Shop Favorite: Greenough 4-A

There is a reason why the True Ames Greenough 4-A fin has been the company’s self-proclaimed bread and butter for nearly 40 years now. That reason? It just plain works. As an avid collector of boards of all shapes and sizes with an affinity for single fins, I’ve tried a lot, and I mean A LOT of different fins. After trying out nearly a dozen different fin shapes and constructions in everything from a 5’6” single fin egg to a 9’6” traditional log that weighed in at nearly 40 pounds, the Greenough 4-A still remains my go-to fin.

The Greenough 4-A has a full base with a fair amount of tapering and moderate flex, with a swept back rake reminiscent of a dolphin’s dorsal fin. What I love most about this fin is that it seems to know when to hold and when to release. When taking off on a wave, I can feel a solid amount of drive off of the bottom, but I don’t feel as if the fin is too stiff like I’ve felt with fin shapes that are less tapered. Overall, the Greenough 4-A loves to be held in long, arching turns and is very responsive and forgiving even when digging into a drop knee turn.

I’ve found this fin to be over the top fun and functional in both single fin and 2+1 set ups, particularly when paired with the True Ames 2.6” Side Bites for some mid length fun. Personally, my longboards have thinner and narrower tails, so I choose to break the traditional guideline of one inch of fin for every foot of board. I’ve found that riding a fin just one inch longer or so than this does the trick. As an example, I love the feel of a 10.5” Greenough 4-A in my 9’ single fin log.