JS Surfboards Bullseye & Raging Bull Review

Round tails, round tails, round tails.

It was talked about recently by Stace Galbraith over at STAB that the ideal tail in this day and age is the round tail. Both the recent men’s and women’s US Open winners rode round tails during the event which is always plagued by shit waves. Given the round tail is known for bigger/better waves and drawing out your turns, it’s quite a statement to have both winners at a shit wave stop riding them.

Given my long winded praise of round tails, it shouldn’t be a surprise that both JS models (Bullseye and Raging Bull) are round tails. The difference between the two boards is in the width of the tail block and nose block, plus rocker.

JS Surfboards Bullseye

The Bullseye is closely related to the much loved JS Black Box 3, with very similar width measurements in the nose and tail area, plus rocker. The biggest difference between the JS Black Box and JS Bullseye would be the extra beef under the chest which helps break the water and creates quicker entry speeds into the wave.

Unique to the Bullseye however is a slight vee in the nose, a forgiving addition that lifts the forward rails out of the water in steeper sections and helps to initiate turns with less effort – especially useful in weaker surf. This moves to a moderate single to double concave for extra lift and easy rail-to-rail transitions. Similar to the Raging Bull, the Bullseye’s pulled-in tail and slight curve in the exit rocker lets you hit sections hard whenever possible.

JS Surfboards Raging Bull

The Raging Bull is closer to the JS Monsta or Monsta Box. The Raging Bull, like the Bullseye, also has more foam under the chest area but has a more pronounced rounded pin that gives the board a wider range of waves it can handle. The extra thickness combined with a fuller nose and a flatter entry rocker make it easier to paddle fast and get into waves early, and then while surfing, generate and hold all of that extra speed.

A pulled-in tail gives you control for turns and barrels in more critical conditions, while a touch more curve in the exit rocker adds manoeuvrability and release out of the lip. Moderate single concave starts under front foot, moving to double just before the fins to provide lift and more intuitive rail-to-rail transitions.

Both boards are available in a 5 fin option and from experience have gone best with a 3 fin set up with the JS FCS 2 large fins (check the fins out here)

The reason I wanted to review these boards together was because of the almost perfect cross over point of the two in wave type. As mentioned if you have these two boards there is really no excuse from 1 to 8 feet.

Some shapers hop up on their soapbox to market a board that is the ‘1 board for every condition’ or similar, when in actual fact boards like that don’t really exist. There’s always spaces where that 1 board will let you down. Whereas a 2 board quiver that covers you from 1-8ft, it’s a little more believable. And for me that 2 board quiver is the JS Bullseye/Raging Bull – it might be different for you, but the combo is out there and hopefully this review will get you looking…

JS Surfboards Bullseye

Picking up the Bullseye and putting it under your arm is nice, it doesn’t feel like an ultimate groveller it just feels good and gets you psyched to surf shit waves.

It feels like a standard daily driver but as long as you get the right volume this board will make the mushiest of beach breaks really fun. The width under the chest and under the back foot gives you the ability to get into the waves nice and early but also push down on the front foot and take off with plenty of speed allowing you to jam the back foot down during turns without losing much speed.

I rode the Bulls Eye in waves from 1 foot mush to 4 foot barrels and actually had the most fun on it when it was 2 foot clean and a little soft – think 2 to 3 foot Trestles. The Bulls Eye would absolutely eat up most day to day conditions we all face and surf in. And similarly to the Raging Bull where it goes in good waves but is rideable in small slop, the Bulls Eye is amazing in small slop but you can ride it when the waves are good. There’s a really nice blend between the two models across conditions.

JS Surfboards Raging Bull

Given Occy is based on the Gold Coast it’s no wonder that the Raging Bull is built (and excels) on the points here. Anything from 3-6ft and the board goes well, if you happen into clean hollow surf, then it’ll go up a gear and really shine. The drive and hold in the barrel that this board has from its tight rounded pin is incredible and really surprised me.

When presented with flatter waves around the same size (3-6ft) the flatter rocker and extra foam under the chest/front foot means you’re able to carve through open faces with ease. Leaving you thinking you’re Occy at Bells. And while the Raging Bull really shines in good waves, it’s extra foam and medium rocker does allow you to surf in smaller waves, but like we’ve mentioned you’re better off with the Bulls Eye once the surf drops (and complements the idea for a 2 board quiver).

Both these boards can be classified as high performance boards, but with a little bit of forgiveness in them for us regular joes. There’s more foam to make catching waves that little bit easier and they have different characteristics which mean they compliment each other in areas that the other maxes out in.

JS Bullseye

Stats were:
12 sessions
65 waves
Top Speed of 30km/h (Burleigh)
Longest ride was 200m (Burleigh)

The Raging Bull is almost the perfect board but its pulled in tight rounded pin does leave the surfer wanting a little bit more zip and speed in the sub par conditions, enter the Bullseye.

The Bullseye is the Raging Bulls’ shorter, slightly wider, little brother with the width in all the right places to make almost any surf enjoyable. The wider tail and nose give this board the ability to get up and going in the sloppier conditions while still having the performance and on rail hold of the Raging Bull.

In my opinion the optimal construction for Bullseye is the Hyfi, which gives you that extra bouncy and lightness allowing the Bullseye to easily fly over those fat sections and chop all the easier.

Whereas the Raging Bull is better suited to a PU construction, where it can better penetrate the wave face and hold its line instead of sitting on top of the water like the Hyfi does.

JS Raging Bull

Stats were:
14 sessions
80 waves
Top Speed of 32km/h (Kirra)
Longest ride was 297m (Kirra)

All over the world you would call this board your ‘good wave board’, it’s the board that you pull out when you know it’s going to be 4 to 6 feet and firing. It has just the right amount of rocker to make those late drops, it’s got the extra foam under your chest to help with paddle power (meaning no more excuses for missing waves), and it holds really well in the juice.

Now you’d be forgiven for thinking that this board is strictly for on rail carves with it being an Occy signature model, but to offset that thought there’s a lot of footage recently of Julian Wilson riding the model (along with Kai Hing and Kehu Butler) proving that this board can go to the sky. You have to remember that while all that foam under your chest helps with paddling, it also helps with down the line momentum, and the more speed you have the larger your airs can be.

Julian does his best at showing us what this board is capable of in the air here. The learning from all this is don’t be afraid of a model from Occy, its as high performance as anything else.

Quite simply these two JS Surfboards are epic. 

The amount of zip and spark you get in the Bullseye in sub par conditions is incredible and it holds that same feeling up to waves up to 3ft. Anything above that and it starts to feel like it needs to be nursed, which is where the Raging Bull takes over and really comes into its own. That cross over zone of 2 to 4 feet is where both boards play really well, but on either side of that wave scope they both have their advantages respectfully. 

The Raging Bull in waves 4 to 6 feet is incredible. JS and Occ have done such an amazing job of working on a rail/outline that isn’t chunky or boaty, but holds its line in waves of consequence and with all that paddle power you’re getting into waves earlier with confidence. Leaving you to take your time and pick the right line. 

I love talking about boards or thinking about a quiver to travel with, and I think for those of us who still want to push our surfing across that high performance area, this duo is pretty perfect. 

The average punter spends years and years trying to perfect their ultimate quiver and I honestly feel like this two board quiver from JS Surfboards could be what most surfers are chasing. And it really highlights the knowledge and expertise that world class shapers have when they bring out a range of boards that compliment each other. 

The Wins:

• Extra Foam – catching more waves, more forgiving on the wave. 
• Simple quiver choices. 
• Feeling like you’re surfing like Occy. 

The Challenges:

• Picking the right board to ride
• Swapping from Hyfi to PU can be challenging for some. 
• Realising you don’t surf like Occy. 

If you’re not quite sold on either JS Surfboards Bullseye or Raging Bull but are interested in getting a new High Performance Surfboard, we suggest looking at the Sharp Eye Inferno 72, the DNA from DHD or a favourite of mine (that isn’t quite a proper HP board) the OG Flyer from Channel Islands in Spinetek.