New Machado Too Fish keels: do they really work in any twin?
Updated 2026-09-19
The claim was that the new Machado Too Fish keel would work in any twin fin, not just the board it was designed for. It does, but "works" and "is the best choice for that board" turned out to be two different things once I tested version one against version two across three very different boards.
What actually changed between version one and version two
Version one is the original Futures-packaged Machado keel that has been around for years and that I had already used on plenty of boards. Version two is sold directly through the new brand rather than through Futures, and it is about two and a half percent smaller, sits further back with a longer trailing edge, and carries a curved foil rather than version one's flat one. It is also lighter, by about three grams on the scale. The cant, the angle built into the fin base, looks about the same on both.
Board one: a modern fish with thin, knifey rails
The first test board was a 6'1 modern fish with thin rails and small tail channels, fins set about an inch further forward than a typical fish. Both versions of the Machado keel felt like too much fin in this board: plenty of grip on takeoff, but so much that it was hard to find a balance point, and slower and clumsier than the more upright fins I had ridden in it before. Neither version worked here, which matched what the shaper had already told me: this board wants upright fins, not keels.
Board two: a heavier, traditional six-foot fish
The second board, a thicker, more heavily built six-foot fish with no channels, is far less fussy about fins and has taken everything from upright templates to raked traditional keels without complaint. Version one was fine here, unremarkable but reliable, which is why I had kept the set for years. Version two felt slightly livelier, thanks to the foil and the further-back placement, with no hint of sliding out even in chest-high conditions. This board simply likes a set-back keel, and version two suited it a little better than version one.
Board three: an 8'2 channel-bottom diamond tail
The biggest test was an 8'2 twin fin with channels and a diamond tail, a board with a much longer rail line and fins set about a foot forward of the tail. I took version two out in chest-to-head-high surf at the points and it came alive immediately: not so keel-like and stiff that a board this long felt dead, and not so upright and performance-oriented that it slid. This is also the fastest board I own, and on this session I clocked almost 42 km/h (26.1 mph) on my watch.
The verdict on version one versus version two
Version two is the better fin overall, a little lighter, a touch smaller, with more life in a traditional fish and enough range to work on a longer board too. Version one is not bad, just ordinary: a get-by fin that never did anything remarkable in any board I tried it in. If you already own version one, I would not bother upgrading. If you are choosing fresh, or want a genuine alternative in the same half-keel category, five other fins are worth putting beside these: a Futures Christenson keel (more raked, better on a traditional fish than either Machado version), a Maui Fin Co JS carbon keel (lighter, stiffer, with more tip, better on the six-foot fish than both Machados), a Futures BMT twin (slightly more upright, more maneuverable, better on the knifey-railed fish than the Machado), a Captain Fins Mikey February (very similar outline to the Machado and my favorite fin on the 8'2), and a Chris Christenson Captain Fin Honeycomb (set further forward, more maneuverable, sitting between the BMT and the Mikey February in feel).
Questions people ask
Does the new Machado Too Fish keel really work in any twin fin?
It goes into any twin fin box, but "works" is board specific. It suited a heavier six-foot fish and an 8'2 channel-bottom diamond tail well, and was the wrong choice for a thin-railed performance fish.
Is version two worth buying if I already have version one?
Probably not. Version two is a little better, lighter and livelier, but the difference is small enough that I would look at a different fin family instead of upgrading within the same one.
What is a good alternative to the Machado keel on a traditional fish?
A Futures Christenson keel or a Maui Fin Co JS carbon keel both outperformed the Machado on a heavier, traditional-style fish in my testing.
Why did the same fin work on one board and not another?
Rail thickness, tail width and how far forward the fin boxes sit all change how much hold a keel-style fin gives; a thin-railed, forward-finned fish needed less fin than a heavier, traditional shape.
Fin choice keeps coming up as the bigger variable than the board itself; see do fins make a difference and keels or upright twin fins for the wider picture, and twin fin fins for how keels, uprights and hybrids sort by wave type. For the diamond-tail channel board in this review, see do surfboard channels even work. All three boards used in this test have since sold and are logged on boards I have sold.