Surfboard Review #6

Name: Fourth Chilli Bean

Construction: Polyester/Foam

Conditions: Waist to Overhead

Fin Setup: FCS2 Five fin (fins not included)

What We Think: This is a board for everyone and anyone. It can be used as a step down from a mini-mal to transition to more performance shortboards or conversely it can be used as a performance shortboard itself! The relaxed rocker, width, and thickness through the chest allows this thing to paddle into any lump that comes through and maintain any inkling of speed you've got through flat and fat sections. However, shift your back foot further towards the tail and the board becomes a lot more responsive than you would initially think! Thanks to a rounded tail and sharp rails this board provides good manoeuvrability and hold through turns. 

With five fins plugs you've got the option to really change up your style when you need too. A classic thruster will please the most performance oriented of surfers, whereas those speed demons out there can chuck in a quad or twinny plus one.

I myself owned a Chilli Bean and used it as a step down from my 7'0 mal. I cannot complain about anything and it has served me well for 4 years now. My mates want to ride it and all of them that have think it's a great board.

Technical Description:  The Chilli Bean is built for any surfer who understands that if you're not afraid of slightly more foam you can go shorter than you'd imagined possible. For 2018, Fourth have taken some foam off the rail to add an element of ease to turning the board as well as carbon support through the engaged part of the board when surfing down the line, freeing some flex up in the tail to give a bit more torque through your turns.

The Chilli Bean is designed to absolutely maximise the fun to be had in average, everyday surf by catching almost as many waves as a longboard, gliding over the flat sections whilst being super responsive underfoot. The curvaceous outline, rounded tail and more relaxed rocker means that the board is designed to cruise, carve. When set-up as a quad the Chilli Bean will fly down the line with just a little encouragement.

In terms of design, this board is essentially a reload for intermediate surfers or surfers of a bigger build. With single to double concaves, relaxed entry and exit rockers and foam distributed to give the best balance between float and control it is ideal as a first shortboard or intermediate all-rounder.