“I’ve Seriously Never Felt A Board With So Much Pop”

Walking into the BSR pro shop during Stab High warm-ups, a stubby little Merrick leaned against the front of the racks kept catching surfer’s eyes.

Tiny, starkly black and white in Channel Island’s new USA-made Spine-Tek construction, with full traction, and the Neckbeard’s unmistakable chopped-square tail, the little rocket belonged to perhaps the most unknown surfer in the event, a teenager from Ventura, California named Eithan Osborne. 

Eithan, corkin’ a Gorkin at Stab High on his 5’4″ Channel Islands Neckbeard 2.

Photography

Corey Wilson.

Prior to the event, we’d followed young Eithan around Ventura, and up to the Channel Islands factory to pick up a new quiver of the iconic Dane Reynolds model (as seen in The Electric Acid Surfboard Test), as the bright-eyed little hellion had a field day at Waco a few months back on CI’s freshly released Neckbeard 2, and thought it was the best air board he’s ever felt under his feet.

For the event, he had the Carpinteria CI crew cobble one out of their patented Spine-Tek, epoxy/eps equipment seemingly perfect for freshwater punts. 

During warm-ups, Eithan blew up, launching the biggest straight airs of the day, and landing more than a few corked out spins. Bobby Martinez saw him shredding the thing, ripped it out of his young neighbor’s hands, and proceeded to slice apart BSR’s point break setting, his precise, on-rail surfing on full display, and demonstrating the board’s range, despite its perceived aerial-centric nature. 

“I just love the way the chop tail looks on the Neck Beard 2. But it isn’t just about the looks that make it rad—it’s wider tail helps you go faster, land airs easier and it’s just so loose you can turn it wherever and whenever you want.”

Photography

Corey Wilson.

Our crew at CI had a really good feeling Eithan was going have a discernible edge over the field once he decided on riding a Neck Beard 2 for the Stab High event, especially because he ordered it with Spine-Tek,” Britt Merrick tells Stab. “I knew that combo—its unique air board shape, with the insane pop you get from its reflex technology—was going to be deadly. Winning $20K for the highest air and being a major standout through the entire event was such a stoker, and it really validates the paring of that board with Spine-Tek.

“We recently did some little tweaks to Neck Beard 2 that we’re really excited about. Like making it single concave throughout, widening the tail a tad and doing a minor rocker adjustment. All in all, it just made an already epic board that much better.”

“I tried Eithan’s board for a few waves, it was super fun—kinda like riding a real wide skateboard,” Bobby Martinez tells Stab.

Photography

Corey Wilson.

“I just love the way the chop tail looks on the Neckbeard 2,” Eithan tells Stab. “But it isn’t just about the looks that make it rad—the wider tail helps you go faster, land airs easier and it’s just so loose you can turn it wherever and whenever you want.

 “

Also, I just really like the overall shape of the board—the wide point a little more forward gives you a lot of room to move your feet and make easy, quick adjustments. 

For the Stab High event, I wanted another edge aside from just getting the best shape possible. That’s why I ordered a Neck Beard 2 built with Spine-Tek. I seriously never felt a board with so much pop.”

Stab High’s crowned prince, Noa Deane, congratulating Eithan on his 20k payday.

Photography

Corey Wilson.

Noa Deane and Eithan Osborne, with their respective wings.

Photography

Sam Moody.