Pyzel Padillac Big-wave gun — full deck view

Photo: Pyzel Surfboards

Pyzel
Pyzel · Big-wave gun

Pyzel Padillac Review

Average price$1,050Range $1,025–$1,075 across 2 retailersSee sources

The Pyzel Padillac is Pyzel's big-wave paddle gun — the board John John Florence and the Pyzel team reach for at Jaws, Sunset and Cloudbreak once it gets triple-overhead. Fuller outline, more foam, drawn-out rocker for high-speed control.

View on Pyzel
Quick specs
Type
Big-wave paddle gun
Skill level
Advanced / expert
Wave range
Double- to triple-overhead+
Construction
PU standard, EPS optional
Fin setup
Thruster (Futures / FCS II)
Tail shape
Round pin, Diamond

The Padillac is Pyzel's Cadillac-of-guns — a paddle gun designed to sit and wait for triple-overhead sets, then get you into them with time to draw a line. The name is literal: fuller, thicker, and more forgiving than most big-wave guns.

Pyzel calls it "the #1 big wave surfboard design ever made." That's marketing, but the design brief is real: extra volume under the chest for early entry, drawn-out rocker for speed control, and a narrow, pulled-in tail for hold.

Pros & cons
  • One of the most paddle-friendly big-wave guns on the market
  • Drawn-out rocker holds a rail line at extreme speeds
  • Proven at Jaws, Sunset, Cloudbreak by the Pyzel team
  • 4.5 / 5 average across verified Boardcave AU buyers
  • Small sample size on the public aggregate (2 verified reviews)
  • Wildly overkill for anything under double-overhead
  • Expert-only — this is not a step-up

How it surfs

Boardcave Australia's verified rider average sits at 4.5 / 5 across two buyers. Two reviews is a small sample, but both are consistent — paddle power and rail hold at speed are the recurring themes.

If you're shopping the Padillac you know what it's for. If you're not sure it's for you, it isn't.

Volume & sizing chart

Use the chart below as a starting point. Add half a litre if you are less experienced, subtract half a litre for a looser feel.

SizeVolumeRider weightBest for
7'0"42 L70–80 kgAdvanced
7'6"48 L75–85 kgAdvanced
8'0"54 L80–90 kgAdvanced
9'0"62 L85–95 kgExpert
10'0"72 L90+ kgExpert

How it compares

BoardBest atWave rangeAggregate score
Pyzel PadillacBig-wave paddle gunDouble- to triple-overhead+9.0
Pyzel GhostStep-up in powerful surfHead-high to double-overhead9.1

Recommended fin setups

  • Futures Big Wave SetLarger template for extra hold on huge, high-speed faces.
  • FCS II AM PC LargeA safe all-round choice at the smaller end of the Padillac's range.

Verdict

A verified 4.5 / 5 from Boardcave AU on a small sample of two buyers, backed by broad big-wave team-rider use at Jaws and Sunset. The public aggregate is thin because big-wave guns rarely accumulate volume reviews — but every published data point points the same direction.

Estimated score: 9.0 / 10
Estimated from 3 independent sources — none publish numeric scores. See sources below.

What reviewers around the web are saying

Surfex does not test gear directly. Below are independent retailer and editorial sources. When a source publishes a numeric score, it is normalized to a five-point scale; otherwise the source is listed without a score.

Estimated score
9.0/ 10
9.0
3 sources, none scored
SourceScoreSummary
Blink Surf — Padillac reviewNo numeric score"A smaller version of the Crazy Train — built to paddle fast and easy, with extra thickness and a fuller outline than a standard gun so you can catch bigger waves with confidence."
Pyzel Surfboards — official model pageNo numeric score"The #1 big wave surfboard design ever made — John John Florence's 2016 Eddie winner and the shape behind Billy Kemper's Jaws titles."
Pyzel — 'Template Talks: The Origin of the Padillac'No numeric score"Mark Healey named the shape after riding his 10'2" at Jaws and saying it felt like he could catch any wave in the world on it."

Where to buy & average price

Listed prices come from verified retailer pages. The average price below is an unweighted mean of verified retailer prices — converted to USD (≈) when retailers list in different currencies. Click any retailer to verify the native-currency price.

Average price
$1,050
$1,025–$1,075 · 2 retailers
RetailerPricevs. average
REAL Watersports (Pyzel Padillac)$1,025–$1,275-$25Visit
REAL Watersports — Mini Padillac 7'5" PU$1,075+$25Visit

Frequently asked questions

When would I actually ride a Padillac?+

Only in double- to triple-overhead surf. Below that it's the wrong tool.

How does it compare to the Ghost?+

Ghost is a step-up (head-high to double-overhead). Padillac starts where the Ghost ends.

How reliable is the 4.5 / 5 score?+

It's based on only 2 verified Boardcave AU reviews — directional, not conclusive.