The standard Greenough 4A 9" costs around $90. The Volan version runs about $122. Same template, same shape, same sizes available.
So what's the difference, and is it worth it?
The Short Answer
Yes, if you ride single fins more than a few times a month. The Volan flexes better, drives harder, and responds faster. You'll feel it.
No, if you're just starting out or only ride your log occasionally. The standard 4A works fine. Upgrade later when you know what you're feeling for.
What's Actually Different
Panel Thickness
This is the thing nobody talks about.
The standard True Ames 4A is made from 3/8" fiberglass panels. It works, but it's thinner than the original Greenough design intended.
The Volan 4A is laid up thicker—closer to the 1/2" panels that the template was designed around. That extra thickness changes how the fin flexes.
Thinner panel = flex concentrated at the tip, stiffer through the body.
Thicker panel = flex distributed through the whole fin, more drive off the bottom, smoother release through turns.
Paul Gross, the guy who actually developed the 4A template with Greenough's original curves, has said the stock 3/8" version is "too thin to be effective" compared to fins built from proper 1/2" panels. The Volan gets you closer to what the design was meant to do.
Construction
Standard 4A: Machine-made overseas, decent quality control, serviceable foil.
Volan 4A: Hand-laid at True Ames' factory in Santa Barbara. Better weave orientation, tighter quality control, more consistent flex pattern. The foil is finished by hand.
Volan cloth is heavier and stronger than standard E-glass. It's the old-school fiberglass that vintage boards were glassed with. Looks better too—that greenish tint and visible weave pattern.
How It Feels
The difference isn't dramatic on your first wave. It's cumulative.
The Volan 4A loads up more smoothly when you press into a bottom turn. It holds the energy longer. When you release into the top turn or cutback, there's more projection—the fin pushes back instead of just letting go.
On the standard 4A, the flex happens mostly at the tip. It's responsive but can feel a little dead through the body of the fin. The Volan version feels alive the whole way through.
If you've ever ridden a handmade flex fin from someone like Liddle or a local glasser, and then gone back to a stock fin and thought "something's missing"—the Volan closes that gap.
When to Upgrade
Upgrade now if:
- You ride single fins as your primary setup
- You're on a hull, egg, or mid-length where you're feeling for subtle feedback
- You've been riding the standard 4A and want more drive
- You care about equipment and will notice the difference
Stick with standard if:
- You're still figuring out what size fin you need
- Single fin is your occasional "fun" board, not your daily driver
- You're likely to ding it on the rocks at Kelly's or Sloat
- Budget is tight—the standard 4A is still a good fin
The Move
If you already know you like the 4A template, the Volan is a one-time upgrade that makes every session slightly better. Thirty bucks spread over years of use is nothing.
If you're still experimenting with sizes and templates, buy standard fins until you dial in what works, then upgrade your go-to size to Volan.
We stock the Volan 4A in various sizes. Come by and hold one—you can feel the difference in hand before you feel it in the water.
For more on which Greenough fin works for your board, see our Greenough Fin Guide.