I’ve been riding a Stretch F4 6’5″ since about August 2007–about a year and a half. Prior to that i was riding a 6’5″ Bessel i bought off some dude down in SD. When i transitioned from the Bessel to the Stretch i felt i improved quite a bit. Skill didn’t instantly improve, it took a little time. But compared to the Bessel, the Stretch had significantly more float (eps, tufflite), faster on drops, faster down line, generated speed much more quickly, and was quite a bit looser. It was pretty much the board that allowed me to improve–i maxxed out what the Bessel could do for me. (If interested in the Bessel, i’d off it cheap).
My friend Clem had a Stretch before i did, so i got to ‘demo’ it before i rode it. Lucky, cause dropping that amount of money on something that you don’t get to try before hand is a bit of a gamble. I got one shortly after and surfing got quite a bit more fun for me. The old beat up Bessel i was riding was definitely holding me back.
For a while i’d been hearing about the Channel Island Pod. I’ve got two friends with them. I tried one at Westport last December. My buddy JR’s Pod was a 6-0 with a thruster set up. I weigh around 220lbs so a typical 6′ board is a bit small for me–but i was really curious after all i’d heard about the board. Right away i noticed how easy it was to paddle and catch waves. Just a couple paddles and i was up. With the Stretch, it was much more of an effort to get into waves–not hard, but def more effort. JR’s 6-0 Pod was pretty rad. I was impressed but i figured i’d be better off on one of the bigger ones.
Jump ahead to January 2009. At 1st i was planning on getting the 6’4″ Pod. I was able to look at one in person at the Surf Shop in Westport–f that. The 6’4″ is waay to thick/wide. After looking all over the place i finally find the CI Pod i wanted–the 6’2″ with a Quad setup. All Channel Island boards are expensive. The Pod cost more than the Stretch i bought over a year ago but i was way more stoked to drop coin on this board. FYI, The Surf Shop in Westport, NXNW in Port Angeles, Cleanline in Seaside, and Cheeka Looka in Fremont all carry Channel Islands–you’ll have to check whether or not they have the Pod.
Images courtesy of Google
I finally got the Pod out in the water at Westport a week later. The wind was blowing hard offshore, West 5′ @ 15 seconds or something similar. My friends and i were surfing the corner unobstructed. Rare. The waves were chest+, clean, lined up perfect, and peeling really well. Long rides. I hands down got on the best right of my life that morning (i’m goofy). Just zipping down the line, up and down the face, pumping the F out of it, hauling ass, like i knew what i was doing. Some old guy was clapping when i got off the wave. Fucking ear to ear grin on my face. I paddled right back out past the old guy like it was nothin but inside i was T R I P P I N G.
That day i nailed a few more rights better than i’ve ever surfed. I was able to get into them earlier than i was used to on my Stretch which is part of the reason i think i was riding so well. The Pod just has more float and it as fast or faster than the Stretch.
The next time out i surfed up north–the same spot two days in a row. I brought both my Stretch and the Pod. On day 1, the waves were a bit bigger (head+) and pitchy so i figured i’d ride the Stretch. On bigger, steeper waves the Stretch has done well for me. The Pod has significantly fuller rails so i figured it wouldn’t be as effective on the face of the wave. Waves on day 1 were super fun. Really fun peeling lefts. Day 2 i took out the Pod. The wave was pretty much the same setup as the day before. On my drops i was able to shoot out way in front of the foam but still had a ton of speed to wrap around to the shoulder and generate speed. Day 1 on my Stretch i was dropping into a tighter bottom turn. On a few of the bigger waves, when i dropped wide i’d lose all my speed and just get worked when i didn’t make it to the shoulder. The Pod would let me hit a longer, drawn out bottom turn while maintaining speed.
Here’s a few shots of my Pod and Stretch side by side.
I still like the Stretch on certain waves, and certain conditions but the Pod is going to be my daily driver for a while. I’ve never had such a dramatic performance/ability change in a piece of equipment in my life. I haven’t been surfing very long but holy shit the Channel Island Pod blew my mind instantly. It paddles great, gets into waves easy, its fast, loose, generates speed quick, and can lock into fairly steep waves just fine. Riding back hand waves for me has taken on a new stoke too.
Specs
| Board | Stretch F4 | CI Pod |
| Length | 6’5″ | 6’2″ |
| Thick | 2.63″ | 2 5/8” |
| Width | 19.5′ | 20 3/4” |
| Nose | 12.5″ | ~15” * |
| Tail | 15″ | ~14″ * |
*Couldn’t find specs online so i measured the width of both the nose and tail on the bottom of the board, 12 inches inward from either end.
The Pod was an expensive board, but it’s definitely been worth it. For someone my size (tall, 200lbs+) i’d say it’s a solid board that won’t hold you back. It’s allowed me to progress more in the little time than i’ve had it than in the last year with my other board. I think im gonna go pro.
More info about the Channel Island Pod here.
More info about the Stretch F4 here and here.
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YOU SAY “UP NORTH” WHERE EXACTLY IS THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO RUIN NW SURF THANKS
FTR, EPS and Tufflite are not one in the same. I have a 6-4 Stretch EPS/Marko foam. Tufflites are mass produced in Thailand or somewhere, while the EPS versions are hand shaped by Bill himself down in the Cruz.
Big performance difference IMO. I cant stand Tufflites. No flex and they chatter big time, not to mention mass produced. As for the EPS I have, friken love it and have had it in draining overhead lefts to fluffy beach break and it rocks.
Now for the differences you are noticing between the Pod and Stretch, mainly getting into waves easier, is from the nose. Look at the volume in the POD’s nose vs. the Stretch. I’d say the POD is more of a fish shape than anything and those shapes work well here in PNW most of the time. But I find the Stretch paddles and catches waves really well, better than any HP shoprtboard I have had. In fact it’s kept me off my quad fish pretty much since last summer. Try swimming laps 3-4 times a week. But I think its about having a few boards or more in my case and choosing the right one for the conditions and waves. I’d hold on to both.
And my last bit of advice would be to support a local shaper next time and have a board customer shaped to you specs and what you surf. We got a lot of talent up here and say Ewaliko, Shuler, or Art Colyer could easily produce something similar to the POD and you’ll get a better glass job that way too. Those CI’s off the rack often only have a four ounce. You may have noticed just by pressure dings in the deck.
i already have a few dings in my Pod. got sliced by a fin a few weeks ago, and then just a few mystery dings. i hope i don’t destroy it too quick. the stretch is pretty much bomb proof—i’ve fallen on slick rocks with the board between me and the rock with not a scratch. still stumped how i broke the 1st one.
swimming you say?
I’m really surprised there is such a big difference between the pod quad and the stretch quad. They seem almost identical to me. A little more volume in the nose for sure. Looking forward to trying that pod by the way, don’t destroy it too fast. I’ll be looking for a standard thruster to purchase for bigger cove days in hawaii, but I love that stretch quad from small mush to solid, more powerful surf. It definitely gets a bit chattery with speed though, i’ll agree with DUB on that one.
Drex…that board you broke was due to bad karma. You shouldn’t have bought it from that u.p.s. guy. He straight up lied to me, and sold that shit on e bay. Should have kept it for myself.
You guys are talkin’ too much technology mubojumbo for me. The direction I’m going in my new board are similar to the alaia (ah-LAI-ah) and paipo (pie-poe), boards commonly ridden in the 1800′s by Hawaiians. Being that they’re solid wood, weigh 95lbs., and have no fins, may make it kinda tough surf, but that really doesn’t matter because it’s not about catching waves on these things. It’s about developing a deep spiritual connection to the roots of surfing.
But seriously…I’ve taken both out for a surf, although the POD I tried was a thruster not a quad and the Stretch was a Tuflite, not the EPS. The POD is a serious wave catching machine, similar to a 9ft log, but comfortable to maneuver and paddle like a short board. I thought the Stretch was faster and snappier than the POD, but I’m sure that was the difference between the quad and the thruster. I kinda need the crutch of the quad.
I just realized I added nothing of value to this thread. Let me give it another try…
Arguing about board design is sorta like arguing about how much fun it is to fuck a fat girl- you’re always going to disagree where you need more, or less padding (or foam), to make it a good ride.
I have to agree, the pod is a solid board, it’s a Jetty surfing machine, (except maybe when it’s double overhead and bigger).
dub has a good point. get a copy of the pod from a local shaper, then you could get it with dif materials–stronger, more ding resistant, floatier, and it would probably cost less too.
might even be able to get a sick paint job.
Pods are sooooo last season. It is all about the fishcuits now. Same dimensions you could be on a 5’10 and banging way more chicks
what kind of rocker is on the pod? i am guessing it has got a lot of tail rocker.. and not too much in the nose?? i got a Webber Fatburner, similar to the pod. It gets into anything and turns pretty good.
SURFBOARDS FOR SALE>>>>>My dad is a shaper up here and we need to sell a bunch of our boards that are collecting dust. Most are brand new to very lightly used, anything from a 5.5 fish to a 7.2 semi-gun, and a bunch in the 6.6-6.8 thruster range. He is in the process of building a state of the art shop that should be done by summer and as drexnefex says…..yes, he will build you a pod(I like the Rusty Piranah better) for much less and might even paint some ridiculous shit on there too for you. Anywho, anyone who is interested email me KBshapes@gmail.com. I am moving to Costa Rica on April 12th, so if you are interested in buying a board for a good deal now let me know…..
where you moving to in Costa?
ps i hate you.
Dominical. Seriously stoked!
sic! i never did get over there.
write while you’re down there. hit us with links. be stoked to hear about it.
yeah for sure, gonna have some kind of photo blog thingy, just to rub it in to the boys. I am moving down for work and have never been there either. I guess Pavones is with in semi-striking distance, Im glad im goofyfoot. Dominical is supposed to be a fun kinda almost Playa Hermosaesque beachie i guess with a few points sprinkled around here and there.
don’t believe a word drex says he has gone full retard
I own 6’3” Stretch F4 TL2 board and that thing is awesome. No dings, no pressure damages, nothing. It is fast and can catch waves from 2 feet up to 1-2′ overhead (have not seen anything bigger so far in SoCal). It is very expensive, I paid $800 for the board, a leash and a traction pad plus tax. Believe me, it is worth every penny.
Whats your weight Nick? Will a 6’3 TL2 f4 suit a 65- 70 kg (145 pound) surfer?
I have a 5’11 TL2 f4 but want a longer one for indo -3-8feet. dont want a different board as it would mean trouble getting used to between board changes.also less need for extra fins.
id hope the 6’3 wouldnt skip out on solid days with too much bouyancy for me.
Ps- i love the tl2′s, and my 5’11 is great and still no digs etc. but lacks paddle speed a little after riding fish a lot (short)
The tl2′s are narrower thinner and more refined than the tuflite version, less corkiness aswell.
I’m 5’10″ and 170 pound 39 yrs old guy. Had to put my Stretch aside for awhile. Don’t know why but I decided to go for a bigger (7′) board to just be able catch more waves. Hope will return to the F4 soon.
God your killing me dude. Did you EVER stop to think the reason the Pod caught more waves was because it was almost AN INCH WIDER!!!! bone heads!
By the way you guys pay 800 dollars for surfboards.Can you bend over and say Stretch my butt hole.?????
are you hitting on me?! you’re cute.
I've been riding a 5'10" CI Fishcuit which seems like the perfect size for me since I'm about 190lbs. Get's into waves super easy, but I really don't like the board overall once I'm riding. It feels very boggy and just slow and unresponsive overall. I know that the tail is much wider then the POD so I'm wondering how different the FISHCUIT is from the POD? I talked to Mango and he said everyone's riding the PODs and loving them. Will I like the POD better then the FISHCUIT?