Channel Islands Neckbeard 3 Surfboard Review

[@chucks222]

Super appreciate the honest "not for me" review. Liked seeing you surfing at Trestles, some nice turns there even if the board was a little slower. Would be interested on your thoughts on latest rocket wide in addition to inferno 72. Keep the reviews coming! I for one love the down to earth style in the kind of waves that I might actually be surfing.

[@shannonyoung3465]

I have the 5’8 NB2 at 29.7L. Luv it!!! My volume sweet number is 30L-32L on my groveler’s. When the waves have more power, I use board’s with less volume. The NB3 looked like it performed better in bigger more powerful waves. I wonder if the board was longer & had more float to it, you might have had a better luck with it? All around, not just in waist - head high conditions. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews on the NB3. Some love it & like you… some are left wanting more. For example, you mentioned the Inferno 72. Haven’t heard one bad review or anyone saying anything bad about it. Would like to hear your thoughts & reviews on that board. As sick as a new board looks & as much as we want it to surpass all of our expectations, it doesn’t always work out that way. Bad reviews aren’t all bad. If someone watching feels that they have a similar skill level, like yourself & surfs a break similar to yours & wants a board that will excel under their feet & in similar conditions, that someone watching won’t feel the need to drop $800.00 on a board now, that because of your “bad” or not so favorable review, will be able to make a more educated decision, before dropping a ton of dime, on a board that they don’t like. That’s what’s up! That’s what really matters. So thanks! Keep’ em coming! What you’re doing is insightful & extremely helpful to the surfing community as a whole.

[@tanyachong6967]

Thanks Thomye. Great honest review. It would be cool if you did other product reviews as well like wetsuits especially since Winter is coming

[@jakesboardreviews]

Love the honesty Thomye. I’ve always thought in general the Neckbeard concept from the N2 onwards was super weird and to take away the grovel factor in the N3 with the round tail, It’s almost become a mini step up 😂👍

[@scotnicos5383]

This is a great and very honest review Thomye. I bought a firewire Midas a few years back and for what ever reason, I just didn't gel with it and it sat in my shed until a few months back. Since giving it another go, bizarrely, and for reasons I don't fully understand, I would now say its the best board I've ridden. May well be the case with the *Not So Neck Beard 3* .... I have ridden a heap of different boards in the 2 or so years that it's been in the shed and my surfing has improved a bit. Could be that, but I felt it was worth mentioning. Great reviews and surfing as always 👍

[@jmmb72]

Like someone said, a good honest review. Its not a neckbeard, its something else. I have a neckbeard 2 in 5'10 and I love it. I also have a Holy Grail and love it too.

[@fox..2668]

Great review Thomye! It's nice to hear an honest review. Very different from other surf shop channels.

[@shawnweston4741]

NB2 and NB3 both great boards.I have both.Noel salas on his reviews does say the NB3 does like a bigger wave or more open face.this doesn't surprise me as it's a round tail also. You may get a bit more speed though and looser feel on NB3 though if you try different fin configurations such as the twin+trailer setup.

[@WarriorSC858]

Hello Thomye, thank for your great review. It s the first time I see one of yours, and I really appreciate it. Yes, like you at first I had the same feeling (although not as strong ) about the name regarding the evolution of the design. At the same time, it is logical, except the tail, the design is the design of the NB 2, so myabe buyers have a reference. About your test (I don't surf as much as you do, as I don't live anymore by the sea, but went this summer to surf South West France and test the NB2): totally agree with your conclusions: 20 years ago I lived in Tahiti, I was surfing 4 to 5 times a week mostly powerful beachbreak, sometimes reef breaks. The best tail designs (according to me) were pin and round pin tails, definitely not square and squash tails. So if I would still live in Tahiti, I would buy the NB3. Hte board there would fit for all the beaches maybe reefs. This summer, SouthWest France (Beachbreaks) I really enjoyed the NB2 thanks to his overall design, the wave where not more than waist / chest high and power between soft to a bit stronger. Without a doubt, there the NB3 would have been a disaster. Thanks again

[@ThomyeSurfs]

thanks for the insightful comment. appreciate it. Cheer brotha.

[@richholder416]

Good honest review, your opinion, which is what I'm keen to hear; not a watered down review where you have to read between the lines lol. Keep up the great work

[@davewarland1680]

Nice to see a review where the reviewer is honest enough to say, the board didnt work for me. Sometime that happens and not every board feels great for every surfer. Loved the rant and yep, the neck beard is known for the square tail.

[@ajj4483]

Great, honest review from a regular surfer. Appreciate that, more power to ya!

[@User161803399]

Thanks, you’ve confirmed my suspicion for market selling purposes. They put in a lot of marketing for the NB2 but no one bought it because it looks too square. So they tried to recoup their unrealized gains because of market prejudice against squareness. Rename it the the “coaster brake,” for guys who wanna slam the brakes.

[@DustyStringer]

Good honest review. For other people's info, I've got one of these and love it. It's my favourite board in knee-high to just a bit overhead surf. The waves where I live are reasonably powerful, but slopey / full most of the time. I found that it really NEEDS a raked fin. It lacked drive for me with more upright fins. I personally prefer this to the Rocket Wide (Swallow, haven't surfed the squash), as it's much more spicy. Totally agree with the rant, seems like a different model...

[@JasonHagedorn]

Did you get it in spinetek?

[@DustyStringer]

@@JasonHagedorn yep, with heavier glass on the deck (custom).

[@Heximelt]

Chin hairs 😂 had me rollin. The community could use more honest reviews like this keep up the good work. And I agree, it’s all marketing 🤙🏼👊🏼

[@TheSurfnsb]

Thanks for your honest review. Very helpful

[@michaelj2091]

Great review. The honesty and thoroughness is appreciated.

[@karljakobsson2687]

Never clicked with the NB3, ended up trading it for the new rocket wide squash tail and loving it (in small waves) !

[@ThomyeSurfs]

i need to try that board someday. it sort of reminds me of my Firewire Seaside but performance tuned. For better waves. It looks like it would go really well for me.

[@alang253]

I think there is some interesting insight about rounded pin tails. I don't have a NB3, but I do have a custom daily driver shortboard with a rounded pin tail and I struggle with it. Despite conventional knowledge: they carve, better for lighter surfers such as myself, more control, etc- I think they just don't go well in So Cal waves. Sure on that one day a year when it's huge and you need that hold but even in those times when the wave mushes out, you catch it on high tide, or even venture too far out on the shoulder and it really starts to do weird things. I think your findings are spot on and maybe applicable to most round tails. I think a 5'11" rounded pin is probably similar to a 5'9" to 5'10" squash if you take that missing area into account. I do however love a rounded tail on a mid length- such a perfect feeling especially paired with a thruster.

[@MikeS-ear2ear]

Hi, new to the channel and liking your reviews👍🏻😁 I don’t have the time to watch every video you have put out so ok to ask which is your favourite board you have reviewed????

[@ThomyeSurfs]

So far for most conditions, it is the sharpeye modern 2. For me at least, it works well in almost all conditions.

[@onshore1ft]

Totally agree with you on calling it a neck beard without the square tail. Blatant disingenuous marketing. It's like shapers calling boards without swallow tails fish just because they have a wide nose.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

excellent point on the fish. haha I was venting to my wife and told her it's like calling an SUV a pickup truck. Still like the board but annoyed.

[@scotnicos5383]

100% on that. Twin fins with 3 fins is also a head scratcher for me, even if the 3rd fin is much smaller!

[@gregsurf1574]

Very interesting feedback. I have the same board and it works great for me (1 to 3 foot). Maybe because my back foot is not at the back of the pad (I have some hip issues that prevent me from having a wide stance). In that way, what you say about the tail that doesnt have enough area makes a lot of sense. I am not sure but I think this board is more for the front footed surfer who puts a lot of weight on the front foot, granting more speed.

[@a.lame.username.]

Super well done. The Evo and the Omni taught me that same lesson! I have really good surfs on the Evo all the time because it's not very sensitive to subtle mistakes of weighting and unweighting. Precisely the opposite is true of the Omni, it is very sensitive to fore and aft pressure, and I'm sure it's mostly the tail area reduction... maybe?

[@terenceingram7786]

Great review. I have an NB2 and love the chop tail. I would never buy the NB3 as the board has lost its unique factor for me. Probably should have been called NB round tail, much like they did with the RocketWide - RocketWide squash or something like that. Like the idea of ChinBeard or something as chins are roundish like the tail :)

[@rodrigogalvao9701]

Great review. Unfortunately i’ve ordered a custom NB3 before this video.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

great for bigger waves or steeper ones. but also ok if you got it slightly bigger too.

[@DustyStringer]

Don't worry, you may love it. I got one a while back. It's easily my favourite board (out of 20+ boards). It's pretty flat-rockered, with a little bit of flip in the nose and feels like it goes well in most waves. Super-fast, really loose. It REALLY prefers a very raked fin IMO. I use the AM1's from Futures, which you can get in FCS as well. I found it really lacked drive with more neutral or upright fins. Hope you love it. Also, remember that this reviewer almost exclusively surfs extremely small / soft waves where a mid-length or super high volume board would work better.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@DustyStringer agreed. hated it bolsa but loved it Trestles on waves with a little curve to them or taller than my shoulder. Super smooth turns on rail too.

[@dantaylor8838]

I hated this board, I felt like I was surfing in mud. It would not accelerate, I couldn’t figure out why. Thanks for explaining why this board doesn’t work. Probably needs to be a higher volume than one would normally surf.

[@Felix-mr1vs]

Great honest review once again Thomye, thank you! The name: I think the name is ok, as the rocker, outline (apart form the important tail) and bottom is the same. BUT calling it NB3...don't know NB Round or Roundbeard would suit better. Something in reference to the not-anymore chop tail. You could argue it's a NB with larger or punchier waves in mind, so in the end - who cares about the name imo. Just marketing ;) Would love to see you trying the Lost RNF 96 (I think Libtech will bring out the model in March as well), or the Pyzel Mini Ghost. And the Flat Earth. I have a feeling it could suit you really well. Hoping to get an opportunity to test one next year.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Mini ghost sounds interesting. Also the flat earth because I love my sharpeye modern 2 so much. It would be nice to compare.

[@Felix-mr1vs]

@@ThomyeSurfs The only thing I don't like about the flat earth (not having surfed it) is, that everyone recommends it a couple L above your usual HP volume. The FE being a daily driver/performance board means you'd surf it in decent size surf. Don't like higher volume (or alternative shapes with lot's of foam in the nose) in bigger surf. I surf mostly beach breaks. Can be a duck diving issue. Not a fan of arriving out the back already tired before taking the first wave :D Since we're riding similar weight/volume ratios, this could come into play for you too, depending on the spots surfed... If it duck-dives well this could be negligible of course.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@Felix-mr1vs good points for sure. although i think the recommendation is a couple liters or taller than your normal performance board. if you are already riding boards above your performance liters, then I would think you would want to match it. for me, my performance board liters should be around 24.5 to 25. At my weight, if I were a pro, it would probably more like 23 but at 52 years old and always having had noodle arms, 25 seems to be ok. Having said that, I normally surf hybrids, groverlers, and super grovelers. so I find myself on about 28 to 30 liter boards. My favorite board is the Modern2 which I ride at 29.2L. No issues duck diving. I would buy the flat earth at about the same. The only issue for me is that the length and outline are more important than the volume for this board. I would want a 5'8 or even a 5'9 but i'm already at 30.42 liters with the 5'8. The 5'7 liters is perfect as well as the width but the length is wrong. the widepoint is back on this board and I personally need it at my front foot or forward. To adjust it my preference, the 5'9 outline seems ideal but then it becomes too wide and too many liters. in any event, the duckdiving should not be a concern unless you plan to get it over 35L. My limit for big days seems to be about 30L and I weigh 145lbs. Hard to say though. seems to me all boards duck dive different even at the same liters. I'll pray something shows up on the used market so I can test this thing.

[@lexdang2551]

Would love a review on the rocket wide!

[@madprof6719]

NB2 was always an epic board for me and there's the problem...expectations. Think I would still consider the NB3 but as you say for specific waves.

[@100mwaterproof]

Great vid mate! Enjoyed it and very informative. Cheers

[@sachaDS0]

It's not a detail, words have meanings and everyone pictures and loves the neckbeard with its weird flat tail. Heresy as you pointed out. Great review :)

[@josesnowsneves5132]

Man, I finally receive my NB3. and, I must say, I love it on my backside...still I did not got it well on my front side. I do not think is that identical to NB2, the rails are bit lower to me. The board is very fast (faster than NB2) and it responds really well on my backside!! did you notice a big difference from front to back side ?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

sorry for the super late reply, so many comments get buried. My "haven't responded" filter wasn't working. :( Anyways, yes I felt a huge difference. Mostly the tail I think. The NB3 surfed more like other pin tails on my heel side to me. The NB2 with its wide block tail, didn't surf smoothly on my backhand. it locked into certain angles and didn't do any smooth turns.

[@larrydowling5213]

What you're talking about is the sane thing I struggle with with this new era of shorter, fatter, and the volume game. I've always rode high performance short boards and Bec of health had to take 10 years off. Now I've lost weight and surfing good again and I tried transitioning from my mid length Co water Hog (7'2, 44L) to a 6'4 CI flyer II and several other sizes and I just can't get the feel. There's no flow. The planing area is so small on these shorter fatter boards that they leave a lot surfers behind. If what reg people surf on these boards sure the top of the wave they might have performance but watch their bottom turns. Usually they have to tweak or shorten the arc. I'm 49 now and maybe it's just me getting older but I feel like we're back in the 90s when Kelly Slater narrow surfboards dominated the shelves which again does work for non-pros so well. I think there has to balance between length, volume and design/shape. My 7'2 at 185 surfs like a dream. Versatile, as agro as you wanna get, and I'm 5'11. A few tweaks to the Water Hog and it would be a beast. Which is why I'm fixing to try Harley Inglebys Mid6 7'0. Same specs as the WH but just a lil narrower, lil shorter, pin tail, and 6 channels. Just the kinda tweak the WH needs for me. I don't really have a comment about the name Bec I don't really like any of the Neck beards, or modern day shirt boards. Thanks for keeping it real Tom!! 🤙😷🇺🇲

[@ThomyeSurfs]

yeah, i'm curious about the mid6 as well. I like the 6'8 sunday but think the Mid6 will add more spice to that longer range. thanks for comment, appreciate you taking the time to write it.

[@RhettsRides]

Hey brother love your down to earth and honest reviews. Any Tips for using the Soloshot? I just caved an bought one but I’m paranoid of leaving it on the beach. Do you have someone watch yours the entire time ?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

no. I just leave it. I guess it depends on where you surf. Bolsa chica where I surf most often, the general crowd is pretty honest. I will usually put a chair up and put the camera in front of the chair so that from the lot, any non locals or non surfers don't see it right away. From the beach, most that do see it are surfers and they have their own gear to worry about. it took me a while to get over that fear. I have a buddy who has one and he has his locked to his tripood and then locks the tripod to a bag. it can still walk away but would do it slowly so give you as the owner some time to catch up. I would definitely not use it where the lot is right next to the camera. seems to easy to walk away but having said that, i have actually set it up on top of my car at San O and it was fine there. one really useful tip would be to use a batter pack, your tag can go like 5 hours but the base can only film for about 2 when new. Mine only goes an hour. with a battery back, it can go 4 to 5 depending on your battery. if you need specifics advise, let me know. I think you will be happy with it generally. I get frustrated 1 out of 5 sessions. usually the best day. haha I personally think it has improved my surfing quite a bit.

[@RhettsRides]

@@ThomyeSurfs These are some solid pro tips, thank you! I will definitely reach out for more advice when I run into issues. I finally went to use mine yesterday at blacks and hiked it all the way down the trail. just as I finally get it set up and calibrated, a massive fog layer rolled in out of nowhere and made the peak invisible from the beach for the rest of the day.🤦🏼‍♂️

[@RhettsRides]

@@ThomyeSurfs Ever had an issue where your camera records all the footage just fine, but when you upload it to your computer none of the GPS "highlight data" is synched. It happened to me yesterday, so I had to scroll through 2+ hours of footage and find my individual clips.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@RhettsRides Yes and no. When I upload I just take the raw file so I have to edit in post using some type of video editor. The GPS data is mostly good with their application which I don’t like for post editing. When I first started using the solo shot I used to use the tag in order to signal when I was catching a wave. Using their solo shot apps it would tell me exactly what part of the reel I was on a wave. now if you are using their app and couldn’t use the GPS info then I’m not exactly sure what the problem was.

[@garretdouglas4056]

Agree about the name. Maybe it should be called the Hicky because it’s hiding behind the neck beard name.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

nice.

[@garyclutton1388]

I have a 5’11 nb3 love it ! Tried 3 sets of fins until I found the MF fcs goes unreal , or could it be the surfer ?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

maybe a bit of both. :)

[@Tiaguini78]

Hi I really enjoyed earing your review, although I think it sucks doing a review of a board that you didn't like. There is a difference in your two reviews that you didn't mention: the neckbeard II was in spineteck construction, while this one is in PU. I don't know if it is just the tail. I had a neckbeard new version a couple years ago in PU and didn't like it also.i sold the board. But I had the neckbeard II in spine tek/epoxy version and loved it. In my experience, the epoxy construction for small waves makes a lot of difference. Looking forward of the inferno 72 review.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

good point. I did just review the fishbeard in PU and it went really well in small waves. I just think the NB3 for me was too small. it is my liter range but as I get older, I push less and it seems a bigger board helps. I think a 5'9 would have worked better in the small waves.

[@fer4857]

First thanks for an honest review, i think like you. NB2 was famous cause his chop tail! Comeeee whay happened with Brett Merrick wdf!? Thats not a NB is Faked beard.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

nice. wish i had thought of that. haha

[@andrewb6753]

I have a NB3 and am curious to hear what fins you're riding. And could it be that the board is on the bigger side if you are 5'8? I ride mine much shorter than me and found it to feel looser.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I was using the Naked Viking Dan Mann Large www.surfnvs.com/collections/thrusters/products/mannkine-m-l-apex I tried others and they felt like they lacked drive. which in hindsight had to do with me surfing it on the tail too much which was causing it to wheelie. surfing it forward in the smaller stuff was the key or surfing it in bigger waves. as for height, no, I have been going longer on all my boards and it seems I am getting back to what used to work for me best which was around the 5'10 for any board shaped similar to a performance board. Grovelers I can surf shorter but I have to have the wide point just in front of my front foot. I didn't like the Dominator 2 at 5'4, it was too short. I personally don't like loose, I like solid drive but a board that can pivot off the tail. Ironically though, I think the Neckbeard 2 would have been better a tad shorter for me because of the wide tail. I could surf it further back. Anyways, I wish CI could just loan me a few different sizes and I could test them. I wish they would go back to doing the demo truck.

[@jamiemacmahan3417]

@@ThomyeSurfs Do you mind sharing your thoughts on why you think a 5' 10" is appropriate for you? This is valuable information as well.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@jamiemacmahan3417 it's a couple of things. outline for me seems to be the most important. I really like a boards wide point to be in front of my front foot by about 2"or so. I didn't like the dom2 5'4" because wide point on that board in back from center putting it way back almost between my feet. I think a longer board would have allowed me to surf forward on the board without putting that wide point behind my front foot. It would still have kept the wide point at or in front of my front foot. I have surfed enough boards now to know the subtle preferences that I like. it does not mean other will like it. in fact, someone commented that they liked the NB3 shorter because it was looser. I personally don't like loose board as it feels like it lacks drive. rather I like tight board that can pivot off the tail. the dominator 2 was way too loose for me. It's hard to explain but I like a board that feels tight but the tightness is something that transfers to the rails and is something you feel press back when you generate speed. super hard to explain. Anyways, I think if I could, I would try a longer NB3, 5'9 would likely be perfect in outline but the volume starts to get too high for my weight. all in all, not a good daily driver for me. :(

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@jamiemacmahan3417 oh, I forgot to mention. a longer board automatically puts you forward too. It's like surfing a long board, when you pop up, you are nowhere near the tail. so for me, having a slightly longer board paddles better and when i pop up, naturally without thought, my feet are forward. then i can make adjustments on my bottom turns by moving my back foot to the tail. hope that is making some sense.

[@Stomperproductions]

Have you tried the CI Rocket Wide squash? And how would you think that board would compare to a Seaside? Cheers!!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I have not tried the Rocket Wide Squash. But, judging from the dim to volume ratio, I think the RWS is more comparable to the SciFi2, El Tomo Fish, or the even the dominator2. All 4 of these boards are roughly 28L at 5'6". The Seaside is 5'3" at 28 so shorter, wider, and likely thicker. You could probably even rule out the El Tomo Fish from the comparison since it is a dedicated quad while the RWS and the other 2, SciFi2 and Dom2, are 5 plugs. Having said that, the turns on the longer board could be drown out. at a 3" difference, you could probably compensate with fins but generally speaking, the Seaside will paddle better since the foam is crammed in a shorter package and probably under the chest, catcch waves a bit easier since it is wider and planes easier, looser cuz of quad and shorter package (quads on the 5 plus will be moved up a slight bit so not as loose). All in all, Seaside will be better for grovel and the others while still grovelers, would be better for slightly better waves. IMPORTANT, this comparison is only if you line them up by volume. Many ways to compare boards.

[@Stomperproductions]

@@ThomyeSurfs interesting points as always, thanks! I currently have a 6'0 Seaside (6'0 x 22-7/8 x 2-15/16 = 44.8L). I am still not sure how i like it, hence looking around for something else to try. I was considering dropping down a size in the Seaside to 5'11 (5'11 x 22-3/4 x 2-3/4 = 41.1L) to bring the widest point a bit closer to my front foot and also ditch some width and volume (i find it corky on faster waves). Alternatively, the CI Rocket Wide was recommended to me and I am thinking either the 6'2 (6'2 x 21 x 2-7/8 = 40.7L) or the 6'3 (6'3 x 21-1/4 x 2-7/8 = 41.8L). Both of the CIs would be more comparable to the 5'11 Seaside in terms of volume. So I am wondering whether to go for the shorter + wider package of the 5'11 Seaside or the longer + narrower package of the RW. Personally i do find the 6'0 Seaside a bit too wide so am leaning towards the CI. I definitely catch any wave i want on the 6'0 Seaside so dont know how much that will go away with the RW, but i feel like the RW would be better in the bigger, pushier waves where i didnt like the Seaside so much (becomes skittish with all that volume further forward). What do you think about me dropping a size on the Seaside vs on of the two RW sizes?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@Stomperproductions these are choices i struggle with all the time. hence why i started just buy both vs one or the other. and then found myself with so many board, i started this channel. LOL if you are considering 40 some odd L in the RW, I would consider a 5'10 seaside to be honest maybe even a 5'9. Unless you are 6'5 or taller. The seaside is meant to be shorter. the 5'9 would still be wider making it grovel better. Relative wider/shorter is easier to turn. Having said that the 5'9 is 37.3L which will be mostly under your chest. Also consider that the board is helium. On my 5'3 Seaside, which is 28L, between the concentration of foam under my chest and helium tech, it paddles and caught waves better than my 5'8 31L Dominator (LFT, the old version). So for the sake of my response, i'll compare the the 5'9 to the two RW. I think it will paddle better, surf looser, and be a better fit. Although I don't know your height and weight. So generally speaking, take that into consideration. Although big wide boards with thick rails aren't great in big waves, it all depends on how big and heavy you are. I saw a guy ripping on a 6'0 Baked Potato. That thing is a boat and yet he was laying it on rail in overhead barreling surf. But he was also like 6'3 and 250lbs. So it's all relative. But definitely consider the foam and helium issue.

[@Stomperproductions]

@@ThomyeSurfs haha well fyi I am 6'5 and 210lbs so a reasonable size. I actually just went out for a grovel on the Seaside in clean but weak 2-3ft beach break and decided I don't like the 6'0. There is too much volume up front pushing up and lifting the nose which makes the board want to get off the back of the wave. Not a problem in steeper waves, but for far mashy stuff I need to be forward a lot more relative to the board's volume. So now the decision is what to get. A 5'10 Seaside seems extremely short for me, so I'm still more inclined for the 5'11. Tossing up then the 5'11 Seaside, 6'2 CI Rocket Wide or the 6'2 Slater Designs Flat Earth..... All quite different but hopefully better

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@Stomperproductions Oh shoot, we have chatted before. unless there are bunch of you 6'5 surfers. LOL This is a tough one, one thing I will also mention about the seaside is that Rob has thinned the tail rail down. so it is likely the reason you are sinking it. how's is the volume on the Seaside. you mentioned it was forward too much but if it were better balanced, would 40L to 42L be your target?

[@josesnowsneves5132]

one more: when I get my NB3 board...I let you know :)

[@josesnowsneves5132]

Man, I remember that you did not like the NB2, so maybe this is why you also do not like the NB3. Nonetheless, to me, you are surfing well with this board :) much better than the big Rob Machado that you sometimes show up here. At last, I think you should try the SpineTek and the Kahole large fins :) I am waiting for a NB3, and I love my NB2 from 1 foot to 4 feet

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Actually, I did like the NB2. I didn't love it but liked it a lot. It has some quirkiness to it but when the waves got punchy, it worked great. The NB3 i like as well but not in anything smaller than shoulder high. It has to be bigger for me to feel the board is working right. I kept the NB3 but only take it out if it is overhead and punch, Barrels. Under those conditions, it works better than all my other boards for performance. It's hard to rate a board, on a scale, I could say 8 out of 10 which would imply it's excellent but it might be a 2 of 10 in small waves. Or a 1 of 10 in soft small waves. Hope that make sense.

[@josesnowsneves5132]

@@ThomyeSurfs ahah yes, it makes sense. It may because of the tail. Unfortunately I should only receive by NB3 around May (it is custom made)...so I will need to wait a bit, before providing my feedback.

[@YimingPan]

They should’ve called it the beardless-neck or neck-stubble. Agree, the beard is all about the fat tail and now that’s gone..

[@martijnandriessen8073]

why would you surf a round tail in waves like these anyways?????

[@ThomyeSurfs]

agreed. unless it is more thumb.

[@YimingPan]

Too much marketing hype from shapers these days. It's great that we have a variety of shapes to choose from but it's getting to a point where there're just too many shapes that don't add value. If I were to get a rocket wide I'll stick to the swallow.. I bought my NB2 for the wide squash. There're now 1001 options to choose for grovellers/hybrids which seems silly. Some of the big brands are just taking away market share from the local shapers.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

yes, it certainly does muddy the waters. But I look at it a different way now, if you were to buy a board right now and didn't have any other board, you have so many good choices. The part that sucks is that I want one but the slight changes and differences would be marginal at best so not worth the money. But if it's time to replace or upgrade, I love that I have 100 boards to choose from. :) In my lifetime, there hasn't been a point better than now for board options: shape, construction, etc. Inflation sucks though. this bs supply chain. :(

[@altheatoldme5003]

California 2 feet overhead is really shoulder high.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I would have said double overhead is shoulder high. LOL size is so subjective too. on the wave, the waves always feel bigger to me, then when i come watch it, it is about half the size of what if felt like. LOL

[@stephenlepore4476]

Trestles looks so much better than Bolsa because Trestles is so much better than Bolsa.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

LOL - Amen to that.