Board Reviews, First Ride, Team
Video

Test Drive “5150+” featuring Nate Zoller

 

Not many can say they had a year like Nate Zoller for 2023. Featured in Roark X Surfline’s recent “Travelers” series “Going where you haven’t been” Nate travels all over the world absorbing different cultures and scoring a ton of different waves.

One might ask “What is living the dream?” All signs pointing that this might be the blueprint. Nate is on a screamer with no signs of slowing down.

We caught up with Nate early in the year with a couple board ideas and from his past “Test Drive” on the 5150, it only seemed right to do a sequel with the more traditional outline 5150+

Enjoy this rail clinic from Nate and for the less traveled viewer, your next surf trip is one click away!

Video/Edit: Isaac Zoller

 

Model/Dims:

5150+ 5’7 x 18.5 x 2.15 – Vol. 27 liters

 

Height/Weight

5’8”/165

 

Fins used:

Stretch Quad and True Ames KC Hex-Core Thruster 

 

Initial thoughts/Expectations?

 

I had high expectations for the 5150 from all the praise Nathan Fletcher gave the board. But after my first wave I knew what he was talking about. Right away the 5150 seemed like it had an extra gear of speed when transitioning in between turns. The board would go where my mind wanted it to, which is an immediate indication of a magic board.  My second board, the 5150+ in CFT, took a little more getting used to. Once I learned how to adjust for the lateral flex I started to understand how good the board was on rail, especially coming out of turns.

 

Ride experience?

 

I rode both boards all over California and it feels like it really comes to life in waves under head high. 

 

Likes/Dislikes?

 

I love how fast the board is right when I stand up. The board feels really solid under my feet when I am approaching a section. My only dislike of the board is that once the waves get to a certain size and power it gets a little hard to control the bottom contour. 

 

5150/5150+ Comparisons and differences?

 

The 5150 feels more like a skateboard style board, the 5150+ is more traditional looking from the POV paddle perspective. Both boards are really good on rail, but I feel the 5150 is better in the air for me. 

 

Summary (synopsis, recommendations or overall feeling you would tell a friend)

 

I ride the 5150 and 5150+ almost every session around home in California and they don’t even have any pressure dings yet. If you are after something totally unique to spice up your surfing the 5150 is the board. The 5150+ is awesome for when you need a little more paddle power. I recommend this board to all my friends. 

 

More nose, more rocker

Photo: Nate Zoller

 

Photo: Nate Zoller

 

Family, Team
Video

GRISTLE | Keanu Miller

Keanu Miller takes us along for the ride re-capping his travels from this past year. From Hawaii, Indonesia and back home in OZ he certainly held nothing back and should be primed for a even heavier 2023. Visuals pieced together by Tai Jennison, sit back and enjoy!

Additional Footage: Dav Fox James Kates Tim Bonython Mikey Conlon Hannah Anderson Andrew Kaineder Davis Koorey Sam Tolhurst Tyg

Photo Soundtrack: Fire on the Mountain (I-II-III) – by Wand

 

Keanu’s 2022 Quiver (Stretch Australia) Glass Hut

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Square One- 6’1 x 19 x 2.5 – Vol. 31.1l.

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Square One- 6’2 x 19 x 2.5 – Vol. 31.57l.

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Square One- 6’4 x 19 x 2.65 – Vol. 34.3l.

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5150+ 5’10 x 19.25 x 2.3 – Vol. 31.4l.

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IWNW- 6’0 x 19 x 2.5 – Vol. 31.5l.

 

Picking up some Freshies from the boys at Glass Hut (Stretch Australia)

“Stocked, locked and loaded” Hawaii Quiver

 

Board Reviews, Construction, Design, First Ride
Video

Test Drive “5150” featuring Nate Zoller

 

Nate Zoller goes mental at Lowers on the “5150”

“I did an interview with Nathan Fletcher a few years ago, where he said this “5150” is the best shortboard he has ever had. I finally got around to ordering one and after one Lowers session I think its my new favorite board too!” – Nate Zoller

Board: 5150 : 5’3 x 18.5 x 2.1 – Vol: 26 liters

Video/Edit: Issac Zoller

 

Learn more about the “5150” here

Uncategorized
Video

“Lava Space” Feat. William Aliotti

 

Yet another free surf masterpiece from the tag team duo of William Aliotti and creative director Manuel Claudeville-Morell in their newest project “LAVE SPACE” Sit back and enjoy this slice of European heaven.

 

“The 2×4 was perfect for these waves, went great as a thruster for the slabs and for faster waves I went for the quad fin option” – William Aliotti

 

Willy’s 2021 Quiver

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Skate- 5’8 x 19 x 2.3 – Vol. 28.6l.

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Lil’ Buddy- 5’10 x 19 x 2.35 – Vol. 28.4l.

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2×4- 6’2 x 18.3 x 2.38 – Vol. 29.4l.

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SemiGun- 6’5 x 18.4 x 2.5 – Vol. 31.1l.

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SemiGun Legacy- 6’8 x 18.5 x 2.65 – Vol. 34.4l.

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SemiGun- 7’2 x 18.75 x 2.75 – Vol. 38.8l

 

 

 

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Video

“Mid Life” ft. Jonathan Wayne Freeman

A long long long long time ago…
JWF first heard about Stretch Surfboards when he was 19 years in the pages of Surfing Magazine.  In between looking at Reef Girl Ads he would pause and admire the Love Handles and curves of the Stretch Board Lineup.  JWF sent Stretch a handwritten letter in 2005 asking if he could become a team rider.  Stretch wrote back that he could not as he was currently busy making boards for some the best surfers and heaviest waves in the world.  Stretch did however send JWF one single sticker.  This sticker was placed on JWFs beer fridge for the next 16 years.  In JWFs darkest hours he would gently sip a Coors Banquet Beer and stare at the sticker.  This Stretch Surfboards Sticker got him through breakups, arrests and even deaths of friends and family.  He would gaze at it and longingly dream that one day he would have his own Stretch Surfboard Model.  In 2021 the impossible happened.  Stretch was struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration one day while staring at Posters of Chicks in Thongs in his Shaping Bay…. He thought ” YA know who needs a board Model”, ” Middle Aged White Dudes who Suck at Surfing”.   He remembered  that Sad Kook who He sent a Sticker to back in 2005 .  Thinking the Kook was surely Dead at this point he found him on a Google Search and found him to be residing in Oceanside CA.   Stretch Phoned JWF and asked him if he still wanted to be the Stretch Surfboard Team and if he wanted his own Model.   JWF passed out upon hearing this News and hit his head…when He awoke he had the Perfect MID LIFE model in his Brain.  It would be a bladed out Weapon designed to be surfed as high performance as a MID length could be.  It would be all business in the back end with the same tail STRETCH uses on his step ups.  It could be surfed in well over head waves and paddle into waves easy and surgically.  It would take elements of Stretches famous model The IT but change the nose and tail rocker.  You could run it as a Quad or a Thruster with five fin boxes.  JWF finds the sweet spot to be 7 foot to 7’4 but it can be ordered from 6’6 to 8 foot.  JWF Celebrates the Fact that he is the Worst Surfer to ever get his own Pro Model.

 

 

MID-LIFE

THE DAILY DRIVER CORVETTE MID LENGTH.

Prices starting at $865

The Mid-Life is all based on fun! Our newest mid length developed with Jonathan Wayne Freeman this board is very easy to paddle and its user-friendly rocker/design is suited for any age. It excels for anyone looking to transition from a longboard to a shortboard or vice versa from a shortboard to a longer outline it will solve one’s equipment crisis. Based off of one of our most beloved models the “IT” the Mid-Life has less rocker and a more tapered nose to make this the daily driver for all conditions waist high to over head.

User friendly rocker for average to mediocre conditions
Performance foil for responsive maneuverability
Paddles like a longboard, turns like a shortboard
5 fin convertible, 2+1, 4+1 configurations
Available stock sizes 6’6 to 8’0
6’6 x 20 x 2.75 – Vol: 36.6 liters

6’8 x 21 x 2.8 – Vol: 40.2 liters

6’10 x 21.5 x 2.85 – Vol: 43.1 liters

7’2 x 21.75 x 2.85 – Vol: 45.86 liters

7’4 x 22 x 3 – Vol: 50 liters

7’6 x 22.25 x 3.1 – Vol: 53.3 liters

For questions and custom orders contact us at INFO@stretchboards.com

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Video

J.W.F. INTRODUCES THE “MID-LIFE” MODEL

MID-LIFE

THE DAILY DRIVER CORVETTE MID LENGTH.

Prices starting at $865

The Mid-Life is all based on fun! Our newest mid length developed with Jonathan Wayne Freeman this board is very easy to paddle and its user-friendly rocker/design is suited for any age. It excels for anyone looking to transition from a longboard to a shortboard or vice versa from a shortboard to a longer outline it will solve one’s equipment crisis. Based off of one of our most beloved models the “IT” the Mid-Life has less rocker and a more tapered nose to make this the daily driver for all conditions waist high to over head.

  • User friendly rocker for average to mediocre conditions
  • Performance foil for responsive maneuverability
  • Paddles like a longboard, turns like a shortboard
  • 5 fin convertible, 2+1, 4+1 configurations
  • Available stock sizes 6’6 to 8’0

6’6 x 20 x 2.75 – Vol: 36.6 liters

6’8 x 21 x 2.8 – Vol: 40.2 liters

6’10 x 21.5 x 2.85 – Vol: 43.1 liters

7’2 x 21.75 x 2.85 – Vol: 45.86 liters

7’4 x 22 x 3 – Vol: 50 liters

7’6 x 22.25 x 3.1 – Vol: 53.3 liters

For questions and custom orders contact us at INFO@stretchboards.com

MID-LIFE- 7’2 x 21.75 x 2.85- Vol: 45.88 liters

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Nate goes sky high in EP:02

“Can judges win the air show???

I don’t think so, but in typical Nathan Fletcher fashion, Nate reminds everyone that actions speak louder than words. In episode 02 of Stab High : Non Chlorine the crew heads to Macaronis, a technical left that is a goofy footers (NF) dream. Equipped with his favorite two boards (5’5 & 5’9 5150’s) Nate opts for a more “hands on approach” as a judge. I don’t think their are anymore questions about what is expected of the hand picked 11 aerial contestants. Episode 3 airs December 16th at 7 pm PST exclusively on Stabmag.com (PPV)

“I like this board in the air, it goes straight to my feet and feels like its connected to me” – Nathan

 

 

5150- 5’9 x 18.9 x 2.15 – Vol: 30.2 l.

“It’s my favorite shortboard I have ever had” – NF

 

(R) 5150- 5’4 x 19 x 2.2 – Vol: 28.5 l. (L) 5150- 5’5 x 18.9 x 2.15 – Vol: 28.2 l.

Family, Industry
Video

Late Drop — Jamie Mitchell Hosts Nathan Fletcher

 

Timeline

0:00: Global influence of Dad Herbie Fletcher, Herbie starting the JetSki movement, Different alternative parenting, Growing up a Fletcher, Quitting surfing as a teen and going to snow/skate, Finding his own path in the world

10:16: Motocross influence, Breaking something and getting to know fear in order to come back to surfing, Getting good at multiple disciplines

15:45: Gotcha Pro event in Tahiti, Quitting motocross to surf the event, Getting the wave of his life in event, Doing the Surfing Magazine Air Shows, Getting sponsored by Vans,

22:31: Becoming a heavy waterman, Using a helmet for safety, Tom Carroll’s helmet advice, Starting to tow then going back to paddling in in 1998, Using a life vest for big waves back then, Adrenaline as therapy

37:34: Big waves/Nature connecting humans to each other, Being in “the zone,” Vulnerability making you a better person, Quads on boards and Nate’s influence, Quads vs thruster vs twin fins in big waves

53:36: Giant Cloudbreak with Bruce Irons, Kohl, and Hippo, Tahiti Code Red Swell, The Wave of the swell and the wipeout,

1:06:16: Close call in Chile, Nearly drowning in Chile, His epiphany after that, Why he still surfs big waves, His realization

1:15:57: Nathan’s 5-to-Finish Questions

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Kevin Cortez wins snapt4 wildcard

And the winner is…..
Kevin Cortez wins the Snapt4 Wild Card spot!!! With 8,000 total votes submitted and a class of heavy hitters including Kevin Schulz, Anthony Fillingham, and Jacob “Zeke” Szekely, Kevin was able to secure the bag with a huge amount support from friends, family and fans around the world. Its no wonder why Kevin got the call, the insanely talented Nicaraguan has been dropping clips almost daily for the past two years on his IG showcasing his abilities as well as the amazing support from his Playa Colorados community. Excited to see what is in store! Congrats Kevin!!!
Kevin Cortez now has a year to collect clips for his chance at a grand prize of $40k or a 2nd/3rd place winnings of 10k. Winning the Wild Card spot from “Zeke” seemed difficult with Szekely’s recent NBD’s coming out of Waco but going up head to head against the likes of Parker Coffin, Jack Robinson, Seth and Josh Moniz will be the true test and sight to see. Don’t count Kevin out, with his love for progressive surfing and a newly lit fire under himself, you can count on the Playa Colorodos community to back their local hero to the top. Cheers Kev -Stretch Family