NECK BEARD 2

When something isn’t broke, there’s no need to fix it. That said, Britt Merrick and Dane Reynolds still felt a few slight refinements would make an already epic board that much better. And it did: The merits to this update can be seen in Dane’s new surf film “The Electric Acid Surfboard Test.”

A big fan of single concave, Dane asked Britt to take out the vee from the original Neck Beard, creating single throughout. This changed the rocker landscape some, but in a very positive way—enhancing its wave entry, down-the-line speed, and overall control. They also widened the tail block 1/2” and added a slight hip, resulting in increased responsiveness and maneuverability.

Dane prefers the Neck Beard 2 as a tri-fin, but those that like quads may notice added down-the-line speed. It comes with a five-fin setup to get the best of both worlds. Available in both PU/PE and EPS Spine-Tek.

[ BASED ON RECOMMENDED SETUP ]

X X

X

THRUSTER

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH THE NECK BEARD 2

Pluses + Fun, fast, loose yet forgiving + Easy to catch waves and generate speed + Great shape for airs (apparently ) Minuses – Limited wave range – better for average waves – Too loose in larger, higher quality waves. I found the Neck Beard’s outline difficult to control once the swell went beyond overhead Best Wave Type Mushy, onshore cr*p and any other sectioning, average wave you can find from waist to head high. This is the only board I’ve ever owned that feels better in lower quality vs. higher quality waves.

NECK BEARD 2 REVIEWS

"Fast and loose – and apparently good for airs – this skatey small wave creation will have you tearing apart even the worst conditions.Immediately after purchasing the Neck Beard by Channel Islands, I was told by the kindly young proprietor of foam and resin that the core purpose of the Neck Beard 2 is to “boost airs.” I haven’t and probably never will land and air (anytime I end up in the air while surfing it is purely accidental and usually ends badly) so I was mildly apprehensive going into my first surf on the Channel Islands Neck Beard.

The conditions at a beach break close to my home were not ideal: head high but a little bit onshore and dumpy. Still, there were a few fun runners sneaking through.

After my first wave, buyer’s remorse subsided. The Neck Beard took a steep drop despite the wider nose and catapulted me down the line. I found the board fast, responsive and, importantly, lots of fun to surf in average conditions.

Later, I took the Neck Beard 2 out in slightly larger waves at more lined up beach break and it still performed well although I felt myself longing for something slightly less skatey and with a bit more rocker for better waves.

Overall, the Channel Islands Neck Beard 2 is a fantastic, fun board that will get a lot of play if you live in a place where quality waves are the exception, not the rule." comparesurfboards.com"

Cheyne Cottrell