Board Battle: Hayden Nova Vs. Sharpeye Disco Inferno

Hayden Nova vs Sharpeye Disco Inferno

At first glance, the Hayden Nova and the Sharpeye Disco Inferno both live in the same category: modern, small-to-average wave shortboards built to maximize speed and fun when conditions aren’t perfect. Look closer, though, and their design intent begins to separate. The Nova leans toward accessibility, wave count, and playful speed, while the Disco Inferno sits closer to the performance end of the spectrum, favoring control, precision, and a more refined shortboard feel.

The Hayden Nova is built around the idea that most sessions happen in average surf. Its wider outline and generous planing surface are there to create speed without effort. Paddling is easy, entry is early, and once you’re up, the board accelerates quickly with minimal input. The balanced rocker keeps it from feeling flat or sticky, allowing it to handle steeper sections better than many grovelers, while still retaining that lively, skate-forward energy. The Nova feels forgiving underfoot and naturally fast, encouraging you to take off deeper, fit into tighter pockets, and link sections without constantly pumping.

That ease of use is a major strength, but it also defines the Nova’s ceiling. The extra width and surface area that make it so fun in weak or average surf can feel loose or less locked-in when waves get more powerful. Surfers who rely heavily on hard rail engagement and aggressive carving may find the Nova prefers speed and flow over committed, rail-dominant turns. It excels as a daily driver and confidence booster, but it isn’t designed to replace a true high-performance shortboard in demanding conditions.

The Sharpeye Disco Inferno, by contrast, is much more performance-driven in its DNA. As the forerunner to the Inferno 72, it carries a clear competition influence. The medium entry rocker paired with a flatter exit gives it instant acceleration off the takeoff, but the narrower outline and medium rails provide a noticeably more controlled, precise feel once you’re setting a line. The single-to-double concave bottom generates lift and speed early, then channels water cleanly through the fins to maintain drive through turns. Where the Nova feels playful and forgiving, the Disco Inferno feels sharper and more deliberate. It responds quickly to input and rewards good technique, particularly from intermediate to advanced surfers who know how to load the rail and project through turns. Speed comes not just from planing, but from clean lines and committed surfing. That makes it more predictable and confidence-inspiring when pushing harder through turns, especially in chest- to head-high everyday surf.

The trade-off is accessibility. The Disco Inferno doesn’t paddle or enter waves quite as effortlessly as the Nova, and it’s less forgiving if your timing or positioning is off. It’s also not designed for truly steep or hollow waves, but its strengths clearly lean more toward precision and control than pure wave-count efficiency. Beginners or casual surfers may find it less immediately friendly, while more experienced surfers will appreciate how composed it feels when surfed properly.

In everyday conditions, the difference in personality becomes clear. The Nova wants to maximize fun: more waves, less effort, faster sessions. It shines in beach breaks, softer points, and even wave pools, adapting easily across environments and skill levels. The Disco Inferno wants to elevate performance: cleaner turns, better projection, and a more refined shortboard rhythm, especially when the waves have some structure and push.

The Hayden Nova is the better choice if your priority is speed with ease, wave count, and a playful, confidence-building ride that works across a wide range of conditions and skill levels. The Sharpeye Disco Inferno is the better choice if you want an everyday shortboard that still feels sharp and performance-oriented, rewarding stronger technique with control and electric response.

In simple terms, the Nova turns average surf into fun surf. The Disco Inferno turns average surf into a performance canvas.

Learn more on Hayden Nova here

Learn more on Disco Inferno here