Is riding a small wave surfboard sinful? All that extra foam, that shortened length, that user-friendliness... it can certainly make your edges a little softer, kill off a little of your need to push harder. But goddamn it, if surfboards designed for summer-centric waves aren't the most pleasurable little objects. They're a quiver requirement for most everyday surfers now, especially those who live in metropolitans and need something that'll inject some vibrance into a very dull city beach rip bowl.
But, which one is most suited to you? Every shaper worth their dust has a step-down, fish or twin in the range, and the choice can be overwhelming. So, because Stab and Surfstitch live to give, we took Taj Burrow, Craig Anderson and Chippa Wilson to a north coast NSW location, gave them seven anonymous surfboards and had them test and review the crafts.