EVOLUTION OF THE BEST

The latest evolution of our flagship shortboard, we had to create a new Monsta once the Traktor Team unanimously decided this file was the best all-rounder they’d ever ridden. Everyone’s recent quivers featuring this version of the Monsta saw a clear consensus – it’s what you want to ride to unlock your best performance surfing in a range of conditions from waist high to overhead. The Monsta should let you mind surf a 2-4ft beach break, then allow everything you imagined and more. Our R&D showed that to be true a thousand times over.

Sammy Pupo was the catalyst for this progression. The board we made him that won the Snapper CS in 2023 then became a basis for the rest of the Traktor Team. Time after time, in batches of R&D boards for free surfers, pro juniors, to QS, Challenger and the CT, it was the clear winner - Sammy's Snapper Monsta file.

In a similar range of conditions, the Xero Gravity is the everyman’s daily board, forgiving yet still performance oriented with a flatter deck & fuller rail, while the Monsta will dominate the same type of waves in a more refined version for the fitter or more experienced surfers. Overall, the new Monsta has a medium rocker, with smooth, continuous curve that’s slightly flatter than a Golden Child or FMN3, but more curve than a Xero Gravity. It features a generous sweet spot for control in big turns, while balancing release out of the lip.

Bottom contours have been updated too, sitting right in between the shallower FMN3 / Golden Child concave, and the deeper previous Monsta 10 / Xero Gravity concave. The new Monsta’s moderate single to double concave provides lift with water flow throughout the board, beginning under front foot and getting more pronounced through the fins.

Another update is the new Monsta’s dimensions and thickness in the centre, which has now shifted to cater for the incredible power to weight ratio of our current team riders. Surfers from Jack Robinson to Kauli Vaast push hard enough at their size to ride more volume than previous generations. This means more foam in the centre of the board for paddle power, momentum, and power through turns.

There is now a clear separation in both dimensions & intended wave type between the new Monsta and the most refined models in our range, being the Golden Child & FMN3, which are designed as the pinnacle of everyone’s quiver - purely for quality, hollow waves. Since its release, the Golden Child has become the gold standard in waves with power, so with those conditions perfectly covered, we worked on the highest performance small to medium wave weapon to complete the most modern quiver.

Overall, the Monsta prompts intuitive & fast surfing. It’s our best version of this model yet, and now, it’s ready for the rest of the world to enjoy anywhere, all the time. The best always find a way to get better.