Pyzel Phantom for small but good-shape beachies?

Pops's picture
Pops started the topic in Friday, 13 Dec 2019 at 12:34pm

I'm looking for a new board to fill a pretty important gap in my quiver. I've got boards for good waves (head to double-over), pushing-my-mediocre-limits waves (double-overhead plus), and gutless slop - but I don't have a board that excels in those good-but-small (waist to head) days. My groveller tends to be a bit slippy, having a very wide tail, and my good-wave board is a bit on the long side. I'm also keen to try a new shaper - I've surfed mostly chillis over the past 10-15 years, also some arakawas, insights, an Annesley and a lost.

Have any of you ridden a Pyzel Phantom? The shape looks like it should go well in what I have in mind, but I'm yet to see one in the flesh.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 20 Feb 2020 at 6:58pm

Best board ever for big, choppy Wellington waves.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Thursday, 20 Feb 2020 at 7:17pm

so how would a ds go as an all rounder?

soggydog's picture
soggydog's picture
soggydog Thursday, 20 Feb 2020 at 7:43pm

Lost doggy was onto it with the Simon 5-spark. Great small wave boards. I like em so much I’m about to order number 3.

I focus's picture
I focus's picture
I focus Thursday, 20 Feb 2020 at 7:45pm

Simba there are a heap of variations my DS is purely for bigger size surf others here I note have a lot less volume and specs are different

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Thursday, 20 Feb 2020 at 8:10pm

Nice review pops, I can only dream of explaining how a board feels like you have on this thread, just dunno how to articulate it!

I'm just about to order another DS, a 6'6". Froth levels are rising

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Friday, 21 Feb 2020 at 3:19am

Simba, I'll let you know when I have some time on my yet to be ordered 6'4.

It won't be an allrounder/DD, but I'll be surfing it a lot around here. We either get flat to small waves or OH reef waves.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 9:30am

Interesting read guys. Am looking for a standard 'performance' board myself. Never bought one of the name boards before. Always stuck with the local fella. Am intrigued about something like the Phantom or Sharp eye HT2.5.

Just a question for those who ride the Desert Storms. Everyone seems to rave about them. Why isn't there as much chatter about Webster's short boards?

Freeride, you don't find them as good?

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 11:08am

If you surf well enough to make a high perf board work (which I gather you certainly do) I don't think you'd go wrong with a Phantom. Plenty of other great boards out there though!
I've never ridden a Webster, so can't comment there.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 11:58am

I've ridden standard shortboards from various local shapers in the past. Lately have been on different sort of crafts from Gary McNeill and other twins etc. I jumped on a couple year-old thruster the other week and loved reengaging with that feeling stability and confidence through turns. Made me think about getting something new like that.
When I say 'performance' I kind of mean bog standard PU shortboard thruster that everyone makes. Something for conditions you have described above: 2-4 foot NSW beach breaks.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 12:01pm

Sounds like you ride similar stuff to me.
It'll fit the bill for sure.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 12:03pm

I've ridden a couple of webby's shorties and didn't like them but there are plenty of guys who rip on them, they just weren't for me.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 12:09pm

Yeah interesting. Different strokes for different folks. Just thought I'd ask to question to those in the Leba area as everyone always talks so much about the DS

Optimist's picture
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Optimist Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 4:20pm

Anything with forward width around 12" and a more pulled tail .Something like a Fred Rubble rounded pin or swallow as a Quad, like kelly rode for ages.

Solitude's picture
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Solitude Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 9:01am

Anyone have a Pyzel Ghost that they find goes well in head high waves? Or does it need to be a big bigger / better ?

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 10:15am

From memory FR might have done a review on the Ghost?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 10:29am

Yes.... over on the Grit

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 10:51am

Thanks, just read it. Sounds good. I'm not sure if I'm surfing quality waves regularly enough from that review.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 11:35am

Yeah, it needs a good shaped wave. But head high will do it.

had a heap more good surfs on it in the swells around TC Uesi.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 11:40am

Starting to get the hang of that turning arc now FR?

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 12:07pm

yeah totally.

had that really nice banked turn snowboard feeling. which you can then push harder and harder on.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 12:20pm

Yeah, I'm really falling in love with that. Seems like it'll take as much as you can give it and then some.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 1:09pm

Are you getting that same feeling on the Phantom Pops?

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 1:27pm

Yeah. Also see my review/comments a little way further up (/on the previous page).
You get this crazy accelaration out the back end of a turn.
Probably not identical to the Ghost, but the two boards do share some DNA.

Edit: I've never snowboarded, so can only guess what FR means by that analogy.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 8:45pm

Solitude ..6.4 Ghost 37L Futures boxes on the Goldy - $380 with 5 Futures fins.

edit : Seller will take $350

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Thursday, 19 Mar 2020 at 3:34pm

that was the biggest and best surf I've had the Ghost out in.

felt a little small on the paddle in thick, 6ft+ ocean-style point surf but deliriously reliable handling once up and riding.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Thursday, 19 Mar 2020 at 3:39pm

How much more juice do you reckon it could handle?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Thursday, 19 Mar 2020 at 3:56pm

not much, for my skill level.

but at a slight increase in length, say 6'3" instead of 6'1", heaps.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Thursday, 19 Mar 2020 at 4:08pm

Still, a 6'1 handling that is doing pretty well in my books.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 6:40pm

Pyzel and John John on board design / Ghost /Shadow
You Tube

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Thursday, 9 Apr 2020 at 8:42pm

https://m.

That bloody insightful. John has a very good head on his shoulders.
Does make me think, what hope do the rest of us have? So many variables that they can control. We’re (avg joe) pinning our hopes on a prayer with our yearly / two yearly purchase.

Another thought, how close are these local ghost shapers (pyzel, JS , DHD, Mayhem etc) coming to what the main shapers are doing with the final product?

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 26 Apr 2020 at 9:05pm

birdfood's picture
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birdfood Thursday, 30 Apr 2020 at 4:27pm

I watched the JJF / Pyzel video last night. Pretty interesting to hear them speak about such specific details on boards that to me seem pretty similar at face value. I'd love to have the skill (and conditions) to be able to feel the differences between them. I found it interesting that JJF rides a 30L board as I thought the pros tended to go for really small boards. The collab board mentioned piqued my interest. The main thing in here I found interesting was Matt Biolos breaking down the fundamental curves of board design and how both shapers (designers) seemed to be leaning towards what sounds like a somewhat minimalist design in outline and rocker.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020 at 7:07pm

Just out of curiosity punched Ghost 6.4 x 201/4 x2 7/8 Thruster into Pyzel Sth Africa

Price given 8500 Rand = $757 AUD shipped Capetown to East coast Aust
https://www.pyzelsurfboards.co.za/collections/surfboards/High-Performance

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020 at 8:16pm

How much if you bought one in Oz ? East coast

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020 at 8:19pm

$925 i think

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020 at 8:21pm

Shit good deal!

eel's picture
eel's picture
eel Thursday, 19 Nov 2020 at 8:24am

Who ships it, Pyzel Sth Africa? I'd be surprised if they shipped to a country where there are plenty of Pyzel suppliers.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 19 Nov 2020 at 8:46am

I filled out full order form with East coast Aust postcode and they gave flat rate international shipping price of R1000 .

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Thursday, 19 Nov 2020 at 9:24am

Reckon there'd be an import tax on top of that?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 19 Nov 2020 at 12:33pm

If applicable + $35 ?
Christ knows how they work out international shipping rates - under $100 for that distance.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Thursday, 21 Jan 2021 at 10:00am

O&E leggie 1-0 Phantom

IMG-20210121-074111
IMG-20210121-074132
IMG-20210121-074145
free picture hosting

udo's picture
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udo Thursday, 21 Jan 2021 at 10:04am

Serves you right shorten the cord

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Thursday, 21 Jan 2021 at 10:05am

Yeah you're not wrong.