Clayton Reflex Spine-Tek Futures Thruster Surfboard

• Overview: Accessible small-to-medium wave shortboard, fine-tuned to help you eke out as much speed and performance as possible. Nice and wide outline with plenty of surface area under the chest, which combined with the flattish rocker makes the Reflex an exceptional paddler
• Shaper: Clayton Nienaber – legendary South African shaper, elite surf coach, high-performance renaissance man
• Construction: Spine-Tek consists of a stringerless EPS blank, a composite spine embedded in the foam, and epoxy resin. Clayton Nienaber was actually instrumental in developing this hugely popular technology, now co-licensed to Channel Islands, so he knows how to get the most out of it
• Tail: Swallow
• Rails: Full and forgiving, helping you keep your speed in gutless surf as you go from rail to rail
• Rocker: Relatively low throughout, but with a bit of lift in the nose and tail so it won't hamper performance
• Concave: Single to double
• Fin System: Futures
• Fin Set-Up: Tri-fin
• Rider Ability: Intermediate and above
• Suitable Conditions: Anything up to head-high is where the Reflex thrives, though it's not a full-on groveller, and could certainly handle bigger

A brilliant shortboard option for surfers in or around the intermediate bracket who are looking to up their game, particularly in smaller surf. User-friendliness is what distinguishes the design; when you need your equipment to help you out, whether because the waves are lacking grunt or because you’re not getting in the water as much as you’d like, the Reflex answers the call.

It helps you catch waves, then helps you ride them. As soon as you get on it, you’ll notice the paddle power – for a shortboard it moves through the water so quickly and smoothly, even with minimal input (it carries its momentum over slow, mushy sections in much the same way).

All of this means easy take-offs and effortless speed, but the volume has been spread out and foiled so as to retain a nice and sensitive feel through the aft section, with plenty of responsiveness. Then there’s the longer rail line of the swallow tail, providing drive and hold for smooth, clean lines.

And don’t forget about the Spine-Tek! Clayton, who had been working through different epoxy options with Shapers Australia, was the first man to test it, and was instantly hooked (PUs, he says, "feel dead underfoot" by comparison). Channel Islands had been struggling for a while to find an epoxy construction to their satisfaction, and their team riders were so impressed with Spine-Tek’s performance that they got involved too. Clayton and CI now share the exclusive license.

For a board like the Reflex, designed to help you generate and maintain speed in lacklustre waves, Spine-Tek is perfect. The EPS blank and embedded spine, which is made from a unique composite material, flex together in such a way as to aid the transfer of kinetic energy, effectively spring-loading the board through turns. Meanwhile the spine keeps its rigidity in solid waves, so the board doesn’t overflex or chatter as other epoxies do.

Dimensions: