Product Description

Fin Setup - Twin + 1
Fin System - FCS II
Size - Medium / Large
Construction - Performance Glass
Colour - Black / Gold
Feel - Fast, Drivey & Controlled
Best For - Performance Twin Fins & Twin + 1 Boards

Top 3 Reasons We Love These
1. A really interesting setup if you love the speed of a twin fin but sometimes want a little more control — the small centre fin adds stability without turning the board into a thruster
2. The big side fins provide loads of drive and speed, while the smaller trailer helps settle the tail and gives you more confidence pushing through turns
3. Designed with Matt Parker of Album Surfboards around modern performance twins, so this is much more about surfing a twin hard than recreating the feel of an old-school fish

Product Description
The FCS II Album Twin + 1 is a performance-focused fin setup designed to combine the speed and freedom of a twin fin with the additional control of a small centre trailer.

It's a great setup for modern twin-fin boards that are designed to be surfed aggressively. The two large side fins do most of the work, generating plenty of speed, drive and hold, while the significantly smaller centre fin helps stabilise the tail when you're pushing harder through turns.

That little centre fin makes more difference than its size might suggest. Compared with running the board as a pure twin, the Twin + 1 setup can feel more predictable through harder bottom turns, steeper sections and when you're putting more pressure through the back foot.

Importantly, this isn't simply a three-fin thruster with unusually large side fins. The side fins are considerably bigger than conventional thruster fins and the centre trailer is deliberately small. The board should retain much of that fast, free twin-fin character while gaining some additional control.

If you've got a modern performance twin with an optional centre box, the Album Twin + 1 is exactly the sort of setup we'd be looking at.

Fin Specifications - M/L
Side Base - 5.17" / 131.4mm
Side Depth - 5.44" / 138.1mm
Side Area - 20.62in² / 13,306mm²
Side Sweep - 32.8°
Side Foil - Flat

Centre Base - 3.29" / 83.5mm
Centre Depth - 3.51" / 89.1mm
Centre Area - 8.93in² / 5,759mm²
Centre Sweep - 29.3°
Centre Foil - 50/50

Features
• FCS II Album Twin + 1 surfboard fin set
• Two large side fins plus smaller centre trailer
• Medium / Large specialty fin sizing
• Developed with Album Surfboards
• Designed around modern performance twin fins
• Big side-fin area for speed and drive
• Small centre trailer adds control and stability
• Performance Glass construction
• Flat foil on side fins
• 50/50 foil on centre fin
• Designed to retain a lively twin-fin feel
• More controlled than running a pure twin setup
• Great for harder and more committed turns
• FCS II compatible
• Black / Gold colourway

What Is A Twin + 1 Setup?
A Twin + 1 uses two large twin fins with a much smaller centre fin positioned behind them.

The important thing is that the centre fin is a trailer rather than a conventional thruster centre fin. The two side fins remain the dominant part of the setup and generate most of the board's drive.

The little trailer then gives the tail another point of contact with the water, helping add stability and control without completely taking away the loose, fast sensation people buy twin fins for in the first place.

Think of it as sitting somewhere between a pure twin and a thruster.

Why Add The Small Centre Fin?
Pure twin fins can feel incredibly fast and free, but that freedom isn't always what you want.

Start surfing steeper waves or putting loads of pressure through the tail and some twins can begin to feel very loose. That's fun when you want it, but it can also make the board harder to control when you're trying to surf more aggressively.

The Album's smaller centre trailer helps settle that down. You gain additional hold and predictability through turns while keeping the majority of the speed and looseness generated by the big side fins.

Album Twin + 1 vs Album Keel
These are two quite different ways of setting up a modern twin.

The Album Keel is the option we'd look at if you want more of that classic keel influence — loads of down-the-line speed and drive, but with more manoeuvrability than a traditional full keel.

The Album Twin + 1 is more performance orientated. The large side fins give you the twin-fin speed, while the centre trailer gives you another level of control when you're pushing the board harder.

Album Keel: flowing, fast, drivey and keel influenced.
Album Twin + 1: fast and lively with additional control and stability.

Twin + 1 vs Thruster
Don't look at the three fins and assume this will feel like a conventional thruster.

A thruster uses three relatively similarly sized fins that work together to create a very controlled and predictable setup.

Here you've got two substantially larger side fins and a small centre trailer. The emphasis remains on the twin fins, so the board retains much more of that immediate acceleration and free feeling associated with a twin.

If you normally ride thrusters but want to experiment with a twin without going straight to an extremely loose pure twin setup, a Twin + 1 can also be a really nice introduction.

Performance Glass Construction
The Album Twin + 1 uses FCS Performance Glass construction, with the fins machine-cut from layers of solid fibreglass.

Performance Glass produces a relatively stiff, direct fin that maintains its flex characteristics when you're putting significant force through it.

That's particularly relevant with these large side fins. When you're driving hard through a bottom turn, you want the fin to provide something solid and predictable to push against rather than excessively flexing away.

It's one of FCS's more performance-focused constructions and is widely used by experienced and professional surfers.

What Does M/L Mean?
This fin is rated Medium / Large under FCS's newer Specialty Fin sizing.

FCS previously labelled its specialty fins as XL, which wasn't particularly useful when comparing very different twin, keel and specialty templates.

The newer S-M, M-L and L-XL categories make it easier to understand the relative size of each specialty template. This Album sits in the middle M-L category.

Remember that specialty fin sizing isn't directly comparable with looking at the size label on a conventional thruster. Board design, fin area and the type of setup you're trying to create are all important when choosing twin fins.

What Boards Will These Work With?
We'd primarily look at the Album Twin + 1 for modern performance twins and surfboards specifically designed around a Twin + 1 configuration.

Your board needs two FCS II side boxes plus a compatible centre box to run the complete three-fin setup.

If your board is designed purely as a twin and only has two fin boxes, you won't be able to use the centre trailer.

Expert Advice
If you've got a Twin + 1 board, we'd definitely experiment with riding it both ways.

Run just the two side fins and you'll generally get the loosest, freest version of the board. Then add the small centre trailer and you'll feel how it settles the tail and adds another degree of control.

That's one of the big advantages of this setup — you can tune the board depending on the waves and how you want to surf.

For smaller, softer waves you might love the freedom of the pure twin. When the waves get better or you're trying to push harder through turns, put the trailer back in.

The Album Twin + 1 is particularly interesting because it isn't trying to tame the twin completely. The big side fins are still very much the main event; the centre fin simply gives you that little bit of extra confidence when you need it.

Q & A

Q: What does Twin + 1 mean?
A: You get two large twin fins plus a much smaller centre trailer fin. The side fins provide most of the speed and drive, while the trailer adds extra control and stability.

Q: Can I use these as a normal twin fin without the centre fin?
A: If your board and fin setup are suitable, you can experiment with running just the two side fins. Adding or removing the trailer is a useful way of changing how loose or controlled the board feels.

Q: Does a Twin + 1 feel like a thruster?
A: No. The two side fins are much larger and the centre fin is considerably smaller than you'd find in a conventional thruster setup. It's designed to retain the speed and freedom of a twin while adding some extra control.

Q: What does the centre trailer actually do?
A: It helps stabilise the tail and adds hold through turns. This can make the board feel more predictable when surfing steeper waves or pushing harder through the back foot.

Q: Album Twin + 1 or Album Keel?
A: We'd choose the Album Keel for a more flowing, keel-influenced feel with loads of drive. Choose the Twin + 1 if you want a more performance-oriented setup with additional control from the centre trailer.

Q: What size are these fins?
A: This version is rated M-L, or Medium / Large, under FCS's newer Specialty Fin sizing system.

Q: What is Performance Glass?
A: Performance Glass is FCS's solid fibreglass construction. It produces a stiff, responsive fin that maintains its flex characteristics under substantial load and is popular with experienced and professional surfers.

Q: Will these fit any FCS II surfboard?
A: The fins use the FCS II system, but your board also needs the correct Twin + 1 fin-box configuration to use the complete set. Fin-box compatibility alone doesn't mean the template will suit every board.

Q: Why would I remove the centre fin?
A: Removing the trailer can make the board feel looser and freer. Adding it back gives you more stability and control, so it's worth trying both setups to see what works with your board and the conditions.