Odysea looks cool, rides great and offers a challenge to the surfer looking to up their shortboard game.
Quickly becoming one of the top selling soft top surfboards on the market.
Odysea surfboards have cool designs and unique rideability for just about any surfer looking to step up into the shortboard game, but are these boards all they’re hyped up to be?
Odysea by Catch Surf surfboard company combines a completely unique surfboard option you won’t see anywhere else.
Because we love this brand so much, we created a Catch Surf Odysea board review.
Catch Surf combines soft foam, high volume and round rails, all typically found in soft top surfboards, with high performance details like swallow tails, lots of rocker and concave bottom decks.
It’s the best of both worlds.
Continue reading to find out more about Odysea surfboards and all they have to offer!
Contents
What Is An Odysea Surfboard?
Odysea is the love child of pro surfer Jamie O'brien and Catch Surf surfboard brand.
Maintaing the quirky radical 80’s vibe, and high performance shapes, Odysea surf boards will remind any surfer of the stoke that got them hooked on the sport. Odysea series boards are versatile, fun and smooth riding.
For any surfer looking for a responsive board that surfs small waves like it’s Pipeline, Odysea is a perfect match.
The Catch Surf Odysea 54 Special Review
Spec's
Pro's & Con's
Who This Board Is Perfect For
This board will be great for little kids six and under to learn in the white wash. The foam is soft and reduces the risk of injury, and the fins are soft as well. It is floaty enough that you can push any tot into fun, small waves. Adults looking for the ultimate small board challenge will love the Odysea 54 Special as well.
They can test their ability to ride extremely short boards, and will love the loose and snappy ride of this thruster. Even though the 54 Special is only a little over 4 feet long, it is very buoyant for its size. You won’t have trouble getting into waves. It’s perfect for those small days that would be a problem for the traditional fiberglass shortboard.
Board Breakdown
Shape
The 54 Special has a unique egg shape inspired by the the Odysea’s Beater Original and the Stump. Though the 54 special is small, its design packs a punch. The deep entry concave on the bottom deck is perfect for planing through even the toughest, bumpiest sections. The tail is slightly rounded with sharp corners. This makes for a responsive, easy to turn board while maintaining balance down the line.
The rounded nose is great for increasing surface area, making wave catching a breeze. The 54 Special is nice and thick, supporting the weight of a full grown adult. No digging rails, no pearling. Don’t be surprised if this quickly becomes your favorite board.
Materials & Construction
Stiff, dual composite fiber core means this board can really take a beating. Washing into rocks or getting slammed by shoer pound won’t even be an issue. There are three maple stringers in the core that are 100% waterproof. They maintain the shape of the board so you will have it for as long as you can surf it.
The internal core is wrapped with damage resistant polyethylene foam, making up the top deck. The bottom deck is made from ultra tough, rigid high density polyethylene with cool retro graphics. Each 54 Special has its own pro model with different graphic designs to choose from.
The Jamie O’brien boasts colorful hibiscus flowers over black and white stripes. The Taj Burrow board has bright pink bottom deck with a palm tree leaf overlay. Kalani Robb designed his model with a bright yellow top deck and cool, 90’s inspired geometric shapes on the bottom. The Blair Conklin PRO 54 Special has purple and blue snake skin on the HDPE bottom deck with a turquoise top deck to match. Welcome Skateboards paired up with Catch Surf to create its own signature 54 Special. The pale pink bottom deck is accented with unicorn and wolf artwork. Last but not least, the 54 Special Thruster model displays a high contrast black and white tile pattern with pink rails.
Accessories
Fins
Every 54 Special is sold with its own thruster set of fins, from black to white to yellow. They compliment the cool designs of each model and are very easy to install. If you just can’t get enough of Catch Surf fins, you can purchase another pair of pop-throughs on their website!
The pop through technology is as easy as installing the fins through holes and popping on the plugs through the top deck to keep them in place. You don’t even need any tools or fin keys! You can purchase single fins, twin fin sets, thruster sets (three fins, one for the middle and two side fins,) and even quad sets (four fins.) They come in an assortment of colors, including pink, yellow, blue and black. You can match the color of fin to the color of your Odysea board!
Leash
Catch Surf offers three styles of leashes. The 5’ comp leash is made with 5 mm polyurethane that won't rip or snap. It comes in orange with a rasta red, yellow with green ankle strap, neon green with a black strap, and pink with a blue and pink strap. The 5’ is perfect for the 54 Special.
If you want a longer leash for one of your other boards, Catch Surf offers them in 6’ and 8’ lengths, too. They come in all the great colors and styles of the 5’ Comp leash. With colors and logos that are just as fun and retro, these leashes will be a perfect match for the equally fun and retro 54 Special boards.
Other Odysea Models
The 54 Special isn’t the only Odysea model worth checking out. Take a look at these other great models and why they are worth our mention. All modelled with the same high performance shape and durable top quality materials, you can have a blast on these boards too.
Catch Surf Odysea Skipper Review
The Skipper quad board comes in 5’6”, 6’0” and 6’6”. The top decks come in bright yellow, pink, turquoise and white. You’ll find signature bottom deck graphics of any Odysea board, like stripes, 90’s inspired graphics, or checkers.
You can also get this board in various pro models. Jamie O’Brien has a 6’6” size with his signature flower and stripe graphic. Tyler Stanahand has a 6’0” model and Taj Burrow has a thruster fin set up 6’6” edition. If you like the ride of a fish board, you’ll absolutely love the Skipper.
Catch Surf Odysea Stump Review
The Stump has a very similar design as the 54 Special, but is shaped to be a slower, more old school ride. The round nose is ideal for getting into waves early and the square tail will have you making old school turns reminiscent of the first pro’s of the 1970’s. The Stump also comes with pro designed graphics that you’ll see in the 54 Special.
A couple new pro designs make their way into the board line-up, as well. Noa Deane has a fun purple bottom deck with black 8 balls, and Harry Bryant uses a black and white speckled HDPE bottom with a maroon top deck.
Catch Surf Odysea Log Review
A perfect board for any longboard enthusiast. The fun colored top decks and exciting graphics of typical Odysea boards will not be spared for the Log. You can find the signature graphics and look of Jamie O’Brien, Kalani Robb, Tyler Stanaland and Harry Bryant on this longboard model, too.
The thruster set up on the Log is perfect for big aggressive turns and high performance you wouldn’t typically see on an soft top egg/longboard surfboard. If you want the most exciting egg and longboard surfing experience, don’t wait to get your hands on this board.
Catch Surf Odysea Plank Review
Another great egg and longboard shape to hit the Odysea ranks, the plank packs all the punch of the Log, but with a single fin set up. Made to ride more like a traditional longboard, this model is perfect for old school tricks like walking the nose and hanging ten. Plus, you’ll love the bright top decks and signature Catch Surf Odysea bottom deck graphics.
This board comes in 6’0”, 7’0”, 8’0”, 9’0” and signature 7’0” and 8’0” from pro longboarder Sierra Lerback. Her board has a more feminine feel, with beautiful blue and white flowers on the bottom deck and a pale pink top deck.
“I was looking for a new style of board I hadn’t ridden before, but was also worried about going with a foam top board, since they are typically for beginners and not that responsive. My friend told me how much he enjoyed his Odysea boards, so I figured I would try them out. I couldn’t believe how high performance they felt for being foam top boards.”
Danni Shields
Hermosa Beach, CA
FAQ
Warranty?
All Catch Surf boards come with a manufacturer’s 30-day warranty. If anything happens during shipping and handling, you can send it back for free repair or replacement.
Where To Buy?
Catch Surf has a great website where you can purchase any Odysea board. They also have retail locations in Irvine and Malibu, California. Online retailers, such as Amazon, also sell Odysea boards.
Wave Bandit vs Odysea
Wave Bandit is another line of surfboards made by Catch Surf. Wave Bandit and Odysea use the same high quality waterproof EPS foam and high density polyethylene for the decks. They are both also shaped by expert designers and pro surfers, so you know performance is guaranteed. Both lines of surfboards make it a goal to emulate a fun and retro color scheme and brand vibe.
Wave Bandits are a little more simple in look and shape, however. They are brightly colored, but only the Ben Gravy Pro model has graphics on the bottom deck, whereas Odysea offers interesting graphics on all their models. Odysea also is endorsed by many pro’s, not just one.
Wave Bandits don’t carry nearly as many board shapes, so if you are looking for a wide variety, Odysea is better. They also tend to sell better than Wave Bandits, which leads me to believe they might be more fun to ride.
What Is The Max Weight For The Odysea?
With Odysea, it’s more about how well you surf than how much weight the board can successfully hold. Most soft top boards are made to help beginners learn to surf, so people who weigh more get larger boards. Odysea’s idea of using foam to create their boards is to offer advanced surfers a new and novel experience with a new style of board.
That’s not to say beginners can’t enjoy the longboards Odysea makes. For a kid or smaller adults who weigh 100 to about 150 lbs, I would recommend the 6’0” to 8’0” Log or Skipper. For larger adults who are 150 lbs or more, try the 9’0” Log and Skipper. A smaller board won’t hold your weight as well, and if you sink into the water, it will be very hard to learn to surf.
How do I take care of my Odysea board?
Always store your surfboard in the shade, out of direct sunlight. UV damage can discolor the deck and make them look old and beat up. Also, rinsing the boards with fresh water after every use will do wonders in maintaining the integrity of the board’s material. Never drag your board on the ground, or you will scratch up the deck.
Do I need to be a pro to ride bright boards?
Of course not! Surfing is fun, inclusive and for everybody. If you want to take advantage of the fun colors and graphics of these boards, go right ahead. They’re made to be enjoyed. The thing I like the most about Catch Surf brand is they want everyone to have a fun and happy surfing experience. No matter what you’re level of surfing is, you can always ride these colorful boards.
Final Verdict - Should You Get One?
I will be sad for you if you don’t purchase the 54 Special Odysea board or any of the other great Odysea models on the list. I myself bought the Siera Lerback 9’0” Plank and I love it. When my friends and I ride these boards we have a lot of laughs and a lot of fun. Odysea helps remind surfers why they got into surfing in the first place; to have fun. If you want a high performance board that you will also have tons of fun on, grab your Odysea board right now.
OUR #1 MODEL PICK - ODYSEA 54 SPECIAL
Our Rating
Jasmine Oneill Martin // Team Writer