Takayama Halo Fins: Who They Are For, Sizes and Setup

What Are Takayama Halo Fins?

The Halo is a fin system, a center fin and two side bites designed to work as one unit. Donald designed the center fin as an extension of the side fins, not as a separate piece.

Most longboard fins have a rounded front edge and a fairly straight back edge. The Halo side bites flip that: a straight front edge and a curved back edge. At first glance they can look like they are in backward, and that is how they are meant to go.

The center fin is upright, close to straight up and down, with a cutaway shape. Upright fins pivot, meaning they let the board swing around in a tight arc.

Who Are Halo Fins For?

Halo fins are for surfers who want a bigger board to turn easier. They suit intermediate longboarders first, and they work on mid-lengths and stand up paddleboards too.

Intermediate longboarders. You can turn your board, but you want it looser. Halo fins let you turn from a little further forward, so you do not have to walk all the way back to the tail.

Surfers moving up from beginner. A big board can feel stiff to turn when you are still learning. The Halo setup makes it feel looser and easier to steer.

Experienced longboarders and mid-length surfers. You want less drag and quicker turns without giving up hold. The 2+1 setup keeps drive when you push hard.

How Do Halo Fins Change the Way a Board Surfs?

You feel less drag first. The upright, cutaway center fin moves through the water with less resistance than a raked fin, one that sweeps back.

You can turn from further forward. It feels a bit like the fins moved forward a few inches without moving the fin boxes. That helps most on long boards where the tail is a long walk away.

It turns quickly when you put it on edge. The board rolls from one edge to the other smoothly and comes around in a tight arc, and the shape of the fins adds lift, a little like a wing.

What Waves Do Halo Fins Suit?

They work in small, soft waves and in bigger surf. On small days the lower drag helps the board keep its speed, and in stronger surf the 2+1 setup keeps it under control.

On Oahu's South Shore, where a lot of waves come in sections, being able to turn quickly from the middle of the board helps you set up for the next part of the wave.

What Size Halo Fin Should I Get?

Center fin size depends on board length, your weight and how you like to turn. Use this as a starting point.

Halo center fins run from 5.5" to 10.5", and side bites run from 4 1/8" to 5". Trying a couple of sizes is the best way to find your feel.

For more on sizing, see our longboard fin size guide.

How Do I Set Up Halo Fins?

The center fin goes in a standard longboard fin box, and the side bites go in FCS or Futures side boxes. Pick the side bites that match your board's boxes. The template and feel are the same in both.

Ride it as a 2+1 for the full system, or as a single fin. The 2+1 gives you the drive and hold of the side bites. The center fin alone gives a purer single fin feel with more pivot than a standard single fin.

Move the center fin to tune it. Slide it forward for more pivot and a looser feel, or back for more drive through your turns. There is also a Halo thruster fin for shorter boards.

On FCS boxes, the thicker part of the fin goes toward the front. Futures boxes only fit one way.

Where Did the Halo Fin Come From?

Donald Takayama designed the Halo system in the mid 2000s for stand up paddleboards. Those boards were 10 to 12 feet long and hard to turn, and he wanted a fin setup that loosened them up.

It built on his pivot fin ideas. Surfers soon found the same setup worked on longboards, mid-lengths and even fish shapes.

Donald (1943 to 2012) grew up surfing in Waikiki and founded Hawaiian Pro Designs. Halo fins are still handmade in California, laid up in layers of cloth and foiled by hand. Read more in Who Was Donald Takayama?.

How Do Halo Fins Compare to Other Fins?

Compared with a raked longboard fin, a Halo feels looser and has less drag. A raked fin, like a Greenough 4A, gives long drawn out turns and lots of hold. A Halo gives quicker, tighter turns from further forward.

Our Greenough 4A vs Takayama Halo guide goes deeper on the difference. If you want a single fin that pivots and holds, look at the Takayama DT Flex Fin.

Frequently Asked Questions