Stretch Boards blog for product reviews, team updates and factory news.
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
Surfer: Darshan Gooch
Height/weight: 6’4″ 185lbs.
When did you start surfing twins?
One of my first subscriptions to Surfing magazine in the early nineties, there was a feature on a variety of different fish’s ( I believe it was before Lost’s 5’5” x 19 1/4” video.) Probably in my early teens that whole fish revolution wave came through. And then again down the road in the early 2000’s. Luckily I had some friends that allowed me access to some classic twin keel type boards that really freaked me out a little bit.
There has been some dabbling through the years.
When did you switch to surfing twins exclusively?
Probably 2 plus years ago now. I purged all my thrusters and just went head first into a twin fin exploration.
Reason for the change?
Well, I think I was just having so much fun! Originally I had this mind set that I was riding twins because they thrived in small surf and it was something different. Then I kinda got to this place where I only wanted to ride contemporary short boards when the waves were really good.
But honestly, the first 2WIN I got from Stretch started shining in decent waves as well. I just felt some electricity and excitement, so there was an eagerness to keep going / learning!
After spending nearly 25 years forcing thrusters in all types of conditions, I think it just felt good to be a little more loose and free in the approach. It kinda became a quest for me to see if we could get the twins adapted to good surf, even though others had already done it before.
One of the things I appreciate about Stretch’s approach is he doesn’t want to take the shortcut and see what or how others are doing it with their equipment, he insists on honoring the process and finding his own way. Further down the road, Stretch explained to me that these twins were basically a modern version of the boards he was ridding at some of the beloved home spots years ago.
What boards do you opt for during winter swells?
All depending of coarse, but mostly ranging from 6’1” to 6’10” single or double wing round pins . All twins, no trailer fin. Tazy has been ridding twin fins at Mavericks for some years now.
Has surfing twins limited any of your performance surfing?
Good question! On this twin fin journey, I have basically relinquished my mental association with “performance surfing”. It’s all just been learning a new dance. You can do everything as one would on a three or four fin surfboard. There is no limitations, it’s just an altered approach I think. Part of it is learning to engage in your rails a little more and utilizing the outline of your board. Naturally twin fins are fast, so you are giving less effort and receiving more. Tighter angled trajectories become a little different because you are usually working on bleeding speed just as a race car might be down shifting into a turn before accelerating .
What do you want to improve on design/surfing with the current boards?
It’s been great fun! Mostly I am happy with my boards and where we are at right now in the process. We have been working on various flex patterns and playing with different constructions. Also, Now we have kinda moved into some different outlines as well. Basically just keep the learning and passion moving forward. That’s where the fun is at for me.
What’s next?
Well, I think we are in a pretty good place. I don’t think I will be going back to thrusters at this point personally.
More recently Stretch and I have moved into some more classic type twin fish’s. Perhaps there is some opportunity to explore the balance between performance capabilities within that particular genre of the twin keel fish.
Cheers Darshan!
Board model: 2win – 5’11 x 19.75 x 2.4 – Vol: 31.1L.
“INSTANT CLASSIC” ALONG SIDE ONE OF STRETCH’S OLD SHAPES VIA 1982
Board model: Retro 2win Fish – 5’10 x 20.5 x 2.4 – Vol: 34.6L.
“A perfect fit for open face waves or pointbreaks, A bit cruisier and fun than serious.” – Darshan
Photo: Guerin Myall @myallsnaps
Board model: Double Wing RP 2WIN – 5’11 X 19.25 X 2.38 – Vol: 31.13L.
2WIN DFT- 5’11 X 19.25 X 2.38 photo: DARSHAN GOOCH
“covers all the bases from average to decent waves, and fitting nicely into waves with tighter transitions.” – Darshan
photo: Bryan Garrison @wetfeetphoto
Board model: 2WIN Step Up – 6’1 x 19.25 x 2.35 – Vol: 30.64L.
“Ideal for slightly larger waves, either covering more ground (down the line speed) or a little more hold in the North / Central Ca winter beach breaks.” – Darshan
Photo: Guerin Myall @myallsnaps
Nic Von Rupp has had a BIG year. He has endured cold water, heavy poundings and big barrels from Nazaré, Mavericks, Mullaghmore to Jaws. His ability to travel and surf anything is what sets him apart from the crowds. Making a huge push towards why he should be included on the 2019 WSL Big Wave Tour roster. Cant wait to see what is in store for next year! Enjoy!
Watch Nic and his 2018/19 XXL campaign below in “BRUSCO”. Music by Mars Red Sky – Strong Reflection
Edit by Felix Gansicke
Brusco from Nic von Rupp on Vimeo.
Nic’s 2018/19 XXL Quiver
CompGun – 9’0 x 20 x 2.65 – Vol: 69.4l.
CompGun – 9’6 x 20 x 3.5 – Vol: 70.8l.
CompGun – 9’9 Nathan’s Mav’s Knife
CompGun – 10’4 x 20.75 x 3.7 – Vol: 84.5
BuzzGun – 9’6 x 19.25 x 3.5 – Vol: 70L.
BuzzGun – 10’4 x 20.25 x 3.8 – Vol: 85.7l.
NIC’S Nazaré 9’6 AND 10’4 BUZZGUN’S
9’6 AND 10’4 COMPGUN’S
NEW DFT 9’0 KNIFE
“The 2×4 will increase your top speed, no doubt about that. There is a particular flex that you get when you are projecting down the line. A sensation that I obsess about” – @noamizuno
‘If you know, then you know’ is basically how word gets around about our 2×4 model. Without much exposure, it has continued to become surfers top choice of equipment for the hopeful mysteries of waves like Skeleton bay, Teahapoo, Pipeline, Honolua Bay, Kandui lefts and pretty much any wave on earth that one must push the limits of what’s possible.
Noa Mizuno’s 2×4 Legacy – 5’7 x 18.5 x 2.25 Vol: 25.1l.
With Koa Smith and Benji Brand both winning big paychecks from GoPro on matching equipment in Namibia, this board has been put to the ultimate test in stamina barrel riding and has came out victorious.
“I definitely couldn’t have made that wave without that board” – Koa Smith
Koa’s $35,000 GoPro winner Photo: Alan Van Gysen
“This thing helped me get drained all over the globe… 20 second barrels in Africa, 10ft Newport Beach, Nicaragua, Tahiti, Mexico and Hawaii. I need copies of this “2X4″ asap” – @koasmith
Koa Smith’s 2×4 Legacy – 5’9” x 18.65” x 2.3” Vol: 26.4l.
Koa Smith Photo: Alan Van Gysen
Benji Brand’s $20,000 GoPro Winner
“Fastest board around.” – @benjibrand
Brand brothers. 2×4 Legacy’ – 5’8″ x 18.5″ x 2.3″ Vol: 25.9l.
This past year Noa Mizuno and Nate Behl put on an absolute show at Kandui Lefts riding none other than their trusty 2×4’s. Again making it a tried and true choice of board for the “unknown” that surfers are faced with when traveling to places with no idea what to expect.
“I’ll never ride anything else ever again at Kandui Left. Boards are literally like cheating out there compared to anything else I’ve ridden in 12 years ” – @justisstjohn
“That board as a quad seriously felt like a Tesla on autopilot cruising a foam ball.” – @natemcnasty
Noa Mizuno in the drivers seat. Photo: Justis St John
Nate Behl on a nasty one. Kandui Lefts Photo: Justis St John
Nate’s 2×4 CFT round pin – 6’0 x 19 x 2.3 Vol: 28.7l.
“Want to make own your own?”
order a new custom board with 3-5 week turnaround time*
$865 = EPS/EPOXY (2.0pcf Marko foam core glassed with EPOXY resin)
$965 = CFT (eps/epoxy with deck channels, bamboo stringer, bias weave S-glass)
$1,025 = DFT (eps/epoxy with deck channels, vacuum bagged bamboo inlay stringer, bias weave S-glass)
$1,550 = LEGACY (CFT with cork deck/rails and bamboo bottom)
Contact: info@stretchboards.com for orders/questions
Darshan and his new 2win in “DFT” Construction
Dampened Flex Technology
$750 standard + $235 upgrade = $985
DFT from Stretch Boards on Vimeo.
Couple of “DFT”s for Jamie O’brien
Check out what models William Aliotti regularly packs into his bag for travel.
height/weight:
1.75m by 70 KG
(5’8″ 165lbs.)
3k uni-directional carbon fiber tail strip reinforcements
Future ILT fin system with Jordy Smith Medium HC 4.54″ height by 4.59″ base
Whether threading through gutting tubes on his frontside or wafting tail-free drifts in small points on his backhand, Willy finds the Lil Buddy as his “go-to” board. photo: david aumentado
Lil Buddy squash tail – 5’10” x 18.187″ x 2.13″ vol. 24.3L
“personally the Lil Buddy is the board for me that i can take on any trip ! for any kind of condition like proper barrel 4 to 6 ft and in normal and mellow waves from 2 to 4 ft ( the lil buddy model will be the first one in the board bag”
Willy cracks a frontside ollie on his 5’8″ skate. photo: @laurentpujol
Skate swallow tail – 5’8″ x 18.25″ x 2.187″ vol. 24.5L
“the second board that i will always take on a trip is the Skate ! when the wind swoop on shore this board become amazing and really skatey on shity waves”
thing v2 CFT 5’9″ x 18.187″ x 2.13″
Thing v2 squash tail – 5’9″ x 18.187″ x 2.13″ vol. 24.8L
2×4 step up round pin – 6’4″ x 18.25″ x 2.4″ vol. 29.5L * modified nose outline and tail rocker
“…and to finish my perfect last boards of the quiver on barrel destination i will always the 2X4 step up and normal short board”
aiming for the cosmos on his cosmic color lam thing v2. photo: @chroniclesofchristie
“i trust stretch surfboard more then any other! i just thinks they are super solid and so performance! they stay magic forever and never get old”
Willy has switched from his rocket red airbrushes into the dark side. Apparently Stretch didn’t get the memo when he decided to surprise Willy with this neon twinnie!
The globe trotting Frenchman seemingly finds himself sliding into more fun waves every time we look. Here’s what he’s been getting his feet into lately:
Benjamin Sanchis (a.k.a.- Sancho)
laundry day quiver shoot. photo: manu migueles photography
“Where do you like to surf these models?”
i really enjoy more on reef breaks and points. i can surf the 2×4 6’0″ on an everyday basis in the canaries from slabs to fun powerful reefs.
i surf the mr. buzz everyday also when the waves are small, or fun little waves where my chick surfs.
also in points but work good in little slabs. same for the twins.
“What is it that you like or don’t like about any of these boards?”
the 6’0″ can feel a bit stiff at the drop sometimes. works a lot better in glassy/offshore conditions. but, is the fastest board ever! feels really confident. goes good for turn. (stretch should stop bothering putting the 5 fins set up…heheheh) if i had to choose one board to go on trip will be this one.
the Mr Buzz ,
really really user friendly. goes really good with those fins, got lots of flow.
sometimes feels a bit short on the back hand.
perfect for summertime but hold the rail in points also. good for carving.
here’s some fun follow cam footage of the 5’6″ mr. buzz sk8 carving:
the twin is a little devil.
it’s crazy fast! holds the rail in turn but also super loose in turn.
rare for a twin but good on the backhand.
check the video below to see Sancho laying rail on his 5’6″ pugged 2win.
“Are there any comparisons to other boards?”
no. riding those boards is like riding something different which makes it cool. it’s a different vibe.
i have your boards that i have been riding for the last 3 years. no other boards last that long!
“If you had the chance to change anything, what would it be?”
i’d put the factory in europe so it will be easier for me to get boards 🙂 then i could bug stretch all the time in person and talk to him about fins.
sancho slips into a goodie to evaluate quad fin placement back home. photo: manu migueles
through the looking glass. sancho fins his 2×4 round pin getting the hero shot.
Two fins in it to 2win it from Stretch Boards on Vimeo.
What comes to mind when checking out this design?
the importance of rail profile, rocker, edge and fin placement are amplified in twin-fin designs. stretch and darshan examine the minute details.
Considering this is Stretch’s version of a modern twin-fin, it stands alone. Channel Islands has an updated version of the Merrick Twin but i don’t feel that these boards are comparable.
Where do you think this board will shine?
I imagine this board to be very adaptable in an assortment of different waves, mostly waves I wouldn’t consider riding a standard or contemporary shortboard. Most ideally this would be for waves in the thigh to head high range that would be lacking in quality or substantial curve throughout the wave face.
Location/conditions surfed:
Sub average to decently good waves and everything in between: beachbreaks, mushy to decent point waves, wedgey and fairly hollow reefs. This board can be a real “go-getter”!
Initial thoughts/expectations:
Originally I had ordered this board amidst our 2016 summer season in hopes of finding a fun and user-friendly board that would get me excited to surf an assortment of sub-average summer-type waves.
darshan bleeding speed via active rail engagement. photo: Kookson@aol.com santacruzwaves.com
Ride experience:
The “2WIN” immediately turned me into a 14 year old frothing grom again! Like experiencing the excitement of a fish for the first time, there was an immediate spark and sensibility of speed and freedom as soon as you hit your feet. One of my favorite things about the 2WIN is riding that line between casual flow and radicalness. Naturally this board goes fast without the struggle of having to create your speed. It’s up to you where and how you want to use or bleed all that forward trajectory. For me the art of twin-fin surfing is learning how to use and engage the rails more actively, while exploring those boundaries of speed and control.
General observations:
I found it very suiting for the types of waves I surf regularly around Santa Cruz. With uncanny accessibility to an abundance of speed and a natural sense of user friendliness, the 2WIN proved to be very adaptable. What i had initially ordered for so-so summer days, turned into a board I felt confident bringing into larger overhead barreling waves. This is now a board I am having a hard time putting down.
Eventually when I pushed this board into waves that became too steep or square (far outside of it’s intended capabilities) the tail could begin to drift or slide. Sometimes if I mis-stepped behind the fins the board became a bit too squirrely and directionally challenged.
At times I found it challenging to project vertically in tight places, and sporadic situations. I don’t think this board is vertically challenged as much as it needs the appropriate time and space to find it’s optimum line.
Likes/Dislikes:
Strengths = natural speed and user-friendly characteristics.
Weaknesses = Not a “do-it-all” design for me. Need to pay attention to what that back foot is doing.
“If I could choose between this and one other model, I would get the …..
In a perfect world I would choose a 2WIN 2.0 version geared for the winter season and better waves in mind. And have the current 2WIN for a variety of average, to sub average conditions.
Summary:
“Twin it “2-WIN” it!” This board is sure to put a smile on your face especially if you are feeling tired of your conventional shortboards and stuck in the rigidity of habits and routines.
How did the difference in foam core affect performance?
The “2WIN” is the second Varial Foam blank I have tested. Initially Stretch made me two THING’s, a version with a 2.1pcf Marko foam EPS blank with 1/8″ bamboo stringer, and a duplicate THING using Varial Foam, both in CFT construction glassing.
During the sessions where I compared both THING’s, I first noticed a subtle damping effect when surfing the Varial board in semi-chattery conditions. In cleaner conditions there were times when I could feel the board loading up in turns and almost having some subtle springiness qualities as you are unloading pressure. Almost like a rubber band on a very small scale.
My feeling is that Varial could have a lively, more natural – multi dimensional flex pattern as it interacts with the wave and different weight distribution. The subtleties of Varial had proven very hard for me to pick up on immediately, so I was interested in trying it in a summer type surfboard such as the “2WIN”.
Both these boards built with Varial cores were and still are durable. Outside of foot dents, I am amazed that neither boards have had any legitimate dings on them.
Compared to my CFT constructed boards with EPS/EPOXY, both of these Varial foam versions were not “lighter”. The THING built with the Varial foam actually weighed 6oz. more than the Marko foam and bamboo stringer version. There are a lot of variables in surfboard construction of course. Personally I’m not a “team light” kind of person and I don’t mind a little weight and these boards seemed appropriate to me. Not heavy in the slightest degree.
Honestly, I think a custom built surfboard with a longer lifespan is a step in the right direction. Some may find it a challenge to notice the performance differences but maybe that’s where the fun is at, learning and experimentation. Enjoy!
photo: brian garrison
13 unmarked 6’0″ shortboards. 1 anonymous pro surfer. The challenge to create the most high performance surfboard design was underway for the second iteration of Stab Magazine’s resplendent feature project “Stab in the Dark” featuring Dane Reynolds in South Africa.
If you missed the full video then do yourself a favor and indulge 1/2 an hour of your downtime by clicking here to watch
the board:
modified Sword squash tail
6’0″ x 19″ x 2.5″
volume*: 30L+
*not entirely certain on the exact volume since the design criteria was for a newer model to be hand shaped. We have it digitized now and it comes out to 30.2L
CFT med Factory Pro construction:
Futures ILT tri-fin
Would we have liked to see a non-jet lagged Dane Reynolds going mental in 8′ drainers instead of less than ideal beach break conditions? Sure. Well, he didn’t get to ride it again but the limited time he spent getting his feet into it sure was fun to watch!
Would you like to have a crack at riding the same board? For FREE??!!??!! We made a total of 4. All you have to do is go to stabinthedark.stabmag.com and enter to win!
or… if you want one right now then you can scope it at http://store.stretchboards.com/product/the-sword
While California has been vigilant, and for the most part, grateful for grovel boards this past summer. Victoria has been pumping during it’s winter season down under.
Cody Robinson sets a fine example of what his Thing v2 model is capable of doing in some fun looking surf!
Thing V2
5’11 X 18 3/4 X 2 5/16
Rounded Square tail
FCS II MF large
Videographer – Arnold Sykes
Therapy || Cody Robinson from Arnold Sykes on Vimeo.
for more info on the Thing v2 model and construction or to place a custom order in Australia, contact Cory Russell in Ocean Grove, Victoria Ph : 0438 555 967
