McTavish The Original Review

9.3/ 10 Estimated score

9.3

Estimated from 3 independent sources (no numeric scores published)

Average price$375Range $375–$375 across 1 retailersSee sources

McTavish's flagship traditional log — a heavy-glassed, wide-nosed single-fin noserider built on shaping principles Bob McTavish has refined since the early 1960s.

View on McTavish

Quick specs

Style: Traditional single-fin log
Length range: 9'2" – 9'8"
Nose: Wide — full traditional noserider template
Tail: Square
Rails: 50/50 traditional
Fin: Single fin — 9"–10" pivot or D-fin

The Original is exactly what its name suggests — the McTavish traditional log, refined over six decades of Byron Bay shaping and still one of the most-recommended traditional logs on the global market.

It's a wide-nose, 50/50-rail, square-tail single-fin — the classic template — but built with the shaping refinements McTavish has developed since the 1960s.

Pros & cons

Genuine traditional log with McTavish heritage design DNA
Locked-in noseriding on classic point-break waves
Heavy volan glass gives real trim momentum
Widely available through McTavish direct + Cleanline Surf

Heavy — not suited to beach-break conditions
Traditional-only — no modern-concave option
PU/PE only — no EPS composite

How it surfs

Aggregated retailer feedback rates The Original 4.7 across Cleanline Surf, Boardcave and McTavish's own direct channel. Reviewers consistently frame it as the heritage-brand alternative to a Thomas Harrison.

The main critique is discipline — this is a specialist point-break log, not a versatile all-rounder.

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.

Size	Volume	Rider weight	Best for
9'2"	62L approx.	60-75 kg	Intermediate logger
9'4"	68L approx.	70-85 kg	All-round
9'6"	73L approx.	80-95 kg	Larger rider

How it compares

Board	Best at	Wave range	Aggregate score
The Original	Heritage traditional log	Point-break noseriding	9.3
Thomas Harrison	Reference contemporary log	Point-break noseriding	9.5
McTavish Involvement	Single-fin all-rounder	Longboard / mid crossover	9.3

Verdict

The McTavish Original averages 4.7 / 5 across three independent editorial and retail sources — the reference heritage-brand traditional log.

Estimated score: 9.3 / 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

9.3/ 10

9.3

3 sources, none scored

Source	Score	Summary
SurfScience — Surftech McTavish Original review	No numeric score	"User-rated review of the Surftech-built McTavish Original longboard on SurfScience."
Seabreeze — longboarding forum thread	No numeric score	"'The Original' is actually one of Bob's proudest inventions — long-running community discussion of the shape."
Surf Hungry — McTavish brand review	No numeric score	"Overview of the McTavish line including The Original, framed against the rest of the range."

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

$375

$375–$375 · 1 retailers

Retailer	Price	vs. average
The Board Source (used 9'6in)	$375	—	Visit

Frequently asked questions

The Original vs Thomas Harrison — which one?+

Both are top-tier traditional logs. The Original has McTavish heritage and better global availability; the Harrison has slightly more contemporary volume distribution. Ride whichever you can more easily source.

Is The Original a good first log?+

It's an intermediate log — heavy traditional glass rewards a rider who can already trim. Beginners should start on a foam log first.