Kelly Slater Designs "Cymatic" Surfboard Review by Noel Salas Ep.66 

noel your backhand on this board matches your forehand. The show continues to be the best board analysis show around.. i like seeing the evolution as you go through getting board and fins figured out, hangups included.. not everybody is willing to admit to miscalculations, but the process of correcting course is valuable. Thanks for the good work.

Mr. Salas!! The best reviews from a straight shredder. Thank you good sir!!

Kelly riding at pipe & your review, made me make one, with my take on it. Man I love this design. Such a blast to ride. Thank you for your show :)

You should include a clip or two of you paddling into the wave in your reviews so we can see how easily you get in and your technique as well. Happy holidays brotha!

Hey Noel, I have just discovered your channel and I must say it is excellent. It is great to see independent reviews by someone who can both surf well, and critically analyse boards. You convey your thoughts beautifully and the comparisons between boards and fins are awesome. Great work 👍

I love this board so much that i use it pretty much everyday even in small surf, as long as the waves are a bit punchy this board flies down the line. At first i wasn't really sure about it mainly cause of the bold nose (silly me) and i was hanging more towards the Scifi, but after watching your review i went for the Cymatic and i haven't looked back since. I also admire your capability to convert all the technical knowledge you have into practice when you take the boards out for a paddle. Thanks heaps for all the reviews!

Thank you for a great and detailed review on the board and different fins. I'm learming lots of importsnt facts and points to pay attention to. Im farely new to surfing, beginner, looking for a good all-around board. Your reviews are on point, definitely helps when choosing a surfboard. Thanks.

I bought this board two years ago after watching a couple of reviews and talking to people but your channel and knowledge really won me over. Two years later I still love it and feel that the board has helped me excel in my surfing. Thanks for a great review and really enjoy your channel!

Best cymatic review for sure Thanks Noel

New to the channel. Best best surfboard reviews out there. Your ability allows for proper judgement of these boards. Will recommend this channel. Great job and thank you.

Thanks for going thru All the quad fin set ups.

Your the man Noel! This review gets better every time I watch it haha I have a cymatic ordered and coming soon! Ill watch this everyday until it arrives ❤😊 yeeww thanks for the devotion to surfboard reviews

Just came here to watch this older clip and I think it's the best surfing Noel has done. The board suits him, it looks "right"!

Great review as always came here to see what fins you were riding since your recommendations are always spot on. Can't wait to get some pivot quad rears in her. Such a great board. Rides so different than any other board I've ridden.

Finally a mechanical guy that shreds and has a great understanding of how to break it down. Luv ya work dude. Old shredders RULE :-P Subscribed

Great tips on the many variables of surfboard designs and fins thanks

super comprehensive review man ! thanks

I had a sci-fi and it was the fastest board I ever had, super awesome board went great. This seems to have addressed any criticism I had of the SciFi. No more digging rail on heavy cutbacks less fussy on foot placement too.

great thorough review - many thanks

awesome review. i own a cymatic. i definitely think sizing down is the key to the board. i ride it about 1 inch less than my normal shortboard and i wish i would have actually pushed down 3-4 inches less. really love the board though. i definitely plan on getting another just sized way way down.

Best review as usual! Thank u

Awesome review! Thanks for all the info.

Thanks Noel for a great review, I waited three years to get my cymatic and picked up a 5’7 in Futures two weeks ago. Pretty amped to get into some running surf and feet into the wax. 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

Noel, great review mate. Personally, I think you look much more at home on some of the more traditional shortboards. The Gamma and MonstaBox have seen your best surfing so far in my opinion. Keep the shows coming. I’ve learnt more about surfing from your board reviews than any other channel or show on RU-vid. Yew!!!

Great review thx :) Now I'm sure I'm gonna buy this board, Aloha from France.

Great review once again. 👌

Noel the way you surf just like Kelly mate 🤙🏻 always great review

Subscribed. What a great reviewer!

I bought one of these as soon as they dropped that Slater clip on North Shore. I friggen love the board. I'm 6'2" 210-215 and ride the 5'10" / 36.4l. It's got more volume than any of my other boards, yet it feels super light and whippy underfoot. It's crazy. They hide the foam so well and I especially like that I can just grab the nose like a handle when I'm about to turn around for a wave. Stoked on this beast...

It looks and reminds me of a more technical version of a wakeboard, which makes a lot of sense, lots of movement, loss of extra weight, more thickness in the middle for stability and more cylindrical than the standard shortboard shape which makes it easier for tricks, this is breaking new ground for sure, not more than the first funboards but still, we're heading in a nice direction because surfing needs to keep pushing the boundaries.

Bro my favorite line in this review is when you said you needed time to get to the lip of the top. You ripping on this board buddy!

Nice review. Great to see you spending so much time on fins. For me, along with fin shape, rake etc is the fin size measurement. Front and back fin size is how I judge my need and the related performance of the fin just as much as shape. I like my all around rear quads to be in the 3.75” range and around 4” range for bigger more powerful waves. But again great review with lots of good info.

Great review Noal. I am caught between the Cymatic and the DHD 3dx for the Gold Coast. They seem like extremely different boards and the gold coast has not got the same power as your area. I am leaning towards a 3DX but have ridden the Cymatic in the Mentawais and it was incredible even for an amateur/intermediate like me. Would be great to get some feed back. Thanks

Noel here's my latest fin experimentation: Didn't like the twin (TOO loose) via EN's, T1's and Pacific Vibrations high performance keels. Tried it as a quad in many variations (4" and 3.75" trailers) but it was TOO tracky. Tried the F6's and it was magic! Ordering the same exact template as the K2.1's from a generric vendor (Pacific Vibrations) however P6's replaced the WCT's as copycats of the K2.1's of the past. Cymatic is a KEEPER! 5'3 for me @ 150.

Best show on RU-vid

A few of those waves looks like Slater surfing. Another solid review Noel

The best reviews on the internet. Very informative and in-depth. And you actually take the boards into the water and test them out in various conditions , rather than just talking about the physics and theory of the board Any chance you will look at the Evo?

Great review as always Noel....been waiting for this one. In your opinion, is Cymatic or Sci-fi preferred as a daily driver?

Hi Noel I love all your videos there sick and your such a great surfer! I was wondering if any time soon you would be having a video on the Slater SCI-FI ? Keep up what your doing love your channel

I got this board 1.5 years ago surfed with it once and thought I wasn’t ready for it! Recently I grabbed it and wow!!! This board has changed my surfing completely! I have 10 boards and this will be the only board I’ll use from now on. If you’re on the fence about this board get it! It’s amazing. Easy paddle and easy to take off with and fast down the line. I love this board 🔥🔥

some of your best surfing - might convince me to get this board

Bro I thought that was Kelly surfing🤣 I have a 5'7" cymatic now that i switched to quads board feels unreal! I was using reactors and it did feel a little out of control I'm 6'2" and I luv surfing small boards technology now days is awesome!!🤙👏👍

Awesome review!

Wow! Great Review! Thx!

This is gotta be one of your favorite boards of all time

Hi Noel, you have the best Cymatic review around. My last RU-vid video I have referred people to Ep 66. I hope you do not mind. Love your show

Hey Noel, great reviews. I'm extremely picky about my boards, so wish I was in your position to try so many! As an ex competitor turned weekend warrior, I have the frustrating task of letting my mind (which is saying "here comes a good section to kill, go big") and body (which is telling my mind to "sod off") work together. So about 8yrs ago I figured the solution would be to go from my usual 27-28L thinner/narrower high performance boards to shorter/wider types with about 2-3L extra. Due to very limited options where I live, I've been through a bunch of local shapes with limited success, so unfortunately no references anyone here could relate to. However some Firewires I've had which you might know are Pyzalien (easy to surf, but super average, boring, a bit "dead"), Spitfire (fast, but too wide for me, terrible on the rail), Evo (uurrghh....dead, boring, most over rated piece of foam ever), Vader (one of my all time fave boards! Currently have two and surf them with heaps of different fin setups in waist high beachies to maxing J-Bay. Not comparable to a high performance stick, but soooo much fun to ride. Board loves being pushed off the rail, which suits my front foot style). As we all know, each surfer has their own preferences (case in point...Evo!) and that's why I've noticed you keep your reviews fairly free of personal opinions which is great. However just for interest sake, if you could pick two magic high performance boards, which two? To be honest, you didn't look super comfortable on the Monsta8, but the Monsta8 and Monsta Box (for weaker stuff) looks like a safe option for many. And comparing your surfing in this review with all the others, the Cymatic looks super fun. A great indicator is when a board projects out of foam after a round house or off the top. Kinda get the feeling it'll feel similar to the Vader, just way more "pop"...if that makes sense. Cheers. Keep up the great work.

Another great review, thank you. I know this board has been around for a while but could you please please do a review on the Love Buzz by Hayden Shapes?🙏🙏

Hi noel, Best review on the internet for sure, you're doing an Amazing work! Do you think this board will work as a step down from your traditional shortboard design?

Excellent review, and you are ripping on this board in may opinion. Keep up the good videos!

Haha man you look like Kelly on this thing

Nice Brother !! Those looked like some Fun waves !! 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽 yeah man then boards with he wide noses are fun fun you have even do a little nose riding lol I call those boards mini longboards lol wicked fun summer boards even in big surf they go good !! There like a one board quiver killer ! Lol

Great review once again Noel, your surfing on this board looked like it had an extra bit of spark to it!

Absolutely love your reviews. I'm 6'3 and 195 lbs, intermediate/advanced surfer living in Costa Rica. I'm torn between the 5'8 and 5'9 cymatic at 32.9L and 34.3L respectively. My daily driver is a 33L Dominator 2. Getting a cymatic for better big days and hollower waves as the main wave I surf is a bit soft. If you or any in the community has some insight into if I should size at 5'8 or 5'9 that would be wonderful. The cymatic is also coming out in volcanic construction in the spring which I plan to get it in. Thank you so much!

Nice job!! Finally you try a small kind of door shape Tomo!!! I was between a second Vader and a Cymatic, but finally decided for what I know works for me, and with a good discount I get the Vader again. This kind of board allows you go very short but maintaining the same volume that a regular shortboard. I had a Sci Fi in between but it just works on glassy days (almost never) so I sold it. Your Phantom review was impressive as well, between these two designs which ones do you like the most?

Hey Noel, I just got a cymatic and really loved it in some 5-7 foot walled up point break surf today. I'm in Nova Scotia, and I am going to use the board for good quality points, and hollow reefs. Can you recommend what fcs2 quad rear fins to buy for the board, that would match up with one of the thruster sets I own? I've got the Carvers and Matt biolos's in medium. And the Accelerators and Reactors in large. I'm 5'8, 150lbs. Oh and the board is LFT. Thanks! Your vids keep the froth on max for us out here in the far east!!!!

Great review, thanks. Subbed. 👍🏄

Another great review, keep them coming. I currently ride a Cymatic as my daily driver, but it rides a little big for me. I love it in 2-4 but it’s hard to sink the rail in anything bigger. How does the Phantom, maybe even the Holy Grail, compare for our typical break in Orange County/San Diego? Debating sizing down or switching it up. Thanks

Hey Noel superb review as usual.Its a pity you havnt reviewed the Omni as id like to see the difference between the two.I would suspect the Cymatic is aimed at the more experienced/advanced surfer while the Omni more Intermediate.

@Noel would be great to have a review on the hydronaut by tomo. It looks it can be use in small surf too and has a much traditional shape and tail.

Please review the Omni so we get your professional opinions on the differences of two boards that are so similar yet divide so many people.

I`m surfing an Evo in 5`2`` but allways as a thruster ( you can see it in my channel). I was just thinking of buying another Evo but after this review i am confused ! Great review and amazing surfing.

I have owned the Omni 5'8" that was fun and more of a step up board, rides tighter arcs and sticks well in steep faces. I sold it and bought the 5'9" Cymatic. It feels fast, on the edge of control and loose depending on the fins. One of my favorite boards of all time! Next board will either be sizing up to a 5'10" Cymatic or to a 6'0 Sci Fi 2.0.

Fantastic review and great surfing! Just when I come to understand surfboards specs I come to a realization, the fins are more complicated and there is way too many of them 😂.

Love this review with all the comparison. Torn between a 5'3 and a 5'4. I feel like the board design wants to be ridden shorter but I worry that I might want more drive in 1 to 3 ft surf. I surf reef points that are usually waist to head high and not very hollow. I'm 5'10 and 150 pounds/68 kg and feel comfortable on a 26 liter hpsb. Noel, would you recommend going up in size for waves with less punch or do you think it would lose performance with the extra volume?

I struggle with the visuals of the nose aswell. I want a point where the rails meet. Does not need to be a sharp point, could be a longboard type of nose. Just a small point that defines the tip. Feel and aesthetics go hand in hand in good design.

Noel is the best!

At this point in surfing all these boards, what is your all around favorite board, like the CI "Fever" is to Pat Gudauskas? Something versatile from 2' beach break to 6' northshore?

Great review Noel. Got the SKX after your review earlier this year, and I'm gonna pull the trigger on this one too. Btw, any particular reason why you didn't ride it nearly as much as a thruster as opposed to a quad?

Noel, try out the White Noiz by Haydenshapes,…. it's the most silky riding board I've ever ridden, and very versatile and solid,…. so free, fast, and super carvy-loose. It felt that way for me from my very first wave, though I found the best fins for it, by far, are all fins F8's, or smaller sides and a larger center fin, such as F6's on the sides and F8 in the back/center fin,… even Futures 3/2/1's for the side fins, and an F8 for the center fin worked great.

Done. Added to quiver.

Noel you’re a legend!

Noel, Really love the reviews. Super informative and visual. I just have a quick question. What is the name of the rack that you use to present the boards on. I need to order one of those up. Thanks,

Beautiful review & shred factor SHREDuCation!

Yeeewwwww. Great board, brilliant review.

Hi Noel, For 3-5 ft would you recommend the R8 beta over the JJF large paired with the HS quad rears to loosen things up? Guy at the shop was pushing the rasta quads (medium) as he said the channels add extra hold so you would want a smaller fin. 6'5, 190lbs intermediate. Thanks.

Imagine if you surfed any one of these boards for a year straight, it would be interesting to see the difference in your surfing on a board from start to a year later of connecting with a board.

Okay so it was designed to be better as a quad great. I like to push the limits on what can or can't be done when it comes to trying different fin configurations and I have a FW already.

Hey mate! What’s the difference between this and the P2 (my current DD) in terms of performance? Would it be worth having both in the quiver or is there too much crossover? Thinking is to have something to push the limits on. I also have a Shadow. Thanks in advabce, reviews are awesome!!

Your surfing looked so alive with this board, when is such a small one, would you recommend using the same volume as your standard board or go higher cause it's so short?

Hey Noel! Great show and reviews!! What`s your experience from the Cymatic and EVO in weaker surf?Wich one would give you best preformance, catchability etc and wich one would you recommend for a weekend warrior?

Hi Noel, I loved your review. Can you compare the Cymatic to the Evo Helium construction? Which do you think will perform better in smaller surf (1-2 Feet)? Which will you command to the less experienced surfer?

Thanks for this great review Noel, great info and surfing. What would you say the main difference is between going for this board vs say, a Pyzel Phantom, which also is a versatile daily driver and looked great in the footage? personally I like weird boards but the phantom looked so smooth under foot... Cheers again for the great reviews

Hola Noel , Your reviews on board is reign supreme no matter which board you are giving a go. Two of my favorite reviews that you have done are this one (cymatic) and the lost sword fish. These two boards are the ones I am most interested in at the moment and I have one question regarding your opinion which of the two would be the closest to a 1 board quiver?? Which would be more suitable for an all-around are giving different wave conditions and sizes? Thanks bro for all your knowledge and insight. Very helpful

Hey Noel, thanks for all the great advice over the years.I love buying through surf station as well. What size cymatic would you recommend for someone having fun on the 5’3 seaside? 150 pounds and 5’8, intermediate plus ability. Thanks again!

Hey Noel, great video! Are you running large or medium in the quad FCS setup? Also are the reactor quad rears performance core? Thanks!

Thanks again for another awesome review. I have a question that pertains to body weight. I lost ten pounds over the off season (Florida/summer) and seem to be struggling to sink my rail as well as I did when I was heavier while also wearing a wetsuit. Do you have any tips on how to adjust board liters per 10lbs if weight? At 193lbs in Florida’s gutless waves, 38 liters rode really well for me but feels a bit boaty in anything over shoulder high now. Busting out my 34 liter board for Hurricane Florence tomorrow. 🤙

Love your reviews Noel, I would never mention this normally and I'm not having a go I just thought you might like to know that in America most people are pronouncing Tomo wrong, It's pronounced Tom-Oh, His surname his Thompson so he's nickname would be Thom-oh as in the letter O.

Hey Noel , thanks for all your time and the information you share with us my friend. I wonna ask you , i am 1.77cm about 80kg(180lbs) and i ride a tomo evo at 44lts which is an incredible surfboard that help me pass to the intermediate lvl , now i wonna reduce my liters and buy a new board , i am torn between buying a tomo evo again at fewer liters , a firewire cymatic or a seaside , i m gonna surf it to medium sized waves around 3 to 6 ft, but a bit hollow and fast , which one of those boards u recommend for me and at what size ? Thanks you very much noel Keep on the hard work

Hey Noel great review as always! Man I just bought a Cymatic board and it's really great, I did tests with 3 and 4 fins and 4 fins setup really made my mind ,the board goes to another level, the best set I found was Firewire's Large ... what do you think? Have you tried this one as well ?

Hey Noel. Thanks for the review. I'm between the cymatic and holy Grail. What one do you recommend

Love the way tomo boards generate speed without having to pump, you just get up and decided on what turn to do on whatever section is coming I had a 6,0 Sci phi though good, deck delaminated within 6 months, pity.

If you pick up the omni at Firewire . would you please ask they would make the omni in helium to ?? I realy think a lot of helium fans love to buy this !!! Thanks and keep up the good work!!!!!!

I am a intermediate/advanced surfer 5’11” and 165 lbs. do you think I should go for the 5’4” or go bigger. The 5’4” seems about my literage but I think it would be nice to size up for extra paddling power. What do you think about this board and sizing up?

Noel I forgot you HAVE to try the NVS Cdrive and Pacific Vibrations quad J drives ....... you will never go back to traditionals.

Hey Noel. Would you say this or the hydroshort is a better daily driver or are they pretty similar ?

A little late to this channel... What size and kind of surf board do you recommend for a beginner who is 6ft tall and 220 to 200lbs(on the good days) and i don't want to look like Johnny Utah learning to surf! ;) Thanks J

In 3ft- overhead which would you personally rather ride? Cymatic or the neck beard 2?

Noel, I'm 36 , 5''10 @ 165 living in Florida. I ride a 5'8 Evo @ 35L w/ reactor quads. I'm intermediate(ish) , looking at either 5'8 32L or 5'9 34L Cymatic. Thoughts?

Curious whether anyone's (Noel?) surfed a Vader, Evo and other Tomo's to do a comparison? Due to not getting in the water much the last 10 years, I went from a sponsored free surfer to getting frustrated on weekends on my high performance boards. Discovered the Vader about 5 years ago and it changed everything ( I have two Vaders 5'6, 5'7, I'm 6' and 83kg), it flies in all conditions, even 8ft grinding points. Takes a while to get used to, but pushing the rail the Vader rips, however it has it's limitations and once in a while I long for a "sharper" high performance board. Hence my question how the Cymatic and other Tomo's compare? By the way, the Evo....I have one, don't like it at all, just a very average, unresponsive board (for me). Not nearly as sharp as the Vader, however I would recommend it to beginner/intermediates as it handles a big range of surf and super easy to ride.