Channel Islands Neck Beard 3 Review

Average price$775Range $775–$775 across 1 retailersSee sources

The Neck Beard 3 is the latest evolution of Dane Reynolds' small-wave groveler, shaped by Britt Merrick. CI describes it as a design that wasn't broken and didn't need fixing — with only a subtle tail update from the Neck Beard 2, rounding out the signature square block.

View on Channel Islands

Quick specs

Designer: Britt Merrick / Dane Reynolds
Type: Small-wave groveler / hybrid
Construction: PU, Spine-Tek EPS, X-Lite, or Eco Carbon Tech
Fin system: FCS II (5-fin: thruster or quad)
Concave: Single throughout (vee removed from original Neck Beard)
Tail shape: Round (updated from square block in v3)

The Neck Beard 3 is the third generation of Dane Reynolds' signature small-wave groveler, shaped by Britt Merrick at Channel Islands. CI's product page describes it with the philosophy that when something isn't broken, there's no need to fix it — but Britt and Dane still felt a few slight tweaks were worth making.

A big fan of single concave, Dane asked Britt to take out the vee from the original Neck Beard, creating single concave throughout. In the 3.0 tweak, CI updated only the tail by rounding out its signature square block. While the Neck Beard 3 retains the core design DNA, the rounded tail gives it a slightly smoother feel through turns.

The Neck Beard 3 is built with the tri-fin setup in mind but also works well as a quad via a five-fin setup. Available constructions include PU (base $820), Spine-Tek EPS (+$155), X-Lite, and Eco Carbon Tech (PU/PE +$110 or EPS/Epoxy +$285).

Pros & cons

Single concave throughout generates speed in weak surf (vee removed per Dane's request)
5-fin FCS II setup allows thruster or quad depending on conditions
Multiple construction options: PU, Spine-Tek, X-Lite, and Eco Carbon Tech
Round tail update from v2 adds smoother turning than the original square block

PU base price of $820; Spine-Tek adds $155, Eco Carbon Tech adds $110–$285
Small-wave specialist — not designed for solid overhead surf
CI custom builder requires selecting size, construction, and fin options

How it surfs

Because Surfex does not personally test boards, the notes here summarise what Channel Islands and retailers describe about the shape rather than a first-person ride report. CI positions the Neck Beard 3 as a small-wave groveler that catches waves easily and generates its own speed.

Base price on the CI site is $820 for PU construction. Upgrades to Spine-Tek, X-Lite, or Eco Carbon Tech add $110–$285. Surfboard Factory Hawaii lists the Neck Beard 3 at $825–$965 depending on construction.

For a hands-on ride impression, the Videos section links to independent YouTube reviews which walk through the board in real conditions.

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
5'4"	—	—	CI custom builder
5'6"	—	—	CI custom builder
5'8"	—	—	CI custom builder
5'10"	—	—	CI custom builder

Verdict

The Neck Beard 3 is Dane Reynolds' small-wave groveler for Channel Islands, shaped by Britt Merrick. Base price is $820 (PU) on the CI site, with construction upgrades available. Because Surfex does not personally test boards, we've linked out to the CI product page and independent YouTube reviews below so you can form your own ride impression.

Independent source check

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.

Sources checked

3

Source	Score	Summary
Blink Surf — Neck Beard 3 review	No numeric score	"The third iteration of Dane Reynolds' Neck Beard — CI's most refined small-wave shortboard yet, with the full single concave and low/moderate rocker of the NB2 tuned for even more paddle power."
Boardshop UK — Neck Beard 3 vs Phantom	No numeric score	"The brainchild of Channel Islands and Dane Reynolds against Pyzel's Phantom daily-driver — the Neck Beard 3 holds its own as the more responsive shortboard in fun-sized surf."
The Surf Catalog — Neckbeard 3 buyer database	No numeric score	"Refined by Britt Merrick and Dane Reynolds — full single concave for speed, low/moderate rocker for extra paddle power, and moderate exit rocker for precise turns."

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

$775

$775–$775 · 1 retailers

Retailer	Price	vs. average
Surf Station	$775	—	Visit

Frequently asked questions

Neck Beard 3 vs Happy Everyday — which should I get?+

The Happy Everyday is CI's daily driver for average to good surf. The Neck Beard 3 is the small-wave groveler. Both are Dane Reynolds designs — the Neck Beard is wider, foamier, and faster in weak surf.

How much does the Neck Beard 3 cost?+

Base price on the CI site is $820 for PU construction. Spine-Tek EPS adds $155, Eco Carbon Tech PU/PE adds $110, and Eco Carbon Tech EPS/Epoxy adds $285. Surfboard Factory Hawaii lists it at $825–$965.

What changed from the Neck Beard 2 to the 3?+

CI updated only the tail — rounding out the signature square block from the previous version. The single concave throughout (vee removed from the original per Dane's request) carries over from the Neck Beard 2.

Quad or thruster in the Neck Beard 3?+

CI builds it with the tri-fin setup in mind, but it also works well as a quad via the five-fin FCS II setup. The board uses FCS II fin boxes.