bucks,YES!
They dont make a difference in weak waves like the H2s did,but get a bit of power behind them and its very noticeable.
If you put a ruler to the inside of the H4s, you'll notice a mistake: the manufacturing process causes the mold to cup and make an inside (concave) foil -not supposed to be be there, should be flat! The fins are made in a hockey stick factory, and therefore the manufacturing tolerances aren't so.. precise. Keep in mind, a 1mm inside foil (error) is equivalent to 1/3 of the thickness of the foil.
I'd be tempted to flatten the inside of the fin to see if it improves efficiency.
So FCS used Swiss Eng and Robotics and got a 1mm error....?
https://stabmag.com/hardware/leaked-internal-documents-reveal-fcs-h-seri...
Here's a bit more about them
Hard not to notice the similarity of Mitchells ‘Switch Blades” that have been on the market a few years before the H4s. Shows that he is still ahead of the game after all these years. Made in Australia too
http://www.outerislandsurfboards.com/switchblades/index.html
Switch Blades are nice looking fins but the only similarity is the Tip Shape ?
Seems like there is. Just watched the youtube link and looks like there’s more going on with the H4. The guy calls it “torsional flex” which ironically is how Mitchell describes his V stringers and flex tails
Can't really comment on the h4's as I haven't tried them. But think there's a bit of misinformation about "normal" fins flopping over in their flex. If they are foiled well and have a rigid base and made of good materials their flex characteristics should behave in a "torsional" manner. A lot of it is marketing guff delivered by an employee of the company. Realistic expectation would be a minimal percentage improvement in performance, in better waves, noticeable to high level ability surfers. So if you've got the money to throw at it, knock yourself out.
last thing I’d be spending money on. I’d be running for the shoulder in anything over 6 foot anyway
Yes Udo,save yourself 4 bucks on Amazon.
Flip lid, the switchblades look a bit like H4s but thats all,The performance is vastly different.
4 bucks ? or $66
FCS - $230 shipped
Amazon-$150 + $14.28 shipping- $164
Presuming the order price is in AuD ? havent used Amazon is that how it works ?
The amazon price is in USD
It says $208.78 + $19.88 shipping when I converted it to AUD on their site.
Ah yep i just clicked currency to AuD.
Nothing to do with the H4 fins but I just got an email from FCS about their collaboration with Leatherman tools.
18 tools it has, almost everything a surfer could need, as long as you don't need to screw in an FCS fin.
Including a 2mm Allen key, it does not.
What ?
You heard. No FCS key in an FCS collboration.
Product Features:
- Needlenose Pliers
- Regular Pliers
- Premium Replaceable Wire Cutters
- Premium Replaceable Hard-wire Cutters
- Electrical Crimper
- Wire Stripper
- 420HC Knife
- 420HC Serrated Knife
- Saw
- Spring-action Scissors
- Ruler (8 in | 19 cm)
- Can Opener
- Bottle Opener
- Wood/Metal File
- Diamond-coated File
- Large Bit Driver
- Small Bit Driver
- Medium Screwdriver
Reckon the small bit driver would be about the closest tool, but I'd end up frustrated and hack at it with the 420HC Serrated Knife.
A swiss Army knife @ Leica prices!
Back to the fins, $230 is a big ask for sure but the enhanced sensation is worth it in my opinion.
Quad sets wont be far away according to my source.
And for FCS 1 ? not available
So i have to trace lug positions from FCS1 onto H4s and spend 10 mins with a hacksaw..
FCS 1 is obsolete.(but I'll have to grubscrew in the Switchblades,see below)
So next decent swell I;ll be having the H4s up front and Switchblades as the trailing quads.
Scenario 1.. smallest Switchblades(double foiled)
Scenario 2... 2nd smallest Switchblades(single foil)
Scenario 3....a combination of the 2 different sized Switchblades.
Grubscrew the H4s as well eh ?
some people put a concave foil on the inside to improve performance. Hanalei have fins with a concave foil. The set they I have work well but an 'out there' shape and so don't know if it translates to a more std shaped fin
Cheers for the mention of the switchblades. That'll work with the FCS1 which certainly isn't obsolete in my quiver.
Udo I thought about the hacksaw as well (cleaned up with router) but can't bring myself to do it...
Cleaned up with a router....wtf for ?
Perfection. Satisfaction. OCD :)
I have switch blades and H4. I was sceptical about switch blades so insisted on fcs2 fin boxes and rode carvers on my Michell Rae 7’0 reefer for a while. Great combination, nothing wrong with it at solid south coast reefs and Indo
Then I got curious and got switchblades and like the man himself said, they made the board come alive and I felt ashamed for doubting in the first place. Definitely something going on with the hatchet tip. The Mitchell Rae Is a magic board and feels like it will last forever, a bargain when you consider how fragile most off the rack boards are.
Then I got more curious and got H4s and tried them on a short board and a 7’6 semi gun and holy crap, drive and crazy precision and the right amount of release, it’s like the fin morphs and shows a different side of its character at exactly the right part of the wave
If they are that good then why isn’t every single pro riding them, who knows? Maybe I am full of it
Vince Neil wrote:I have switch blades and H4. I was sceptical about switch blades so insisted on fcs2 fin boxes and rode carvers on my Michell Rae 7’0 reefer for a while. Great combination, nothing wrong with it at solid south coast reefs and Indo
Then I got curious and got switchblades and like the man himself said, they made the board come alive and I felt ashamed for doubting in the first place. Definitely something going on with the hatchet tip. The Mitchell Rae Is a magic board and feels like it will last forever, a bargain when you consider how fragile most off the rack boards are.Then I got more curious and got H4s and tried them on a short board and a 7’6 semi gun and holy crap, drive and crazy precision and the right amount of release, it’s like the fin morphs and shows a different side of its character at exactly the right part of the wave
If they are that good then why isn’t every single pro riding them, who knows? Maybe I am full of it
Vince,you have to wonder how your Reefer would feel if the H4s would fit in it.
Hacksaw.....
noticed fanning was using his fins at bells......a lot of pros do, haven't seen one using those h4s yet
simba wrote:noticed fanning was using his fins at bells......a lot of pros do, haven't seen one using those h4s yet
Yes it’s a good observation simba , I saw koa smith gave them a bit of promotion and think ?? Mason ho might use them but probably just a paid promotion from both . I have a set and the material and quality is very good. I’ve used them on a custom tomo hydroshort and pretty happy with them but don’t think they are that different from my MFs in how the board performs. A pro would definitely feel the difference though .
After reading a review NC did on them i thought farrk here we go these things are the Ultimate in Fin Tech...Gamechanging ?
simba wrote:noticed fanning was using his fins at bells......a lot of pros do, haven't seen one using those h4s yet
The facts are that ALL the pros have a fin endorsement deal that brings in plenty of $$$.
So why would they been seen using anything but their own fin$$$ ?
I have the H4s and the MFs, I use the MFs sometimes as the trailing quads.
The Mfs are ok but when ya put the H4s in, the board is TURBO CHARGED.
Vince Neil wrote:I have switch blades and H4. I was sceptical about switch blades so insisted on fcs2 fin boxes and rode carvers on my Michell Rae 7’0 reefer for a while. Great combination, nothing wrong with it at solid south coast reefs and Indo
Then I got curious and got switchblades and like the man himself said, they made the board come alive and I felt ashamed for doubting in the first place. Definitely something going on with the hatchet tip. The Mitchell Rae Is a magic board and feels like it will last forever, a bargain when you consider how fragile most off the rack boards are.Then I got more curious and got H4s and tried them on a short board and a 7’6 semi gun and holy crap, drive and crazy precision and the right amount of release, it’s like the fin morphs and shows a different side of its character at exactly the right part of the wave
If they are that good then why isn’t every single pro riding them, who knows? Maybe I am full of it
Vince are you still in Love with the H4s ?
I’m loving my H4 Small Thruster after 2 Lost Mini Drivers always ridden as a quad.
One question - do your front fins leading edge of the base that should be flush in the fin box sit about 2mm out? On a canted angle like the base was machined for a totally different fin box - a more canted box like the old fusion?
Seems pretty lame for a Swiss engineered CNC fin, and defeats the purpose of an accurate symmetrical foil…. Maybe I’m not good enough to notice but for the money it’s kinda pathetic…
From all the marketing blurb it looks like the fin is machined separately to the base?
kateontour wrote:I’m loving my H4 Small Thruster after 2 Lost Mini Drivers always ridden as a quad.
One question - do your front fins leading edge of the base that should be flush in the fin box sit about 2mm out? On a canted angle like the base was machined for a totally different fin box - a more canted box like the old fusion?
Seems pretty lame for a Swiss engineered CNC fin, and defeats the purpose of an accurate symmetrical foil…. Maybe I’m not good enough to notice but for the money it’s kinda pathetic…
From all the marketing blurb it looks like the fin is machined separately to the base?
Kateontour. Hi. I’d check to see if there are any little manufacturers burrs or dags inside those fin boxes and or on the actual fins, very fine wet/dry sand paper would do the trick or a pocketknife if there’s dags in those boxes. Good luck.AW
@kateontour , with the H4s as a quad , when the waves get overhead and you have a ton of speed, do you ever hear a whistling sound ? I mentioned this some time ago and did as suggested and gave a light sand but still does it. Great fins though .
Kateontour - The CNCing would be Spot on.....
I think you may need to Sand the Fin Base between the Fin Lugs [outside edge] to get the Fin to Sit Flush .
Supa which Boards do they Whistle on... Only the MC ?
Nick Carrol from a Test :
A slight high pitched whistle at speed. I got this once or twice, both on the Banksy (on a solid 8’ wave going fast into the wave base) and on the Webber (a savage lil board that sometimes gains speed from almost nowhere, like a Tesla). I think the whistle was coming from the frontside side fin in each case. It wasn’t a hum, there was no vibration as such, more a whine or hiss, like a big knife swung hard through air. Maybe the acute front edge and zero-give inside flat was responsible.
@kateontour do you have a photo?
what causes the whistle, a delamination of flow off a sharp leading edge?
Too thick a trailing edge
udo wrote:Kateontour - The CNCing would be Spot on.....
I think you may need to Sand the Fin Base between the Fin Lugs [outside edge] to get the Fin to Sit Flush .
Supa which Boards do they Whistle on... Only the MC ?Nick Carrol from a Test :
A slight high pitched whistle at speed. I got this once or twice, both on the Banksy (on a solid 8’ wave going fast into the wave base) and on the Webber (a savage lil board that sometimes gains speed from almost nowhere, like a Tesla). I think the whistle was coming from the frontside side fin in each case. It wasn’t a hum, there was no vibration as such, more a whine or hiss, like a big knife swung hard through air. Maybe the acute front edge and zero-give inside flat was responsible.
@udo , I have the H4s in a quad permanently on my 6’10 DS
That would go mint SF, only ridden H4's as thruster but really liked them. Only have some small wave boards set up at FCS2 though.
seaslug wrote:That would go mint SF, only ridden H4's as thruster but really liked them. Only have some small wave boards set up at FCS2 though.
Yeah Wayne questioned me when I put in a order for the DS with FCS2 boxes and I simply told him it was because I wanted to use the H4s . My other DS 7’6 off the rack has futures as does a 6’6 bargain I picked up of market place. I think futures have recently released a hatchet style fin .
Supafreak wrote:seaslug wrote:That would go mint SF, only ridden H4's as thruster but really liked them. Only have some small wave boards set up at FCS2 though.
Yeah Wayne questioned me when I put in an order for the DS with FCS2 boxes and I simply told him it was because I wanted to use the H4s . My other DS 7’6 off the rack has futures as does a 6’6 bargain I picked up of market place. I think futures have recently released a hatchet style fin .
Futures hatchets are the VECTOR 3/2...very similar to the older 3/2 Vectors which are great(imo).
'
The Futures have the same template for the trail TrustA fin whereas the FCS H4s have the SHARKY shaped trail fin.
quadzilla wrote:Supafreak wrote:seaslug wrote:That would go mint SF, only ridden H4's as thruster but really liked them. Only have some small wave boards set up at FCS2 though.
Yeah Wayne questioned me when I put in an order for the DS with FCS2 boxes and I simply told him it was because I wanted to use the H4s . My other DS 7’6 off the rack has futures as does a 6’6 bargain I picked up of market place. I think futures have recently released a hatchet style fin .
Futures hatchets are the VECTOR 3/2...very similar to the older 3/2 Vectors which are great(imo).
'
The Futures have the same template for the trail TrustA fin whereas the FCS H4s have the SHARKY shaped trail fin.
@quadzilla , are the vectors fibreglass ? I have a old set of these from 2006 in a hard plastic, they went unreal . 
Heres a Thruster Set
https://futuresfins.com.au/products/3-2-vector-alpha-large
Hello all , has anyone tried the H4 fcs fins ? I’ve seen reviews on you tube and read a few articles but just wanting to hear from someone that’s independent. The materials and finish looks first class but is it all just hype ? Expensive so they would want to be good and give something extra to warrant $229 retail.