Performer: 2+1 Combo
The Performer 2+1 Combo — John Perry’s Performer centre fin and a pair of True Ames side bites, Futures compatible, sold as a matched set.
The Fin
The Performer 2+1 Combo — John Perry’s Performer centre fin and a pair of True Ames side bites, Futures compatible, sold as a matched set.
The Performer was drawn for exactly this. John Perry and Dave Lamberston are credited with dreaming up the 2+1 configuration (they called it the “Threedom”), and the Performer is the centre fin that came out of that work: full base, minimal flex, balanced area — a powerful fin with an extremely smooth ride.
Why buy it as a set
Pick the centre size for the board — 6.25" for shorter boards and mid-lengths, 7.25" for most longboard 2+1s, 8" for bigger boards or more hold — and the side bites to taste: 3.25" adds bite without taking a log’s looseness away, 3.7" is the size most people end up on. The pieces were drawn to work together, so the sides support the centre fin’s arc instead of fighting it.
Who it suits
High-performance longboards and mid-lengths with a centre box and two side plugs. Want a more pivoty centre for a noserider? Run the Cutaway with the same side bites. Want more drive off the bottom? The Wayne Rich Power Tilt combo.
Specifications
Fine-tuned by John Perry, one of Santa Barbara's most notable long time shapers, into a powerful full-base fin with an extremely smooth ride, the foundation being competition and high-performance 2+1 surfing.
Buy this combo if you want a complete, balanced 2+1 for a mid-length or performance longboard without guessing at side bite sizing; the 7.25-inch center suits most 7'0" to 8'0" boards. It leans upright and full-based for drive and smooth power, so if you want a looser, more arcing rail feel, the Greenough 4A combo is the alternative.
A complete 2+1 fin set from True Ames pairing the Performer center fin, fine-tuned by Santa Barbara shaper John Perry, with two matched side bites. The center comes in 6.25 inch, 7.25 inch and 8 inch sizes with side bites in 3.25 inches or 3.7 inches, and the Futures version uses a single-tab base. The 7.25 inch center suits mid-lengths and performance longboards roughly 7'0" to 8'0".
Mentioned in the review — Greenough 4A 2+1 Combo — not something we carry.