Empire Ave Guides
Surfboards 
That'll Get Your Stoke Back
Early this year I found my motivation to surf slipping. We’d had a run of average waves and after decades in the water I wasn’t feeling it. I’d lost my stoke. No shakas. No froth for dawnies. Not even a ‘yewww’ after a decent wave. Everything was a bit meh. A friend recently confessed he’s been having the same issue. Is this like stoke dysfunction for middle aged surfers or something? Thankfully, I found a fix that I didn’t have to visit a pharmacist for. All you need to do is get a different surfboard (or a few!). Something that’ll have you catching more waves, is maybe more of a challenge to turn, or gives some spark back beyond just a regular run-of-the-mill performance shortboard.
These are my top surfboards for getting your stoke back.
TWIN FINS
CHRISTENSON LONG PHISH 2.0
Let’s be honest, you could get three new Christenson surfboards and you’ll be stoking so hard you’d be at Gudauskus brother levels. Considering that three may break the bank, I’ve narrowed it to one. The Long Phish. You could go full mid-length 6’10’’, or pull it back a bit shorter so you can still throw it around. There’s plenty of volume for paddling, enough turn power to throw some sang, and it just looks incredible in the rack as it whispers ‘let’s go surfing’. If you want the full swoop, include the Osprey Twin Channel Bottom and the OP3 Swallow Tail Thruster. Holy Trinity of Stoke. Hello.
QUAD MID LENGTH
TOLHURST MID6
I know a lot of people who PSYCH on this board. The MID6 is built to make every surf session feel electric. Its curvy plan shape and fine round pin tail let you flow through deep pockets and carve open faces with ease, while the smooth rocker and subtle nose flip keep you locked in on critical drops. The rails transition from forgiving up front to sharp and fast out the tail, so you get both drive and control whether you’re trimming or burying a rail. This is a board that feels alive in everyday conditions but has the confidence to step up when the waves are bigger. Paddle out knowing you’ve got something under your feet that turns clean lines into pure fun.
SOFT-TOP
Catch Surf x …Lost Crowd Killer
This one is proper amazing if you’re looking for a soft board to mix things up on, or are coming back from injury. The forgiving construction means you’re not sweating cracking your skull (or someone else’s) on the rail, plus it’s not the type of board you’ll go too hard on and end up pulling a hambone. But, you can turn on it. It’s easy to paddle, one to step back on the tail and change direction, and generally keep that smile on your face. There’s even a psychedelic spray on the bottom to keep your eyeballs buzzing. (extra tip: once you’re fully back from injury and ready to step onto a fibreglass board the Chilli Mid Strength is highly recommended).
SHORTBOARDS
JS Xero Fusion HyFi 3.0
A lot of the boards so far in this guide have been bigger boards, drifting into midlength territory. But, you can still mix things up with a sparky thruster that is a little different to your normal option. The JS Xero Fusion is a cracking candidate, especially in the Epoxy HyFi construction. It’s leaning toward a fish so has some extra zap over flat sections and comes in materials that give you a chance to talk tech with other surf nerds at the beach. If you want to stay in performance territory, but need slightly more foam and fun, this is all you.
QUAD MID LENGTH
…Lost Mod Quad
The Mod Quad (modern quad) feels like a faster, looser, “free-er” version of a typical performance small wave thruster. It’s all about playful performance in everyday waves. The thing I like about quads is they generally go great on your backhand as well as your forehand. Some twin fins only really shine forehand so this is a way to get that board you’re excited to grab when it’s smaller, but know you’ll be driving through any peak you split. Plus, how rad is the spray. Racing stripes always make a board go faster.
TWIN FINS
Pyzel Tiger Twin
The Tiger Twin (2+1) is the newest speed machine in the Pyzel Tiger Series. Blending the best of the Happy Twin and White Tiger, it’s designed for quick acceleration, easy paddling and fun in weaker surf, while still handling better days with sizzle. Featuring a lower rocker, beak nose, single wing swallow tail and double concave to Vee bottom, it’s fast down the line yet smooth rail to rail. The twin + trailer setup is for surfers chasing twin fin freedom with added control. Keep some growl back, the Tiger Twin makes even marginal days worth paddling out.
FINAL WORDS
The final word is that this isn’t the final word. There are SO many fun surfboards out there that you’ll find something exciting to get out there again, stay fit and have an epic time. If you’re looking to get your stoke back, the above is our shortlist of amazing options, but feel free to hit us on socials with your own fave.
Which surfboard got your stoke back?
