Pyzel Red Tiger XL

Pyzel Red Tiger XL

Smooth as silk, even in junk waves, and possibly our fastest surfboard to date, the Red Tiger is John John Florences new high performance short surfboard unlike anything we've released in the past. It is the ultimate machine for medium sized, slower, weaker waves, based on Johns simple guideline: make it fast and fun.

The idea for this surfboard came about when John started riding different "fun" surfboards during some competition breaks. His favorite in the last year has been our new surfboard flat rocker and Funformance, the White Tiger (5'6"), and he asked me to turn that design into something he could take on tour for surfing when the waves weren't so good or were looser.

The outline is a bit thick for an HPSB, but the wide tip sits an inch behind center, keeping the emphasis on surfing from the middle of the surfboard back. The wider tail-block squash helps maintain the area in the tail that provides lift and thrust, and also helps create "pop" when going airborne. A moderate hip next to the front fins puts a break in the outline to help create a pivot point that allows for tighter radius turns and release on the lip.

The rocker and lower contour is really what sets this surfboard apart from other surfboards s in this category. It's our flattest HPSB yet and that rocker translates into easy and consistent speed from the moment you stand up, through flat sections and even in super weak and small waves. But, flat rocker can feel sticky and tends to make you surf flat, so we run single to double concave (JJF's favorite bottom contour) through the front 2/3 of the surfboard and then mix it up with a significant double concave/deep vvee combo through the fins and out of the tail. This bottom keeps the surfboard flat easy to roll from rail to rail and the tail vee works to allow for easy vertical surfing and short arc carves, even in tight, pockety waves.

The flow of thickness (foil) from nose to tail is balanced and clean, with the front of the surfboard just thinner than the back half. The deck is more or less flat, maintaining more foam (volume) towards the rails. The actual rails are full right at the contour (under the ball of your hand if you're holding the surfboard under your arm), but taper to maintain feel and bite.

Mount your Red Tiger an inch shorter than the "normal" HPSB and a little wider. The volume should be close, but go up ½ to 1 liter for added dynamism on weaker waves. The surfboard will easily turn your daily sessions into something special and we think it will outperform any other HPSB in low quality waves and will keep going when the swell picks up!

WHICH FINS DO WE RECOMMEND FOR THE PYZEL SURFBOARDS RED TIGER XL?

Pyzel recommend combining this surfboard along with the fins JJF Techflex Futuresor FCS II Performer with the Red Tiger XL.