Finally we have the new Black Project Condor fin available on HoeNalu. The last fin by the hawaiian brand for 2020, developed by the World Champion, Connor Baxter.
After almost 12 months working to develop this new and high performance model, the Condor arrives to the Black Project fins catalog, to increase the range that stand out for the lightweight as well as for improving the tracking and glide in different conditions.
The new Condor is the smallest fin of the whole range, it combines features of the Sonic and Tiger, maybe the most famous fins by Black Project, that have reached a lot of wins in the SUP competitions all over the world where the team members were competing. We can say the Condor is a hybrid between the Tiger and the Sonic.This new fin has its best point in the top speed. It is a fin that has been designed to help you to achieve your top speed paddling. It is a technical fin that we can recommend only for SUPers with a good experience paddling who are looking for the best material to have the top performance, specially in the races to make the difference and take the victory in competitions where a few seconds could decide if you are the champion or not.
Connor, the main man developing this new fin, had a clear think about what does he (and other pro SUPers) need to win races. He wish to get the fastest fin on the planet. Obviously this increase in speed has an effect on the stability, that is lower than using other models, that is the reason why the Condor is recommended only for riders with experience and good level of Stand Up Paddle.As well as Connor, other members of the Black Project team like Seychelle Webster, Martin Vitry or Fiona Wylde have tried several prototypes, providing their experience and feedback, to make the optimized version of this new fin, that is accessible for different riders profiles.
The main differences with the other fins of the Black Project range are that the new Condor has 15% less area than the Sonic, and it has a shorter base with a length of 13 cm, while the Tiger has 14 cm and the Sonic 16 cm. The depth of the Condor is the same as the Sonic, 18 cm, so it is shorter than the Tiger.
These features make this fin a great option for paddlers who have a very good paddling technique and high skills to manage the board with the paddle and the legs, so they can paddle with a high cadence rather than relying on increased fin size to achieve tracking. That is the reason why the Condor helps you to go faster.So, if you are a SUPer that can control the tracking of the board with your paddle and drive the board with the feet, the new fin is perfect for you because you can increase your speed without lose the correct line doing more strokes.
It is a short base fin too, so you can move it along the fin box. Remember to place it at the front of the box to get better response in buoy turns and at the rear position if you want to improve the tracking in a straight race.
Maybe you are asking, why now this fin? This new fin by Black Project has been made according to the market where we can find the new 14’ boards with designs that improve a lot the stability and the volume, so profesional SUPers and people racing in SUP competitions, don’t need a big fin, they want the perfect fin that makes its job and help the rider to win without being a burden.
Remember that the fin is an essential part of our sport. It helps us with the tracking, stability and turns, and many people don’t think about it, but if you are competing you know how important is the fin. The new boards on the market are slimmer than ever, and we can find really stable boards with a wide between 20” and 24”. There are many people that feel very comfortable on boards like these, and they don’t need a big fin, quite the contrary, they need a small fin that helps them to take the win. This was confirmed by the Black Project professional team when they did the test days at Hood River to try the prototypes, and they were amazed with the performance of this new model when they used it on the 2020 boards. They clearly perceived the potential increase in speed as well as the maneuverability of the Condor.
Of course, just because the Condor is cutting-edge does not mean that you can expect to install this fin and win right away. Getting used to a smaller fin will take practice, so we suggest adding the Condor to your quiver and use it in training. Then once your GPS device confirms that you are faster in a range of different conditions, you can confidently make the switch and reap the benefits of the Condor’s unrivaled speed advantage.The fin is made with the LiteCore technology, as the rest of Black Project fins. This technology makes ultra carbon lightweight fins, hand laminated with high durability. The carbon infused technique enable to control weight, strength and flex more precisely than before, making better and top level fins.
The opinion of the pro rider: Connor Baxter
This is what Connor Baxter says about the new Condor fin: “The Condor is everything I wanted in a fin: speed, tracking and control. Not to mention, you still have the ability to beach start in shallow water and buoy turn on a dime. The Black Project team and I put in a lot of time and effort to develop the best all-around fin and I believe we succeeded in that mission".
"The Condor slips through the water in a forward motion while keeping you stable and tracking in a straight line. The best part about the fin is the control it gives you, especially now that most boards are 14 feet long and high in volume. Whether you find yourself on a downwinder, in the surf zone or on flatwater, the Condor’s small outline and excellent maneuverability gives you 100% control, from buoy turns to rail steering.”While the first small batches of Condor SUP race fins were reserved for the team members, we have a small number available to order now online. So we suggest placing your order soon and get a head start on your off-season training to be ready for the competition.
Anyway, if you want another model, have a look to the website and order your new Black Project fin, as well as the new Hydro paddles. In case you have any question, please feel free to contact us and we will be glad to answer your doubts or give advice what is the best model taking account your personal features, level and needs.
You can contact us by email, chat, whatsapp (+34 644 716 305) or calling by phone (+34 951 204 184), we speak English, French and Spanish (of course) to solve your questions. For the moment you can see in the following table the main features of each Black Project fin to decide what is the better one to you, and this short video that we posted on Instagram.
