Episode One Shaper Reveal — EAST With Mikey February

We’re just 48 hours out from releasing the first episode of our eighth ever EAST — presented by Vans + Kona Big Wave and featuring South Africa’s most magnetic freesurfer. 

As you may recall from previous promo, this year’s series features 16 surfboards… more than we’ve ever had in a testing project to date. 

In Episode One, Mikey February rides nine of those surfboards with a total of 24 fins at 10 different surf spots throughout Australia. And, as you’ll see, he has a very difficult time eliminating any of the boards. 

Whether you attribute it to his bottomless kindness or the fact that he had a personal text thread going with every single shaper (or both), Mikey’s desire to give each board a thorough test run is palpable in Episode 1.

“You could spend a lifetime getting familiar with all of these boards,” Mikey said to me recently, referring to the overwhelming nature of such a massive quiver. “I feel like the longer I ride each of these boards, the more my relationship evolves with each one. And, certain boards feel different depending on which board you rode right before them too.”

And so, with the beginning of the test bearing down on us, let’s explore the first nine shapers to be featured in our five part series. 

Campbell Brothers

As one of the few shapers who Mikey has a longstanding relationship with, Malcolm Campbell may have some of the most recognizable handiwork in the test.

Though we’re pretty sure he doesn’t own any patents for the canted triangular fins and double barrel bottom contours of the beloved Bonzer, you’d be hard pressed to find a shaper more synonymous with a singular design. 

“The Bonzer is sorta past, present, and future all in one,” said Malcolm during the ordering process, before opting to craft Mikey his first ever Bonzer 5 — coming in at 6 ‘4 x 19 ⅛ x 2 ⅛ . 

“I dunno why it’s taken me this long to get a five fin,” said Mikey. “But I’m pretty excited about it.”

Bob McTavish

About a year ago, shortboard revolutionist Bob McTavish shaped Stephanie Gilmore a vee-bottom single fin — which she proceeded to thoroughly enjoy throughout the glittery sand points of New South Wales. When the footage went on YouTube, it caught the eye of Mikey February, who was excited to include Bob in his 2025 EAST quiver.

“I am truly stoked,” said Bob, with a grin. “We’ve got a good vee-bottom going.”

The ensuing ‘Plastic Machine’ single fin is a shorter replica of Bob’s original vee-bottom design, and came in at 5’10 x 20 x 2 ¼ .

“Ordering a board from Bob, I had some of those earlier designs of his in mind,” said Mikey. “I guess that was right when boards started getting shorter, and I was intrigued how that would feel. It’s good to go backwards sometimes.”

Derrick Disney

For the past six decades, San Diego has had a firm grip on the evolution of trim — and the present crop of North County shapers is upholding their legacy. 

As a contemporary of Ryan Burch, Derrick Disney’s languid style has been the pudding proof for his patented single-concave twinzer concepts.

“Yeah the board I submitted is an updated version of the same twinzer fish I’ve been riding for a few years,” said Derrick. “The only thing twinzers can’t do is stall.”

Dubbed the ‘Zorn,’ the board comes in at 5’3 x 19 ⅞ x 2 7/16. 

“It’s a surfboard I’ve been really excited to ride, just based on Derrick’s surfing,” said Mikey. “He’s so smooth and the lines he draws are so unique, so I’ve always been curious about what’s under his feet.”

Kobe Hughes

Another product of North County San Diego’s tapered reef shoals, Kobe Hughes is fortunate to have alternative shaping titan Ryan Burch as his uncle — and has begun taking his discipleship to new heights.

His formula for EAST? A wide-point-way-back twin fin that he calls the ‘Shooting Star’

“It feels really sick, real control panel-y from the back,” he laughed. “It glides really nice, and I’ve been running it as a twin.”

The board comes in at 6’2 x 19 ¼ x 2 7/16.

“Obviously a big fan of Kobe’s surfing,” says Mikey. “In my head, when thinking about riding this board, I’m thinking you can have a real narrow stance, be real jivey with it — all in the hips sorta thing.”

Mark Richards

As you’ll see in the series, the first twin-fin that Mikey added to his full time quiver was a cherry red Mark Richards 5’10 — which he ordered during his first year on tour. 

Since then, Mikey’s alternative predilections have evolved, but his foundation still lies with Newcastle’s preeminent speed theorist. 

“I feel like that was kinda my base, to start with,” said Mikey. “ So I’m pretty excited to order something.”

“The main feature of this Turbo Twin is one of the first models that I’ve done channels in since the ‘80s,” says Mark, of the board he submitted. 

The dimensions? 5’10 x 20 x 2 ½ .

Simon Jones

“I was kinda visualizing Mikey’s surfing,” says 2x Electric Acid winner Simon Jones. “I can tell he really likes to have that total dominance over the board.”

As such, Simon opted to shape one of his new boards — a ‘Remote Location’ coming in at 6’3 x 19 ⅛ x 2 ½ . 

“Dane had the one Simon Jones that Noa Deane rode in the Acid Test, and I remember trying to ride that board and I could barely turn it. It was too big,” said Mikey. “So I was excited to get one that was my size and see how it felt under my feet.”

Jon Pyzel

Look, we know Jon Pyzel is a name who fits far better in our other board testing series… you know, the one he’s won twice.

But, we decided to include him in this year’s EAST anyway. 

Why? 

Well, we can’t quite tell you.

And we can’t tell you what board he made either — but we can say it works damn well in the tube.

Barrett Miller

At 25 years old, Barrett may be the name you recognize the least on this list. But, when Mikey February says he wants to include an up and coming shaper, you don’t say no. 

Miller has spent the last 13 years cutting his teeth under Joel Tudor and Skip Frye in San Diego’s most respected polyurethane furnaces, and has an extensive catalog of archival outlines from the decades of past design evolution.

“I’ve known about Barrett for a while,” says Mikey. “It was pretty intimidating speaking to someone like him, because he’s so young yet so knowledgeable about the history of design.”

The board? A swallow tail single fin, measuring 6’8 x 20 x 2 ⅞.

Alex Knost

If you missed it, Mikey February and Alex Knost recently co-starred in a non-conformist waveriding demonstration dubbed ‘Choice Glance.’ 

“What’s the expression people always say? He could ride a dinner table? Well, Mikey could,” chuckles Alex. “But that doesn’t mean he’d paddle out on it the next day. If someone like Mikey validates your board, it’s pretty delightful.”

Continuing his trend of Experimental Dental twinzers, Alex shaped a 6’9 x 19 3/4 x 2 5/8 with some psychedelic concaves along the rails.

Tune in Thursday, October 23rd at 5pm for the release of Episode One