Red Tiger by PYZEL

The idea for this board came about when John started testing a few different, alternative types of boards during a break from competition. By far, his favorite board over the past year has been our new flat-rocker "Funformance" model, the White Tiger (5'6"); he asked me to adapt that design into something he could take back on tour for days when the surf was weaker or lacked power. The outline is slightly wider than a standard HPSB, but the widest point sits about an inch behind center, keeping the focus on surfing from the middle to the back of the board. The wider squash tail maintains surface area in the tail—providing float and drive—while also generating pop for aerials. A moderate hip near the front fins creates a break in the outline that acts as a pivot point, allowing for tighter-radius turns and release off the lip. The rocker and bottom contours really set this board apart from others in the category. It is our flattest HPSB to date; that rocker translates to effortless, consistent speed from the moment you stand up—carrying you through flat sections and even in tiny, weak surf. However, a flat rocker can feel "sticky" and tends to encourage flat surfing, so we utilized a single-to-double concave (JJF’s favorite bottom contour) through the front two-thirds of the board, blending it into a pronounced double-concave/deep-vee combo around the fins and out the tail. This bottom design makes the flatter board easy to roll from rail to rail, while the tail vee facilitates vertical surfing and tight-arc turns, even in small, pockety waves. The thickness flow (foil) is balanced from nose to tail, with the front of the board slightly thinner than the rear. The deck is relatively flat, keeping more volume out toward the rails. The rails themselves are full right out to the outline but are refined to maintain sensitivity and hold. Ride your Red Tiger about an inch shorter than your standard HPSB. ...and a little wider. The volume should be similar, but bump it up by ½ to 1 liter to give it more drive in weaker waves. The board will turn your daily sessions into something special and outperform any other HPSB in average waves without sacrificing performance when the surf gets good.