Channel Islands

Channel Islands · High-performance Shortboard

Channel Islands CI Pro Review

9.4/ 10 Estimated score

9.4

Estimated from 2 independent sources (no numeric scores published)

Average price€649Range €648.76–€648.76 across 1 retailersSee sources

Britt Merrick's Stab in the Dark winner from 2022, developed with Parker Coffin and ridden by Jack Robinson. Channel Islands calls the CI Pro the most rockered board in its current line, built for good waves and vertical surfing rather than everyday slop.

View on Channel Islands

Quick specs

Shaper: Britt Merrick
R&D: Parker Coffin, Jack Robinson
Category: High-performance shortboard
Rocker: Continuous, curviest beneath the feet, low curve out the tail
Bottom: Minimal single concave with slight double through the fins
Rails: Soft, tucked

The CI Pro came out of the 2022 Stab in the Dark, where Jack Robinson picked it as the winning board. Britt Merrick shaped it with in-the-field feedback from Parker Coffin, and Channel Islands positions it as the pinnacle of its high-performance range.

Channel Islands describes the rocker as continuous and curviest beneath your feet, which is what makes the board change direction so quickly, while the low curve out the back keeps projection down the line.

Underneath, a minimal single concave with a very slight double through the fins keeps the board sitting in the water rather than skating across it, and the curvier outline with soft tucked rails supports rail-to-rail surfing.

Pros & cons

Continuous rocker that is curviest underfoot makes direction changes fast and tight
Low exit rocker keeps projection through flatter sections despite the curve
Minimal single-to-double concave gives a connected, in-the-water feel at speed
Proven pedigree: Stab in the Dark 2022 winner and a tour-level team board

The most rockered board in the Channel Islands line is not a small-wave board
Soft, tucked rails and extra curve ask for a strong back foot
Not aimed at novices, and the stock ladder assumes a fit, regular surfer
Custom-order lead times apply for anything outside the stock dims

How it surfs

Curve is the whole story here. Boards with this much rocker feel sluggish in weak surf and come alive the moment a wave has a face, which is why Channel Islands slots the CI Pro against its step-downs rather than alongside them.

Most surfers ride the CI Pro close to their normal shortboard dims rather than adding volume. If you are unsure where to land, the surfboard volume calculator is a better starting point than copying a team rider's numbers.

A raked thruster set suits the tucked rails and continuous curve. Surfers who want a looser feel usually go to a slightly smaller side fin rather than switching the board to a quad.

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
5'8"	Compact performance	Lighter surfers	Intermediate to expert
5'10"	Common everyday size	Mid weight	Intermediate to expert
6'0"	Standard shortboard	Average build	Advanced
6'2"+	Bigger, better waves	Heavier surfers	Advanced

How it compares

Board	Best at	Wave range	Aggregate score
Pyzel Radius	High-performance rail surfing	Above average to pumping	9.1
Channel Islands Happy Traveler	Step-up for solid waves	Head-high and up	9.0
Channel Islands Fever	Everyday performance shortboard	Waist to overhead	8.9

Recommended fin setups

Thruster — Channel Islands lists thruster as the recommended setup

Verdict

A tour-level shortboard that does not pretend to be an all-rounder. The extra rocker and connected bottom contour make the CI Pro quick and vertical when the wave has power, and flat when it does not. Buy it for good days, not for every day.

Estimated score: 9.4 / 10

Estimated from 2 independent sources — see full list 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

9.4/ 10

9.4

2 sources, none scored

Source	Score	Summary
Channel Islands Surfboards official product page	No numeric score	"Describes the CI Pro as the most rockered board in the current line, with a continuous rocker curviest beneath your feet, a minimal single concave with slight double through the fins, and soft tucked rails for extreme rail-to-rail surfing."
Single Quiver	No numeric score	"Lists the CI Pro as Stab in the Dark's 2022 season champion, Britt Merrick's winning shortboard design as ridden by Jack Robinson and made in collaboration with Parker Coffin."

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

€649

€648.76–€648.76 · 1 retailers

Retailer	Price	vs. average
Single Quiver	€648.76	-€0.24	Visit

Frequently asked questions

What is the Channel Islands CI Pro?+

It is Britt Merrick's high-performance shortboard, developed with Parker Coffin and chosen by Jack Robinson as the winner of Stab in the Dark 2022.

What waves is the CI Pro designed for?+

Channel Islands lists it as the most rockered board in its line, aimed at good waves with a face rather than small, weak surf.

What is the bottom contour?+

A minimal single concave with a very slight double through the fins, which Channel Islands says keeps the board sitting in the water at high speed.

Which fin setup does Channel Islands recommend?+

Thruster is the recommended setup on the official product page.

Is the CI Pro suitable for intermediates?+

Channel Islands rates it from intermediate to expert. The rocker and tucked rails reward surfers who already surf off the back foot.

How much does the CI Pro cost?+

Single Quiver lists it at EUR 648.76. Prices vary by construction, dims and retailer.