Stretch Surfboards: F4 Bat Tail Quad, Different Perspective
This past spring in Hawaii, I bought an F4 Bat Tail Quad by Stretch Surfboards for a really good price. I have never been interested in these boards purely because they are too expensive, and I am too poor at this point in my life. But upon walking into Surf n Sea in Haleiwa and seeing them for 50% off brand new, I decided to give one a try. The one I bought is 5’9” long and 18 and ¾ inches wide. I was super excited to get out and try it right away, and luckily the North Shore had some waves for me. I have a slightly different perspective than Chris had on his previous post about this board, so I decided to share my opinion.
To be completely honest… I did not like the board at all. Not that there is a problem with the board, but rather that the board did not work for me personally. I am a small, lightweight guy, and that board was just way too much board for me. The surf that day was a few feet overhead, and I normally ride my 5’10” squash tail thruster in that type of surf and it works just great. Surftech boards are so buoyant, that you really need to go smaller than your average board. Chris mentioned this, and I agree with him, but for me, I would like it a lot more than just a couple of inches shorter than my average board.
I haven’t had an opportunity to try another board like this in a smaller size, but I am certain that I would like it. In my opinion, if you are a lightweight person, you really need to go for a much shorter Surftech board than you are used to riding if you want it to work out well for you. If you are an average sized person, then just a few inches shorter will probably work out great. This has worked for a lot of my friends who have this board and absolutely love it. I felt like I was paddling into waves on a longboard, which was awesome for catching waves, but I also felt like I was pretty much on a longboard while riding. I just could not get the board to dig into the wave on turns, and in the end I was really frustrated. I tried it out for a few more days in a variety of different wave types and sizes and know that it is not right for me. I would love to try a board with these same dimensions that does not use the Surftech technology. Sadly, I will be selling this beautiful, brand new board when I get back out to the islands.
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I completely agree with you. I am a smaller guy and the float of the epoxy boards is too much for me. I love how easy they get into a wave, but then once i am up, i feel as if i don’t have any fins in the board because i am too light to get a rail in or a fin to really catch. i feel like i am skipping and hopping across the wave.
Maybe i too need to try a smaller one, because i love the idea of epoxy boards, being able to put them in the back of the car or truck and not have to worry so much about them getting dinged up is GREAT. but for now, i’ll stick with my fiberglass.
hi…i tried this board on 5.9″ and 6.1″…my weight is about 140lbs (75kg)…
the 5.9″ was definetively better, i’m going to get a 2nd hand one soon.
about your experience: what’s your weight and which board lenght did you pick up?
also: would you get wet in fast waves with this stick ?(not big, but fast: i mean waves in which you have to rely totally on the rail holding to pass sections).
thanx
I used the 5′9″, and I am 5′6″ tall and weigh 125lbs. My friend who I sold the board to is a little bit heavier than you loves the board. We surfed Off-The-Wall 2 days ago and the waves were a couple feet overhead and super fast and he was making it out of some intense barrels. His main comment about the board is he cant believe how fast he can get going, especially on smaller days when you really have to pump hard to get through a wave. I would say that’s because it is a quad, not because its an epoxy Surf Tech board. I’ve ridden a lot of quads and they are generally faster than thrusters because there is no drag on the center fin. Basically I didn’t like the board, but he loves it, and it all comes down to size. He weighs around 150lbs.
[...] new they usually cost in the $700+ range, but I have gotten two of them in the past 6 months, the Stretch F4 Bat-tail Quad and the Channel Islands Ksmall, each for less than $400 brand new. They seem to always be available [...]
Do you know what fins you used? My F4 (hand-shaped epoxy, not Surftech) came stock with Futures Q1 and 400 rears. I’m also a lighter surfer (135 lbs) and I quickly learned the 400 rears were too big, and swapped in the 375 rears. The Q1s were super fast, but not conducive to turning. I swapped those for Stretch templates and dramatically loosened the board. I also experimented with AM1s, which are even looser, but I have also been washing out so it’s back to the Stretch template.
Generally I find that stock fins are too big for lighter surfers. Shapers will make a range of stock sizes to accommodate different weights, but rarely will they downsize the fins to match (or the shop doesn’t give you the right fins).
Changing the fins won’t turn the F4 into a tight-turning pocket rocket, but they can definitely make a difference.
I’m not a fan of the Surftech construction either. I’m happy with the eps/epoxy.
What happened to my post?
TL2’s are much more like PU/PE boards and aswell thinner, narrower and refined better rails.
Imo go for a 5′9 or 5′11 TL2 stretch f4. worth the pennies.
I have a 5′11 im 70kg 5′10 and love it but i dont use it in weak waves just good waves, too small and boggy for me in weak waves. Prefer a fish etc.
Still pretty tough aswell, a mal dropped in on me and his board flew into my rail, but only a minor crack, not even a crack but underneath the epoxy you can see glass fibres through it but its not open.
I used the stock stretch template fins…never tried out any other fins but that is a good idea, and next time I get a chance to borrow that board from him I’ll try some of my other fins and see how it goes.
I am contemplating buying a Stretch F4. I am currently on a 6′6″ Mark Richards Rocket Fish(fiberglass 21″ wide and 2.75″ thick)but I am really struggling catching waves and it is just too small for me-almost feels like a skateboard. I am 6′2″ and over 105kg (over 230lbs)and approaching 48years old.My friend has a 6′5″ stretch and weighs around 90kg (198 lbs) and loves it. I feel I won’t get too much advantage from the 6′5″ size but the next size up in the F4 jumps to 6′10″. I really like the idea of being able to catch waves easily and as I age this will become more of an advantage and I have heard that they are pretty loose but I am concerned that I might find it too hard to turn because of the bouyancy.I would like to hear some opinions. I am an Aussie and ride the points and beachies from 2′ to 6′ plus.
My friend who bought mine off me says that the hardest thing about this board is getting it to hold in a hard turn going really fast. He loves the board in smaller surf, but struggles digging in while really moving in big surf. His opinion is that it is too buoyant to really dig the rail in with all that speed. I felt the same way when I had the board. It really wasn’t terrible when the waves were softer, but I took it out on an overhead day at Pupukea when the left’s were super fast and every time i tried to do a hard cut back I would blow it cause the board wouldn’t dig in to the wave. I felt that buoyancy was a problem too. So sounds like you might be right, and that might be something to consider before making a purchase. But I’d try and get some other opinion’s as well because I know there are going to be people who absolutely love this board. Any more comments to help Matt anyone?
Thanks Tim - I appreciate your input. I ended up buying the 6′10″ and after only two surfs I really like it.After the reviews and comments I have read about the bouyancy I was expecting it to be more bouyant than it is.I find on the wave it is fast and turns great but paddling into them I could have used a little more bouyancy than it has.I probably could shed 20-30 lbs and that would solve that.
got the 5.11″
great board!!!!!
anyway, if you are a rail digging surfer, forget tufilte construction…