The Pyzel Red Tiger is a fresh take on the high-performance shortboard, inspired by John John Florence’s exploration of alternative boards during time away from the competition circuit. The design began with JJF's love for the 5'6" White Tiger, a flat-rockered “funformance” board, and evolved into something tour-ready for when conditions are far from perfect. The result is a board built to thrive in average-to-weak surf—without sacrificing elite-level performance.
The outline of the Red Tiger leans slightly fuller than a traditional HPSB, with the wide point placed just behind center to encourage back-foot driven surfing. A generous squash tail with a subtle hip near the front fins adds drive, lift, and aerial pop, while maintaining a responsive pivot point for tight, controlled turns.
The rocker is the flattest in Pyzel’s HPSB lineup, giving the board instant and sustained speed from the takeoff, through flat sections, and in gutless conditions. To counteract the drawbacks of a flat rocker—namely a tendency to feel sticky or flat—the board features JJF’s preferred bottom contour: single to double concave through the front two-thirds, transitioning into a deep double concave with vee off the tail. This allows for smooth rail transitions, vertical surfing, and quick redirections in tight pockets.
The foil is balanced but slightly favors thickness in the rear, helping generate lift and flow in weaker surf. A flat-ish deck keeps foam distributed toward the rails, which are fuller just inside the outline for float, then tapered for bite and control.
Pros:
Exceptional in weaker surf: Built for speed, lift, and maneuverability in below-average to average waves.
Flat rocker with tuned contours: Combines easy speed generation with rail-to-rail responsiveness and tight-turn ability.
Great for aerials and pocket surfing: Hip in outline and wide tail block aid release and pop.
Tour-level performance: Despite its ease of use, this board still rips when the waves improve.
Versatile volume and sizing options: Can be sized shorter and slightly wider without compromising feel.
Cons:
Not a full groveler: While excellent in average surf, it’s not as loose or floaty as a true small-wave board in knee-high slop.
May require sizing adjustment: Best performance comes with slightly shorter and wider dimensions than your standard HPSB.
Summary:
The Red Tiger is a finely tuned blend of fun and function—bringing flat rocker speed and explosive responsiveness into a shape that performs at a high level, even when the surf doesn’t. Designed at JJF’s request, it bridges the gap between playful performance and tour-ready precision. Ideal for surfers looking to add spark to average sessions, it’s a standout choice for anyone chasing consistency and progression when the waves are less than epic.
