Catch Surf Beater Board Review
When Jamie O'Brien first hit the waves on the Catch Surf Beater back in 2018, many people wondered whether this funky little foamie could actually hold its own as a legitimate board.
Described by Catch Surf as an "all-purpose customizable shred stick," some riders find it to be a fun, nostalgic ride while others find it to be quite difficult to surf.
Luckily, we've done the research to help you decide whether or not the Catch Surf Beater Board is the right board for your needs.
Continue reading to find out more in our Beater Board review!
Contents
The Review
Who This Board Is Perfect For
You can learn to surf on this board, although it is not really ideal for that because it is shaped a bit more aggressively for higher performance than a good board to learn on like a longboard.
You will also not be chasing the World Surfing Championship on this board.
The Beater is in the middle of these two far ends of the spectrum.
Instead, the Beater is perfect for small to medium size waves to both shred and goof around on. It is relatively inexpensive compared to any hard fiberglass surfboard and made of bodyboard material so you can ride pounding shorebreak, let it wash up on rocks, or drop it on a hard floor on land and never worry about snapping it or ding repairs.
It is also the only surfing option for the blackball flag (no surf fins in the ocean, enforced by lifeguards) because you can take the fins on this board and ride it finless. Normally with a blackball flag you could only swim or bodyboard... that is until a functional finless surfboard was created, the Beater.
All skill levels ride the Beater. Even top professional surfers ride this board for fun. It is not so much of your skill level, it is more so the conditions of surfing that you are doing. When the waves looking fun but not firing, you feel like shredding but not breaking or digging your hardboard or it's blackball then you pull the Beater out of your quiver.
Specifications
Pros & Cons
Build & Quality Insights
Construction
The Catch Surf Beater utilizes a dual composite core and twin maple stringers. You'll find impact-resistant HDPE skin on the 8lb polyethylene deck, which is ultra-lightweight and very comfortable beneath the feet.
Design
The Catch Surf Beater is in its own realm when it comes to its shape. There isn't any other way to describe it other than the fact that it is a combination of the best features from funboards, shortboards, and egg shape board models. With its small size and relatively narrow shape, it is very much like riding a boogie board or skateboard.
Fins
When it comes to accessories, it depends on which of the Catch Surf Beater boards you decide to buy. There are three different types of Beaters, including Finless, Single Fin, and Twin Fin.
The Single Fin Beater model comes with a 4.5" raked fin while the Twin Fin Beater model comes with two 3.5" pop-thru keel fin types, both of which are removable for high-performance, finless riding. The finless option, as you may have figured, doesn't include fins.
If you're in the market for a Catch Surf board, though you're not sure if a Beater is the right one for your needs, we highly recommend checking out the company's Odysea lineup.
They have tons of cool models to choose from, which range from 5'0" to 5'8" in length.
All of the different models come with unique signature characteristics, including colors and prints.
From the Kalani Robb signature board model to the Jamie O' Brien signature board model, there are quite a bit of board styles to choose from.
The Odysea Stump is a 5' little board that is great for ripping on waves that would usually only be suitable for longboard riders.
Very similar to the Catch Surf Beater board, it is very buoyant, which is ideal for smaller surf because it's easy to paddle into weaker waves and ride them.
Just a step up from that is the Odysea Skipper, which comes in both a quad-fin and tri-fin (thruster) setup. This fish-shaped board is an excellent summer board that is perfect for catching speed down the line and hitting long, drawn-out cutbacks.
Wave Bandit is the main competitor for Catch Surf and its Shred Sled board provides a lot of the same features found on the beater.
Plus, this particular board is about half the cost of the Beater, which is great for those on a budget.
Similar in terms of construction, the Shred Sled uses a unique dual-composite core, which is made with high-pressure construction that provides both speed and stiffness.
The Shred Sled is a twin fin model, which comes with removable fins.
It also uses a pop-thru style leash plug and comes with a pro-style leash.
At 48", this model is about the same size as many of the Beater boards, making it perfect for catching breaks near the shoreline.
Mason Ho has long been known as one of the most eclectic pro surfers in the game.
His ability to surf unique waves is unparalleled in modern surfing.
When he dropped his Softech Mason Twin beater board, the surfing world rejoiced.
Softech Mason Twin Fin 5'6" is very much a beater board with tons of volume and rideability in small surf.
Of course, if you are anything like Mason, who clearly likes to push the limits of surfing as much as possible, then you can definitely reach new heights with this one-of-a-kind Beater board as well.
While it does come with factory soft fins, we highly recommend swapping out this fin design for FCS II Performance Fins, as you'll get a higher performance ride.
With 100% recyclable construction and high-quality Future fin boxes, the Almond R-Series 5'4" is a beater board built for the everyday adult surfer.
The Almond Surfboard company released this cutting-edge beater board as part of its completely recyclable lineup, reducing the major carbon footprint that plagues the world of surfing.
Within this beater board, you'll find a high-density foam core made of copolymer and an in-molded stringer system.
You get tons of volume with this surfboard for easy paddling and tons of speed.
While it might seem like any other beater board from afar, the wax-free texture EVA grip pad and Futures fin system allow for performance-style surfing that goes beyond the Beater realm.
FAQ
How much is a beater board?
As for right now, the Catch Surf Beater Surfboard is one of the most affordable board models on the market. You can buy one for as little as $199.99 on the Catch Surf website.
Of course, you do end up paying a bit more for an upgraded model, single fin-type, or twin fin model. To find out more about the cost of this Beater board, make sure to click the link below.
What are beater boards for?
Beater boards are great for a number of things, though they originally came about as a way for surfers to enjoy the waves, even when the blackball or yellow flag was raised.
The blackball flag, which is a bright yellow flag with a massive black circle in the middle, is often raised on Southern California beaches, signaling surfers to leave the water. Because of the uniquely small specs of the Beater board, and because of the fact that it is made out of soft foam, riders can use it as a loophole to continue riding during blackball conditions.
In fact, the name "beater" came about because this beater board provided a way to "beat" the raising of these flags.
If you live near a crowded beach, having a bodyboard-style board like the Beater can help you surf, even when the conditions aren't in your favor.
Is a beater board good for beginners?
While many find the Catch Surf Beater very easy to stand up and catch waves on, it might not be the best board for true beginners. If you're a beginner looking to get a board to enjoy at the beach, we highly recommend going with a longboard surfboard.
Longboards have tons of surface area and buoyancy, making them incredibly easy to paddle and pop up on. In general, foam surfboards make excellent beginner boards.
Are Catch Surf Boards good?
We absolutely love Catch Surf boards. They're extremely fun to ride, they paddle really easily, and they allow you to catch several waves that you might no be able to get with other boards due to the unique volume. In many ways, the Catch Surf team uses the bodyboard mentality when designing their boards.
For a small price, you get durability, speed, and a unique look that you won't find on any other board models on the market.
The Verdict
The Catch Surf Beater was an Internet surf sensation when it first hit the market. Even now, surfers from all over the world are enjoying its experimental design.
In our opinion, it's an excellent choice for anyone trying to fill a fun and quirky void in their quiver. From the tapered D rails to the crescent tail, this particular board might just be the best beater board on the market.
Similar to a bodyboard, you get a durable and lightweight performance that can hold up in heavy shore breaks or act as a catalyst for fun in mellow, summer surf conditions.
Jasmine Oneill Martin // Team Writer