Stab Magazine | "I've Seriously Never Felt A Board With So Much Pop"

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

2016 Views

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

Britt Merrick and Bobby Martinez on Eithan Osborne’s 20k-winning Channel Islands Neckbeard 2!

hardware // Sep 25, 2018
Words by Ashton Goggans
Reading Time: 3 minutes

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. 

 

DSC 2298

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.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/291189088

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. 

DSC 2535

“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.”

DSC 1721

“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.”

DSC 2676

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

Photography

Corey Wilson.

DSCF5235

Noa Deane and Eithan Osborne, with their respective wings.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Watch: João Chianca Had A Remarkable Hawaii Season Before His Injury

Plus an update on his condition.

Mar 28, 2024

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024

Cheat Codes: A Million Miles Worth Of Travel Advice From Coco Ho

Hard-earned wisdom from more than 2,000 hours in the troposphere.

Mar 15, 2024
Advertisement