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Rusty - Shiv, Hatchet, 419Fish

Aruka

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,110
22,952
113
PNW
No real chine. Seems like a pretty "standard" bottom side rail flow.

Took da Shiv out for the first time today. Didn't get a long session but first impressions were definitely pretty positive. For how different it feels under arm it felt surprisingly normal and intuitive under foot.
 
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92122

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,608
1,041
113
Stock tail on the Shiv looks most like a squash... yours looks a bit more rounded?

At any rate that gradient looks higher up than anything their custom builder shows online. Maybe you spoke with them. Looks great.
 
Aruka

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,110
22,952
113
PNW
Yeah it's full custom. I asked for a round tail and I dig the tail it came with. I had an Allan Gibbons with a similar overall outline like 5 years ago that I really liked. Rusty himself emailed me after I placed the order and we went back and forth on dims a bit. 2.22 is as thin as he felt comfortable going for a torsion spring in this length. That sounds thin but with the flat deck I can't imagine going any thicker for my weight. My Twinfin is 2.19 so I had a pretty good idea of how it would come out.
 
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92122

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,608
1,041
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It’s pretty much exactly what I will have my next Rusty board built like... though I would probably ensure the base color is light grey so it won’t yellow next to the blue gradient.
 
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Aruka

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,110
22,952
113
PNW
Shiv update:

I'm probably about ten session in now. Been surfing mostly lefts so backhand for me. Ranging from well overhead and barreling to fairly small and soft but with good shape. I've ran DHD L, R8 Proto and most recently the Jordy L fins. DHD felt really good. R8's maybe a little stiff but I didn't get them out in great waves. Jordy's are my favorite so far. Lots of drive and good release off the top.

I really dig this board. It's a total trip to look at and feel under arm with the flat deck but surfing it is fairly intuitive and "normal" feeling. It has a lot of foam under the chest and it paddles and catches waves very well. The rocker feels smooth and balanced. I would call it a moderate rocker, it's definitely not a flat board. There is a big sweet spot and it generates speed easily in any waves with push. It seems to favor a fairly front footed approach since there is a bit width and thickness forward. In good waves with some power it hasn't felt at all sketchy or lacking hold. Where it has really impressed me is how well it does in smaller and/or weaker waves. I surfed it this evening in fairly soft waist high beach break peaks, the type of surf I would usually want to ride a step down like a Grinder X, Subdriver, etc. and the Shiv felt perfect. Despite being a 6'4" which is an inch over my height and a bit longer than I would usually surf in anything this small I didn't really feel like the length was a hindrance. I totally dig the round tail, it's not too narrow so it feels like it holds speed through turns and it rolls rail to rail easily. It's been a while since I've ridden a single concave short board and there is a bit of liveliness that I have been adjusting to compared to the single-to-double con boards I'm so used to.

Compared to something like the Pyzel Shadow, the Shiv grovels a bit better and is just overall a little easier to surf in marginal waves. The Shadow feels a little more planted, for better or worse. The Shiv feels like it has more foam in the rails and it probably doesn't slice through turns quite as well as the Shadow but it actually does pretty well in that regard. I think the Shiv is one of the more versatile shortboards I've ridden in a long time. Between this, the Twin and the Blackbird I am well impressed with what the dudes at Rusty are up to.
 
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J

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,879
5,173
113
The OC
Got this Rusty twin fin over the Summer. It’s a flat deck version of his twin model with other tweaks. Ordered after the Board Room in May. Goes great with larger twins. I’m using the NPJ Captain Fin Company template. I’m a big fan of Rusty’s Torsion Spring.
 

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JeffRSpicoli

JeffRSpicoli

Nep status
Aug 9, 2019
590
706
93
Agree on the Torsion Spring and of course Rusty!
-as a side note just rode my PU Rusty Twin Fin: almost chest high, man does it make your surfing change a bit longer drawn out turns feel so good!

Torsion Spring
#1 the flex/feel, etc. seems the same as PU; I've been PU guy all my surfing life ~40years.

#2 durability is, so far great.

Case in point, just surfed a reef spot in Barbados "coral, urchins, etc." First day of the trip and first day out on the board, second session of the day. Solid session and of course last wave of the day road it all the way in, dropped to my stomach to ride as close to shore to avoid aforementioned coral/urchins. Naturally rode it too far in and crack/bang yuck, dahhh! Got out of the water checked the board; fin scraped badly, but board minor scratch on left/right rail. Could not believe how minor the damage was, PU board would have stayed out of the water for the rest of the trip. Really impressed by the durability.
 
J

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,879
5,173
113
The OC
What I like about the Torsion Spring construction: (1) Weight, which feels closer to a PU than many other stringerless EPS boards; (2) Xtr foam, which is closed cell; (3) top notch glassing and sanding.
 
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Oceanslide

Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,707
2,342
113
Oceanside, CA
Zero of their stock dims would work for me, as they go uber thin thickness.
For example, on the 419fish I'd want a 5'10"-6'0" for my height (6'3"), but the
volume is 33-34L, which isn't close to what I'd want. I know you can go custom
and pump up the thickness, but it makes it hard to find used Rusty boards that
would work for me.
 
Aruka

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,110
22,952
113
PNW
They're one of the few US builders who's stock dims almost work for me. I'm also 6'3" but my preferred literage is like 31-33.

Smoothy Vs Hatchet....
 
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