Anyone Still Using a Slot Fin?

[ToddL]

A few years back the Slot Fins were visible around the dock on a variety of skis. I happen to have the regular slot fin (with the normal wing attached, not the Speed version with the wing permanently attached) sitting in my tool box. I tried it but it was at a time when my form needed more attention than my ski settings. Now, I am still not optimal in form, but probably good enough to play with the Slot fin. After the last tournament, I'll probably put it on and see how it goes, but I thought I'd ask what others think.

 

I'm just curious...

Do you own one?

If so, do you currently use it and why or why not?

 

http://www.ski-it-again.com/photos/sia11782img0.jpg

http://www.schnitzskis.com/images/780_DSC_0492a_Speed_SlotFin_.4mp.jpg

[Chef23]

I just sent mine to @ThePantsManCan‌ and from my last exchange with him he likes what it did to his ski.

[Stevie Boy]

I know somebody, who uses one on his Nano XT, with great success, his setup has two foils on it, one at the front and one at the back.

[Horton]

I have made and sold as many aftermarket fins as anyone in the sport. I do not know if Schnitz has sold more or less than me– not the point. Aftermarket fins were pretty hot 10 years ago. I sold roughly 1,000 CarbonFins before I quit.

 

There is no question that on some skis (10 years ago) my fins were better than the stock fin. Team skiers/ R&D Guys for at least two factories used and recommended my fins. My fins for HO and D3 were especially hot. Skiers on Goode were way more hit and miss. Jimmie Siemers won the World Overall Title with a CarbonFin on his Connelly. Knowing how Jimmy slaloms I do not know if the fin was a factor. Different skis want need different fins.

 

Then one day… the bottom dropped out. Orders were hot one fall and slow the next spring. What do I think happened? Skis got better or at least different. My fins were a Band-Aid. I stopped using my own fins because of ski testing but I do not recall the last time I rode a ski and thought I needed what my fins offered.

 

Schnitz!’s products are not exactly the same as mine were. We were addressing different attributes.

 

For me the bottom line is custom fins or the tweaking the @Gator1 is doing is a hobby. No question it is fun. Somebody is going to gain a ball two doing this but for most skiers this is a trip down the rabbit hole. The better factories do a good job on their fins and pay attention to the details. They have pro skiers trying wacky stuff all the time. There is not much that has not already been tried.

 

There is no magic bullet. Work on fundamentals. ( I am aware that I am the enemy of fun) If the leading edge of your fin is round and the settings are right work on technique.

 

FYI there are not ANY CarbonFins left. I shipped the last box of unfinished blanks to a famous skier this year so I am not even tempted.

 

[ThePantsManCan]

As @Chef23 says, I did receive one from him. I feel it makes the ski act "longer". The Tail gets REAL stable. But, I can still turn sharply. @Gator1 made those speed steps on his fin... I'm half tempted to hack at my stock fins to try it out... I'm already not using them.

[ThePantsManCan]

SOMEBODY LAY UP A HORTON FIN IN THE SHAPE OF A SCHNITZ SPEED SLOT!!!!!

[Horton]

Been there done that.

[ThePantsManCan]

Yes but, @Horton, did it have "Gator Tail"?

[A_B]

The slotfin is meant to run deep with less overall surface area so it turned well. I am thinking a carbon slotfin might not accomplish the angle or speed as the aluminum version.

 

I have a carbon fin somewhere if anyone is interested. Still has signature on it I think.

[Horton]

Carbon Slot had WAY too much flex at back

[LeonL]

I'm currently using a speed slot fin. I put it on my ski four years ago and liked it. It's still there. I skied a Quest last season, and while trying to get it to work for me, installed the speed slot. It improved speed and helped maintain it around the buoy.

[DanE]

@ToddL I found the slot fin to be an improvement over standard 5 hole back when the first D3 skis hit the market.

I used one on a Goode 9100 and a D3 Custom4.

Fast forward to the Sixam/Monza era onwards I could not feel anything positive using the slot fin, tried it at different skis.

Probably what @Horton says, the skis became much better from the factories (even have a Carbon Slot that @Horton made, skied one set, ended up somewhere in the bottom of a drawer)

[Stathis Ventouris]

I have used the slot fin for years on different skis (Fisher, Goode 9900, Nano Twist Mid and Nano One), I was always skiing better on the slot fin than on the standard fins.

For the last two weeks I am on 65,5 XTM with a standard fin at factory settings, the ski feels awesome and decided not to play around (There are no settings for wider skis like the Mid and the XTM on Schnitz's site, I was running the fin on the Mid longer and a bit more shallow).

[Chef23]

I found the Slot Fin to be a big improvement on the Monza. I never tried it on the A1, or Goode Mid I skied on afterwards.

[Booze]

Bump - Any up to date comments?

 

[UWSkier]

Still have an '05 Monza with a slot fin in the garage. Haven't ridden it in ages.