Odysea Special Pro Tri-Fin
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The Odysea Special: Catch Surf's High-Performance Soft Top Thruster
The Catch Surf Odysea Special Pro Tri-Fin is not your average soft top. It is the board Catch Surf built for surfers who want real performance feel from a forgiving, soft-foam construction. Descended from the DNA of two iconic Catch Surf shapes, it carries a snub-nosed outline that looks stubby on the beach but generates surprising speed and drive in the water.
This is the board that helped put the Odysea soft top line on the map with serious surfers. Catch Surf has spent years attracting world-class team riders who push these boards in massive surf, on massive airs, and through long critical sections, proving that soft construction and high-performance surfing are not mutually exclusive. The Special is the model that embodies that philosophy most directly.
Shape, Rocker, and Bottom Contours Explained
The Special carries a distinct shortboard-inspired outline compressed into a compact, wide-nosed template. The nose is blunt and rounded, which adds float and paddle power without sacrificing the snappy, skatey feel underfoot once you are moving down the line.
The rocker profile features a deep entry concave through the nose that transitions to a vee out through the tail. That combination does a specific job: the concave channels water and builds speed when the board is flat on the face, while the vee lifts and releases through the fins when you engage the rail for a turn. The result is a board that feels lively and quick to pivot rather than stiff or tracking.
The wide mid-section keeps the board stable underfoot and forgiving in choppier conditions, which makes it accessible for intermediate surfers building confidence on a thruster. At the same time, that same width gives experienced surfers a platform for skatey, snappy surfing in weaker, mushier waves where a conventional shortboard simply does not generate enough speed to do anything interesting.
Thruster Fin Configuration
The Special runs a thruster setup with three fins, the classic tri-fin arrangement that balances drive and hold with the ability to release and snap through turns. For a board this compact and wide, the thruster configuration keeps the tail from sliding out unpredictably and channels the speed built by those bottom contours into directional drive off the bottom and through the pocket.
The fins are positioned to suit the short, wide template, giving the board a centered, controlled feel that rewards surfers who surf from the back foot without punishing those still learning where to place their weight.
The Welcome Collab: BK21-Black
This version of the Special is the Welcome collaboration colorway. The deck is a deep matte black with Odysea branding, and the underside carries Welcome's signature dark illustration work on a mint teal base. The Welcome collab is one of the more sought-after Odysea graphics runs: the artwork is bold, dark, and genuinely different from the usual surf-brand aesthetic. If you want a soft top that does not look like every other soft top in the lineup, this is it.
Who Surfs the Odysea Special Pro
The Special sits at an interesting intersection of skill levels. Intermediate surfers who are comfortable on a shortboard shape but want the forgiveness and durability of a soft top will get the most out of it. The compact outline rewards surfers who already know how to generate speed from their body position and timing rather than relying on the board's length to carry them.
Experienced surfers looking for a high-fun small-wave board, a travel board that takes abuse, or simply something different to ride on the days when conditions do not justify pulling out a performance shortboard will find the Special holds up to serious surfing. It has the pedigree: the Catch Surf team has been filmed surfing these boards in legitimate surf for years.
Beginners transitioning off a longboard who want a challenge will find this shape a step up in difficulty, but the soft construction keeps it safe and manageable during the learning curve.
Soft Top Construction and Durability
Odysea boards use a stiff dual-composite core with internal stringers that give the board a rigid, responsive feel that is notably different from the flexy, noodle-like feel of entry-level foam boards. The deck foam is soft and grippy, so wax is optional, and the slick bottom skin is durable against dings, reef contact, and the general punishment that comes with a board used hard and traveled often.
The soft rails and forgiving construction make it a smart choice for surf lessons, crowded lineups, and anywhere a hard-rail board creates safety concerns. Have questions about whether the Special is the right fit for your surf style or the conditions you typically surf? Call us at 954-427-4929 or use the variant selector on this page to confirm your size.
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Specifications
- Brand
- Catch Surf / Odysea
- Model
- Special Pro Tri-Fin
- Collab
- Welcome (BK21-Black)
- Construction
- Soft top (foam deck, slick bottom, dual-composite stiff core)
- Fin Setup
- Thruster (3-fin)
- Board Type
- Soft Top Shortboard
- Skill Level
- Intermediate to Advanced
- Wave Range
- Small to medium surf, mushy to punchy
- Gender
- Unisex
Size & Dimensions
| Length | Width | Thickness | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'6" | 19.75" | 2.5" | 32 L |
Full manufacturer size chart. Sizes available to order are shown in the selector above.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Odysea Special a good soft top for intermediate surfers?
- Yes. The Special is built for surfers who are past the beginner stage and want a soft top that can keep up with their surfing. The thruster fin setup, responsive bottom contours, and stiff core give it a feel closer to a performance shortboard than a traditional learner foam board. Intermediates who can already generate their own speed and link turns will enjoy what this shape does in small to medium surf.
- What kind of waves is the Odysea Special designed for?
- The Special was designed for small to medium-sized surf, particularly the kind of mushy, punchy beachbreak waves that are hardest to make interesting on a conventional shortboard. The wide outline and deep entry concave help generate speed in softer conditions, while the vee through the tail keeps the board responsive enough to work in punchier, faster waves as well.
- What is the difference between the Odysea Special and the Odysea Stump?
- The Special was developed as a shape that blends the snub-nosed compact outline of the Beater Original with influences from the Stump, resulting in a board that is wider through the nose and mid-section than a standard shortboard but carries more performance-oriented bottom contours than either of those parent shapes alone. The Special prioritizes thruster-driven drive and snappy turning over the raw looseness of the Stump.
- Does the Odysea Special come with fins?
- Yes, the Special Pro Tri-Fin comes with three fins included, set up in a thruster configuration. No additional fin purchase is required.
- Do I need wax on an Odysea Special soft top?
- The soft foam deck provides natural grip, so wax is not strictly necessary. Many surfers add a light coat of wax to their preferred foot positions, but the board is fully surfable straight out of the box without it.
- How do I choose the right size for the Odysea Special?
- The Special is a single-size model. Check the variant selector on this page for what is currently available and confirm it suits your size and ability. If you want a personal recommendation based on your height, weight, and surfing level, call us at 954-427-4929 and our staff can help.
- Is the Odysea Special a good board for surfing mushy, small waves?
- Yes. The compact wide template and volume-forward shape are specifically suited to generating speed and fun in weaker surf. The deep entry concave accelerates the board through flat sections, making it one of the better soft top options for the kind of small, slow-rolling surf that can be hard to ride on longer, thinner performance boards.