Side Bite 4.0
A 4.0" side bite pair in solid fiberglass, Futures-compatible — the small outside fins that turn a single-fin board into a 2+1.
The Fin
A 4.0" side bite pair in solid fiberglass, Futures-compatible — the small outside fins that turn a single-fin board into a 2+1.
Side bites convert a single-fin board into a 2+1: the centre fin still does the steering, and the two small fins add hold through a turn and drive off the bottom. The trade is some of the loose, pivoty feel a single fin has on its own, which is why size is the real decision.
This size
At 4.0" these are the most fin of the three: the most hold, the most drive, and the most change to how the board turns. The size for bigger boards, or for holding a line in real surf.
Construction
Solid fiberglass is the stiffer, heavier of the two constructions — less flex, more direct drive.
Specifications
The 4.0 sits at the aggressive end of the side bite range: more surface than the 3.7 most longboarders default to, which means stronger rail-to-rail hold and more drive through a turn.
Reach for the 4.0 on a bigger log or performance longboard in steeper, more powerful surf when you want maximum rail grip and a thruster-leaning 2+1 — and remember to drop your center fin so total area stays balanced. If you only want a hint of extra grip without changing the single-fin character, this is too much fin; go smaller.
The Side Bite 4.0 is the 4.0" size at the large end of True Ames' standard side bite line, made in solid fiberglass with Futures bases and sold as a pair. It is intended for longboard and mid-length 2+1 setups, run with a dropped-down center fin to keep total fin area balanced.
Mentioned in the review — Side Bite 3.7 · Skip Frye Side Bites · Side Bite 3.25 — not something we carry.