Fin Race D/LAB (Tuttle)

Injection molded fins are manufactured using a metal outside mold. Our exclusive CARBO_TECH material —a proprietary blend of thermoplastic polymer and carbon fibers— is injected into the mold under extremely high pressure and heat.

Advantages:
- Since this material is softer than G10 it's the ideal choice for shorter maneuver side fins to ensure the necessary tip flex despite the short length.

Disadvantages:
- For fins longer than 12cm, injection molded fins are too soft to ensure a proper performance.

Best suited for:
Injection molded fins are the ideal choice for short side fins.

HERE IS HOW A CARBO_TECH FIN IS MANUFACTURED

3D File to generate the injection mold

Injection steel mold with injection pressure hoses

Finished fins right out of the mold

G10 is an extremely compressed block of prepreg laminated fiberglass sheets. This block is placed in a CNC milling machine to create the final shape and profile.

Advantages:
- Due to its high-compression G10 is extremely durable.
- Easy to sand, allowing to repair damages caused by ground contact.

Disadvantages:
- The high-compression results in a higher weight, which is noticeable with longer fins.
- Not stiff enough for longer high-performance freeride/race fins.

Best suited for:
G10 is the ideal choice for medium-size maneuver center fins.

HERE IS HOW A G10 FIN IS MANUFACTURED

Highly compressed G10 blocks

CNC milling the outline and profile

Cleaning milling residues

Finished fins with unfinished optic

This is the most sophisticated method of manufacturing a fin. It is based on individual pre-impregnated (prepreg) fiber layers out of carbon and glass. These layers consist of single fibers that are laid side by side onto a carrier film and then pre-impregnated with resin by a specialized supplier in an industrial hydraulic press. This ensures the ideal ratio between fibers and resin (not too much, to avoid excessive weight and ensure a perfect bond between the layers, and not too little, to avoid dry spots that can lead to breakage) even before it is further processed by our factory.
For these reasons, prepreg fins are at least 50% stronger in terms of breaking strength than the standard/conventional RTM technology, which uses dry fibers with "uncontrolled" resin addition.

Advantages:
- Flex and twist are not only determined by the length, width, and profile thickness of the fin design (as with G10 fins), but can also be adjusted by the arrangement of the prepreg layers.
- Lighter than G10.

Disadvantages:
- Not as easy to repair damages caused by ground contact.
- The most expensive way to manufacture a fin.

Best suited for:
Prepreg fins are ideal for longer high-performance fins from freeride up to racing.

HERE IS HOW A PREPREG FIN IS MANUFACTURED

3D file to generate the mold

Milling the fin shape into a metal block to create the mold

Finished mold halves

Storage of pre-impregnated fiber layers in a refrigerator to prevent the resin from hardening

Templates for cutting the prepreg fiber layers

Cutting the prepreg fiber layers

Putting the single fiber layers into each mold halve

Mold halve (with non-stick coating) filled with carbon and glass fiber layers

Vacuum molding of the fin

Finished fin