Channel Islands Better Everyday
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The Channel Islands Better Everyday is Al Merrick's evolution of the everyday shortboard concept, refined over decades of shaping for the world's best competitive surfers. It is a rider-driven design built for surfers who want one board that handles a broad range of wave conditions without compromise, from waist-high beach break to overhead reef and point surf.
Better Everyday Surfboard Design
The outline centers on a relaxed hip that flows through the midsection into a swallow tail. That hip placement keeps rail-to-rail transitions smooth and connected rather than snappy, giving the board a flowing feel through carves and bottom turns. The swallow tail adds bite and hold on steeper faces while preserving the looseness the shape is known for. A subtle tail flip increases release through the lip without sacrificing drive, making the board responsive in punchy, critical sections as well as on longer, drawn-out power turns.
The rocker is moderate, balanced to generate paddle speed and early entry in softer conditions while still tracking through steeper pockets without getting locked in. Bottom contours move from a subtle single concave through the entry into a double concave that fans through the fins, amplifying speed and directional sensitivity underfoot.
The Better Everyday is configured as a thruster (three-fin setup) as noted in the Rithum product data, designed to suit intermediate and advanced surfers who prioritize drive, control, and all-around versatility. The polyurethane construction gives the board a responsive, lively flex that many performance surfers prefer for its immediate feedback through turns.
Who Rides the Better Everyday and What Waves Does It Suit?
Channel Islands describes the ability level as intermediate to advanced, and that characterization is accurate. This is not a board designed to aid the learning process; it rewards surfers with established bottom-turn technique and the ability to read and position on a wave. The design comes to life when a surfer can apply real rail pressure through the hip and generate speed off the tail on the exit.
Wave range is wide: the board handles anything from waist-knee high to well overhead. In smaller, weaker surf the relaxed hip and swallow tail keep the board from feeling stiff or unresponsive. In overhead-plus conditions the moderate entry rocker and concave bottom provide the hold and channel needed to draw out longer lines without slipping out. It performs across beach break, reef, and point surf, making it a genuine quiver-of-one option for surfers surfing Florida's beach break and traveling to reef and point destinations.
Channel Islands Better Everyday vs. Happy Everyday
The Better Everyday builds directly on the Happy Everyday platform. The two boards share a DNA but differ in feel and range. The Better Everyday carries a smoother outline through the hip and more tail rocker, which shifts it toward a flowing, rail-focused style of surfing and extends its comfort range into moderately larger, more powerful waves. Surfers who prefer a snappier, more vertical attack often favor the Happy Everyday; surfers who want more glide, more hold on the rail, and more range in building surf trend toward the Better Everyday. The autocomplete data confirms this comparison is one of the most common questions buyers ask, so check both pages on this site if you are deciding between them.
Fins for the Better Everyday
The Better Everyday ships without fins included. Fin choice has a significant effect on how the board surfs. A stiffer, more upright set produces drive and hold in powerful surf. A more raked, flexible set loosens the pivot and suits smaller, punchier waves. Both fin box systems are represented in the variant selector on this page, so check which box configuration your preferred fins are compatible with before ordering. If you have questions about fin selection for your weight and the waves you surf most, call our store team at 954-427-4929.
Channel Islands Surfboards and Al Merrick
Channel Islands Surfboards is a privately held shaping operation in Santa Barbara, California, founded by Al Merrick. The brand has shaped boards for virtually every World Surf League champion of the modern era. The Better Everyday carries that competitive lineage into a design built for everyday surfers rather than contest heat performance, translating the feel and geometry of world-class boards into a range that works for the surfers who actually buy and ride them in conditions that are rarely perfect.
Island Water Sports has carried Channel Islands for years and stocks a selection of CI models across performance shortboards, step-ups, and alternative shapes. If you want to compare the Better Everyday to another CI model in person, visit one of our South Florida locations or call 954-427-4929.
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Specifications
- Brand
- Channel Islands Surfboards
- Shaper
- Al Merrick
- Model
- Better Everyday
- Board Type
- Shortboard
- Construction
- Polyurethane (PU)
- Fin System
- Thruster (three-fin) , fin box options shown in variant selector
- Fins Included
- No
- Ability Level
- Intermediate / Advanced
- Wave Range
- Waist-knee high to overhead and beyond
- Tail Shape
- Swallow tail
- Ideal Conditions
- Beach break, reef, point surf
Size & Dimensions
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5'4" | 18 1/4" | 2 1/8" | 22.3L |
| 5'5" | 18 1/2" | 2 3/16" | 23.6L |
| 5'6" | 18 3/4" | 2 1/4" | 24.9L |
| 5'7" | 19" | 2 5/16" | 26.3L |
| 5'8" | 19 1/4" | 2 3/8" | 27.8L |
| 5'9" | 19 1/2" | 2 7/16" | 29.3L |
| 5'10" | 19 3/4" | 2 1/2" | 30.8L |
| 5'11" | 20" | 2 9/16" | 32.4L |
| 6'0" | 20 1/4" | 2 5/8" | 34.1L |
| 6'1" | 20 1/2" | 2 5/8" | 35.0L |
| 6'2" | 20 5/8" | 2 3/4" | 37.3L |
| 6'3" | 20 3/4" | 2 3/4" | 38.1L |
| 6'4" | 21" | 2 7/8" | 40.8L |
Full manufacturer size chart. Sizes available to order are shown in the selector above.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Channel Islands Better Everyday surfboard good for?
- The Better Everyday is a high-performance shortboard designed for intermediate to advanced surfers who want one board that covers a wide range of conditions. It excels from waist-high to well overhead across beach break, reef, and point surf, thanks to a relaxed hip outline, swallow tail, and moderate entry rocker that balance paddle ease with rail-to-rail responsiveness in more powerful waves.
- Is the Channel Islands Better Everyday good for beginners?
- No. Channel Islands rates it for intermediate to advanced surfers. It rewards established technique, particularly the ability to load a bottom turn and drive off the tail. Beginners and improvers will find the board unforgiving. If you are earlier in your surfing progression, visit our store or call 954-427-4929 and we can point you toward a more appropriate shape.
- What size Better Everyday should I ride?
- Sizing depends on your weight, fitness level, the waves you surf most, and how much volume you prefer underfoot. The manufacturer's full dimensions chart is on this page: find your target volume using common guidelines (typically 0.35 to 0.45 times your body weight in kg for intermediate surfers, lower for advanced), then match that to the length column. The variant selector on this page shows which lengths are currently available. Call 954-427-4929 if you want a size recommendation from our team.
- What fins does the Better Everyday use?
- The Better Everyday is a thruster (three-fin) setup. It does not include fins. Both major fin box systems are available as options in the variant selector on this page. Fin choice meaningfully affects how the board surfs: stiffer and more upright gives drive and hold, more raked and flexible loosens the tail. Our store team at 954-427-4929 can help you match a fin to your weight and surf style.
- How does the Better Everyday compare to the Happy Everyday?
- Both boards share a family resemblance but differ in feel and intended range. The Better Everyday has a smoother outline through the hip and more tail rocker, pushing it toward flowing, rail-focused surfing with more range in overhead-plus surf. The Happy Everyday is snappier and more oriented to vertical, above-the-lip surfing in smaller, punchier conditions. If you surf a broad mix of wave sizes and want one board to handle it all, the Better Everyday is the stronger choice. If you primarily surf waist-to-head-high punchy beach break and want maximum pop, the Happy Everyday may suit you better.
- What construction is the Better Everyday made in?
- The variant carried at Island Water Sports is polyurethane (PU) construction, the traditional glassed shortboard build. PU is valued by performance surfers for its flex response and immediate feel through turns. Channel Islands offers other construction options through their own channels; if you have a specific preference, call us at 954-427-4929 to discuss what we have on hand.
- Is the Channel Islands Better Everyday a good surfboard for South Florida waves?
- Yes, it is a capable board for South Florida's typical beach break conditions. The moderate rocker and relaxed hip keep the board moving through soft, punchy Atlantic surf without feeling sluggish. On the better days, when the surf builds to overhead and above, the board's hold and drive through the concave bottom become more apparent. The wide wave range is one reason the Better Everyday is a popular choice for surfers who want a board that works across South Florida's variable swell and also travels well.