Ready for small summer surf but not sure your quiver is? Lucky for you legendary surfboard shaper Matt Biolos of Lost and Lib Tech’s Mike Olson just partnered to release their second collaboration board in the durable, ECO ISO construction line—the Short Round high performance hybrid.
From the shaping room Biolos described the board as “a skatey speedster with a high performance hook. Fast and flat, but without the fat.” Looking at the specs, it appears to be just that. Situated perfectly to complement the companies’ first collaboration release—the easy and speedy Puddle Jumper—the Short Round bridges the gap between easy riding “cheater” surfboards and your standard high performance (HP) shortboard.
While we haven’t slotted a paddle-out on this new co-lab board yet, the Short Round’s design and construction specs coupled with photos of Ian Crane shredding the piss out of it are making the SR look pretty darn attractive to dry desk rats like ourselves. So let’s dive into the specs.
Short Round’s speed and easy to paddle nature come from a low entry rocker and blunt nose. By bringing the wide point forward and offering generous concave throughout, the shape puts foam where you need it, not where you don’t. Performance is derived from a moderate, but not flipped up, tail rocker, double concave through the fins and a typical modern tail. In execution, the Short Round looks like it sounds, short and round, but sometimes less is more, and there’s a lot packed into this little surfboard. With Biolos and Lost dialing in the shape, LIB Tech stepped up to pack 30 years of R&D into its new, ECO ISO construction, bumping the Short Round’s performance, durability and environmental credentials to new levels. Hand built in USA at Mervin Manufacturing’s north Washington factory using 25-40 percent recycled materials, LIB’s closed-cell, waterproof Nitrogencell foam comes out of a zero-waste manufacturing process before receiving their durable Hexzylon Fiberfoam surface skin and unique resin matrix. The construction unites the performance qualities of new polyester boards with the lifespan, thriftiness and travelability of epoxy.
For those jet setting this summer, the Short Round’s versatile shape and durable construction may be the perfect board to accompany you on trips to southern hemi focal points like Lance’s, Puerto Escondido, Jeffrey’s Bay or Padang Padang. Or if you’re looking more to amplify the frothy fun of small-wave summer spots like NYC’s Rockaway, Scripps and Sebastian Inlet. Whether the waves are ankle-biters or a few feet overhead, the Short Round seems like a solid bet.