Channel Islands Mid Twin “Sneak Peak” Surfboard Review

[@rzadigi]

Great review! I’m thinking to get one of these for the softer waves here in Japan. Your surfing is much improved since the last video I saw! 👍❤️

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@Alex-it5ej]

And then he said it.. one board quiver! Thanks for another great review. When will you get your hands on a chilli mid strength? I know you wanna.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thanks for watching! Good question! I will have to order it custom. Didn't see any shop selling it out here :)

[@allenwilliams8962]

@@SkipperSurfReview I hear the Chilli Mid Strength is money...would love to see you review that one as well. Thanks and Cheers!

[@Giamma192]

Hi Yurij, i'm about to pull the trigger for the CI MID Twin to complete my quiver but i'm just undecided about the sizing. I saw you went for 6.7 and i'm the same lbs as you. I was more onto the 6.5, I prefer to sacrifice 1lt for 0.2 feet less, what do you think? I usually ride shortboard 5.9-5.10 with liter range 31-34

[@frediphillips]

Great video. Looked good on this one, catching every bump…

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you, Fred. You should take it for a spin when you are back from the motherland!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

sweet. love the board choices. wish I had the courage to do that. Might have to learn from this. :)

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you brother! Did you end up getting Album? Which model?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@SkipperSurfReview no, can't get myself to do it quite yet. my last two boards I got on sale, under $600. hard to pony up $1300. I'm trying to sell my Twice Backed and might sell my El Tomo to get tan Album to test. wish me luck.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

@@ThomyeSurfs Hope it works out! Those boards shouldn't be hard to sell around 450-500 range. I've been seeing some used Album's on Craiglist in LA area going under 800 in excellent condition.

[@MH_347]

Your lucky to not have the board banged up after dealing with the crowd. Some close calls

[@tristanholsgrove7619]

He skip great review, I know you get these all the time… but here goes CI mid twin, JS baron or seaside beyond. Looking for a small wave board that rides like a short board off the tail. I appreciate your input!

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hey Tristan! I would say most of them won’t fit properly in the pocket. The most skatey feel you would get on JS Big Baron. It will release the tail easier. If you need something for tiny/small waves, check out Shea Somma Mini Super. I already posted a few reviews/episodes about it. Cheers!

[@tnclm]

Really nice review as usual ! Are you planning to test the Tri Plane Hull? It looks like a board that could also work well for your conditions 😊

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you Clement! Yes, one of my followers recently got TPH in the pretty much the same dimensions. We agreed to switch out boards for some time😁 I’ll post the review once I get the first session in! Can’t wait. He says the board is sick!

[@tnclm]

@@SkipperSurfReview keep up the good job, I can’t wait for this upcoming review!

[@StephenBeale]

nice review once more. Just a thought - have you tried the original CI Mid with twin fin set ups? Does it just not have enough width in the tail to make it work or similar? Cheers

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thanks for watching! At that time I wasn’t into twin fins so I didn’t bother riding CI Mid as a twin. What Devon Howard said it’s gonna ride funky, I can only guess it will be less predictable. The fin box position looks way off for it.

[@lucashildreth5692]

Well worth the wait!

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Yep🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@jaybazuik9569]

nice review. Board looks nice. would you go CI mid twin or the JS big barron for small 1-3 foot waves?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you, Jay! If I had to choose between 2 boards, I would likely go with JS Big Baron. I just like rail to rail work, quick transitions and more like a shortboard feel on a mid length. If you like more chill and cruisy feel down the line, then you will like ci mid twin. Cheers!

[@jaybazuik9569]

@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks Skipper. So many boards to try. If only you could demo them all before spending $$$

[@stevenvreugdenhil3768]

Hey man, love the video! Really helps! I’m looking to buy one. 6’2/ 200lbs. What size do you recommend? I’m looking for the 7’0 or the 7’3. What would you suggest? So much volume and more then the normal CI Mid.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hey Steven! Thanks for watching. It depends on your skills and what you like the most.. if you want to cruise on smaller days easier then go with 7’3”, to have more shortboard feel go with 7’0”. I personally wouldn’t go any bigger if I had to order one again. Hope this helps! Also, check out CI Triplane Hull Single if you want to have something more cruisy for smaller waves.

[@stevenvreugdenhil3768]

@@SkipperSurfReview thank you!

[@KC-in5xh]

Great review !! Looking for the ci mid but I don't know which one to choose between the ci mid and the ci mid twin. Looking for an all around board with maneuverability. So I thought you could help me :) Im a 189cm for 87kg guy. So what do you think ?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you! Hands down CI Mid Twin! I would probably look into 6’10 CI Mid Twin! Love this board!

[@rolandodelacruz4144]

I cant wait for you to tri chilli mis strength, i am debating between this and ci mis twin

[@maurilios1934]

Well done review. Where are u surfing at 4:43. NY?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you! That’s a spot in Northern New Jersey🤙🏽

[@J_Smith7]

@3:12 nice maneuvering! I have a 6'5 regular twin pin...6'5" x 20 3/4" x 2 7/8" 41.7L..similar dimensions of the mid twin at 6'7" however the twin pin has a vbottom in the tail. Does the mid twin have this? Also, I am curious about the rocker differences. Great review, however the twin pin in a mid length size (though at 6'5" does it qualify as a mid length or is it a "big guy" shortboard :) is the better one board quiver as it can handle punchier hollow waves? It does so this may give it the edge as it also surfs in slop quite well.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Not really. It's got a mellow concave but nothing crazy. I would say the Twin Pin qualifies more like a big guy shortboard haha. IMO the mid lengths start from 6'8" going up to 8'. By the way, I recently reviewed Twin Pin by Faktion Surfboards in size 6'3.5 x 20 1/2 x 2 5/8. It may look like yours.. most twin pins look similar pretty much. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5uXiZhnadGLqLs Just to compare to the CI MId Twin, it feels more like a shortboard for moving around, pivot quickly with the the ability to handle good size waves. I love it!

[@J_Smith7]

@@SkipperSurfReview i watched it before I got my twin pin! 👍 So far I love the board with my only complaint being how light the glass job is on the bottom or the density of the foam- I recall reading channel islands uses less dense foam than others. Great board, but put my knee through the bottom after going over the falls on the FIRST wave attempt. I did read they do glass the top deck a bit heavier on boards 6'5" and over....this is nice for longevity especially if used for someone as a big guy short board eh- i can't imagine going lighter as I've already put lots of pressure dings in it and weigh only about 155lbs. Anyways, its fantastic shape and with the volume catches waves like a mid length.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Yep, I had the same experience with CI Twin Pin. Matt Parker the shaper of Album Surfboards says that if the board gets pressure dings from your feet, it’s actually good. It’s being adjusted for you and flexes nicely to provide better performance etc. We talked about this in this episode of Album Disorder review kzbin.info/www/bejne/enbRgWd8hNdraqc

[@StephenBeale]

you said the Big Baron doesn't have as good a glass job - how is your big baron holding up? Looks like a great board otherwise. Cheers

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hey Stephen! Unfortunately I sold it. But I’m missing it😁 I tried to buy it back but the owner is liking it a lot, so there is no way to get lol. Im not ready to buy it new though. The glass job wasn’t great but also it wouldn’t get destroyed quickly. You will have pressure bumps. However if you hit something solid, it will crack quickly. JS Big Baron and Album Moonstone are the most fun twin fin mid lengths for all conditions🤙🏼 I haven’t tried the Chilli Middy which people say is a good one too!

[@rolandodelacruz4144]

So you prefer these over co mid twin pin!?

[@afloatfish]

Love your videos!

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you for watching!

[@jsmith2489]

Hey man, how would you compare this to the album plasmic? I’ve got the short board covered (action pmd) and a longer mid length (rc mini me), but looking for something in between around 7-7”2. Was looking at the plasmic, ci mid twin, RC tmm, or blackbird hawkeye. Advanced beginner, typical NC east coast surf. Any suggestions?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hey J! I had 7'2" Plasmid which was around 50L with boxy rails. I can only guess that 7'2" CI Mid Twin will be closer to a proper longboard feel and will be harder to turn. The Plasmid belongs to a shortboard category of mid lengths that allow you to force it and you can try to surf it with a shortboard feel and still have the mid length size for early projection and stuff. I recently checked with a guy who purchased my 7'2" Plasmid, advanced beginner in mid 40s, occasionally surfing out in Montauk. He loves it so much. Check out my review on Plasmid here kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4POqItna5eaqsU CI Mid Twin is falling into the category for someone who really appreciates a true mid length glide from the construction and design, using the power of the wave with twin fin option to just get up and go with speed. Sometimes when you ride down the face you may feel you cruise on a single fin board instead of manually generating speed and forcing turns on a high performance mid length.. It's a different approach and very personal though. That's how I can see it haha. By the way, check out this podcast with Devon Howard. It may change your perspective on mid lengths :) surfmastery.com/podcast/70devonhoward

[@albertobaggio1]

Hi I'm about to order a new ci mid 6'10.. But I don't know what to choose between 2+1 and twin.. Any advice would be great. I'm intermediate 178cm x 72kg

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hi Alberto! It depends on many things.. what waves will you be surfing the most and what you really like? Surf it as a shortboard or want more cruisy feel? Yesterday I've got my hands on 6'7" CI Tri Plane Hull (TPH) Single Fin. It's a fun board. This is just a brief conclusion: CI Mid needs more wave to work properly like 3ft + .. it works in smaller stuff but only if you go with the 7'0" .. it's still won't be dynamic and won't allow you to force it as a shortboard. CI Mid Twin -> It works better than CI Mid in smaller waves but if you just want to cruise down the line. To make a proper turn you need to find an open section with good face. You can't quickly adjust the line since it's not a light board. Overall it's faster than CI Mid and more responsive. However it won't allow you to force it as a shortboard. CI TPH -> This is the board that would feel as closer to a single fin shortboard. It's very responsive and light. The rails are pretty refined. It allows you to swing the board quicker. I haven't had much time on it and the waves were too fat and weird when I tested it. But I realized that it prefers to have cleaner waves and 2ft + size. You are catching waves almost at the same spot as a shortboarders. I will try to surf it on bigger days to provide another review but the first session will be available later this week. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions.

[@afloatfish]

Hey skipper!! How would you compare this to a stingfish duo to the same size?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

From what I heard, the big stingfish needs more wave to work.. it also gets bulkier. I only had one in size 5'10" and it was pretty wide and super fun. I was able to get around small waves really easy. I saw the 6'0" version and it looked narrower and I don't think I would be able to use it in wide range of conditions. Hope this helps!

[@peacepuffz]

Could you have just used twins in the side bite fin sockets of the standard CI Mid?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

You could but it would work a bit funky. The finbox placement wasn't meant to be ridden as a twinny. It would get more critical/sensitive when the waves have more size and you get more speed.

[@peacepuffz]

@@SkipperSurfReview Thanks bro, I have my mid length (seaside & beyond 7'0) set up with Keels which I seem to prefer to that RM quads. Always been a fan of that feel but single fins are cool 2.

[@ryanking2094]

Absolutely, I ride mine with a set of modern keel twin fins and it goes awesome

[@rocapeinado]

Hi skipper! I have a Seaside And Beyond 6’8 And I love it, but how do you manage to pass the white water when it gets solid 4ft And up? I can barely duck dive it. (I’m 1’80m And 82kg)

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hi David! It depends on the situation but just in general, I try to time the lull between sets then paddle out.. it pays off.. you save a lot of energy this way . Just have more patience and observe the situation. It’s definitely harder during short period swells between 6-7s. Sometimes I can duck dive through the white water if I have a lot of energy and I know my session won’t be long. You really need to time it right. If you never learned it the right way, I suggest to get a small wave board in low volume and just to practice the motion and timing to get a sense of it. The second option is to learn a proper turtle roll. That works amazing once you dial the technique. You can even pass the white water with the big longboard. Also check out my episode on how to not duck dive kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIeZqqGFosyfmNU Hope this helps.

[@rocapeinado]

@@SkipperSurfReview thanks! Just watched the episodie, it si insighfull. I also have a Firewire Omni 32,4L ni 5’8 that I use un bigger days or when I feel quite fit ( I’m a recent dad so…)

[@SkipperSurfReview]

@@rocapeinado Congrats dude!

[@jasonmathwin8907]

Hi mate, What is the water temp? I see your wearing boardies. Just curious. Water temp in melb Australia is 13 Celsius at the moment. Thanks Skipper. Love your vids.

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hi Jason! It was around 23 degrees by Celsius. Now it dropped down to 17... in two months it will be 10 and then 3 degrees closer to end of February! Brrrr.... It gets brutal in the North East.

[@netaro1890]

How does this compare to the Seaside and Beyond

[@SkipperSurfReview]

It feels less shortboardy than SSB. However it has more glide and actual midlength feel. It's more durable than SSB. I would pick CI Mid Twin over SBB.

[@netaro1890]

@@SkipperSurfReview great! Thanks for the reply

[@hman7236]

How was it with the keels

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Stiff when you do the turns. BMT Twin works perfect or similar template.

[@craigsteven5343]

So which do u like better the moonstone or Ci mid twin?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Since I like to shortboard more often, I would pick the Moonstone but it’s really hard to make that decision. Both models come from different designs… the Moonstone is from fish and the CI Mid Twin is between traditional egg and single fin designs. Basically, when I feel like I want to shortboard on a mid length and work a bit harder then I choose the Moonstone but when I just want to glide down the line with a lot of speed, chill, cruisy, finding momentum for a turn, sometimes even feel like I’m on a single fin.. then CI Mid Twin.

[@craigsteven5343]

Does the moonstone have more range?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

@@craigsteven5343 pretty much the same.. but my 6’8” is narrower than ci mid twin though. I have no issues generating speed in smaller waves to get around the sections but for beginners it may get very challenging.

[@michaelallsop9986]

Great review skip! FireWire Sunday or CI MID? Torn between the two…. Look very similar?

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Hey Michael! If you want to surf it more like a shortboard then Firewire Sunday if you prefer to have more cruisy vibe plus if you like the single fin then go with the CI Mid. What's your weight/height/level of surfing?

[@michaelallsop9986]

Thanks for the response! It definitely looked that way, I’d lean towards the Sunday I think…. 6’2 90-95kgs intermediate to advance. Will be coming off an injury so wanting to ease back into it. Currently ride 5’6 EVO and baked potato 5’5 both Firewire. Love the durability

[@SkipperSurfReview]

@@michaelallsop9986 I personally like Sunday in shorter size. I surfed 7’0” and 5’9”. The shorter one chatters less when you ride it in bumpy conditions. It’s more maneuverable and easier to turn.. there is a lot of foam in 7’0”.. I wasn’t liking it. check out JS Big Baron (less durable though) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYXOkp5sdqZ_jNk and Album Moonstone & Plasmid😜

[@hunterdavis3003]

It’s beautiful

[@SkipperSurfReview]

Thank you, Hunter!

[@ocwaveoc69]

I can no longer trust your reviews since you now get boards made by the surfboard company. CI made this board for you. How can I trust that you are objective?