We don鈥檛 all surf like John John Florence. Most of us need board shapes that are forgiving鈥攎ore volume here, less rocker there. But you still want one that won鈥檛 bog through turns or pearl on takeoff. To that end, these three models nail the delicate blend of performance and usability.
Channel Islands Mini 5’5″聽($805)
Hands down, the 聽was our favorite of the test. It has the speed and drive of a full-bodied fish combined with the rocker and outline of a performance shortboard. That means it works in nearly any wave under five feet. We liked it best set up as a quad, which allowed for exceptional down-the-line speed and snappiness through turns. 鈥淲hen I surf it,鈥 said one tester, 鈥渟ometimes I feel like I鈥檓 cheating.鈥
Firewire聽Greedy Beaver 5’6″聽($765)
At first glance, the looks like a longboard for a toddler. But don鈥檛 let the oblong log outline fool you. The聽rounded pintail keeps you loose and agile in the pocket, while beveled rails trim volume from the edges. As the name suggests, this board has no problem catching lots of waves that others can鈥檛, thanks to scant rocker. As with other Firewire models we鈥檝e tried, the paulownia-wood deck skin and EPS foam core proved durable聽over dozens of sessions in the water.
Boardworks聽Mini Mod 5’10”聽($439)
Finally, the 聽is the most beginner-friendly of the bunch. Beefy rails and lots of volume make for easy paddling and maximum wave-catching capability. It worked especially well on mellow summer days when the waves were waist-high and under.