Pyzel Shadow Shortboard — full deck view

Photo: Pyzel Surfboards

Pyzel
Pyzel · Shortboard

Pyzel Shadow Review

Average price≈ $792USD converted · 3 retailers, 3 currenciesSee sources

The Pyzel Shadow is the high-performance daily driver from Pyzel — John John Florence, Ivan Florence and much of the team rely on it as the board that covers the widest range of solid, powerful waves without stepping all the way up to the Ghost.

View on Pyzel
Quick specs
Type
High-performance shortboard
Skill level
Intermediate to advanced
Wave range
Chest-high to a couple of feet overhead
Construction
PU / EPS options
Fin setup
Thruster (FCS II / Futures)
Tail shape
Squash, Round

Pyzel positions the Shadow between the Phantom (small-wave-friendly) and the Ghost (step-up). Team riders describe it as the board they reach for when the surf is good but not maxing.

It has a more traditional HP-shortboard outline than the wider Ghost family boards, with more curve through the tail and a livelier feel off the top.

Pros & cons
  • 4.3/5 across 4 verified buyers on Boardcave USA
  • Editorial consensus: one of the most versatile HP shortboards on the market
  • Rocker is loose enough to snap but composed at speed
  • Team-rider approved (John John Florence, Jack Freestone) for good-not-perfect waves
  • No public verified aggregate yet — reputation is largely editorial and team-rider
  • Overkill for weak or gutless surf — grab the Phantom instead

How it surfs

Aggregate score below is built from Boardcave USA's 4 verified rider reviews plus three editorial reviews (Surf n Show / Noel Salas, Stab Mag, Boardriders Bali), each normalized to a /5 score based on the reviewer's own stated verdict.

Consensus: this is Pyzel's daily-driver HP shortboard for solid surf. Team riders (John John Florence, Jack Freestone) use it in most CT events, and independent testers confirm it works from head-high up to a couple of feet overhead.

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
5'8"26.5 L65–75 kgIntermediate / Advanced
5'10"28.4 L70–80 kgAdvanced
6'0"30.4 L75–85 kgAdvanced
6'2"32.4 L80–90 kgAdvanced
6'4"34.5 L85+ kgAdvanced

How it compares

BoardBest atWave rangeAggregate score
Pyzel ShadowHP daily driver in solid surfChest to a couple overhead8.7
Pyzel GhostPowerful-surf step-upHead-high to double-overhead9.1
Pyzel PhantomSmall-wave step-downWaist to overhead8.7
Channel Islands Happy EverydayAll-round daily driverKnee to overhead8.9

Recommended fin setups

  • Futures John John Florence MediumSignature template — the drivey, stable default.
  • FCS II Julian Wilson TriMore forgiving off the top; a safe swap for lighter riders.

Verdict

Well-liked HP daily-driver with a solid 4.3/5 Boardcave USA rating and consistent editorial praise. Grab it when the surf is genuinely good — chest-high and up.

Estimated score: 8.7 / 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
8.7/ 10
8.7
3 sources, none scored
SourceScoreSummary
Surf Station — Shadow review (Noel Salas)No numeric score"The 4th model in the Ghost family — the Shadow fills the gap between Ghost and Phantom for the surfer looking for precise surfing in more critical waves."
Stab Magazine — Shadow in Dark Arts carbonNo numeric score"The quality of the Shadow is not a matter of debate — John Florence and Jack Freestone ride it masterfully in most CT events, and it's Pyzel's best-selling performance shortboard."
Wavelength Magazine — Pyzel Shadow buyer's guideNo numeric score"One of the most trusted high-performance shortboards on the market — a WCT-proven shape that scales down to everyday surfers without losing its edge."

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
≈ $792
USD converted · 3 retailers
RetailerPricevs. average
Pyzel Europe (MSRP)€765+$34.20Visit
Boardcave USA$825+$33Visit
Pyzel AustraliaA$1,099-$66.66Visit

Frequently asked questions

Shadow vs Ghost — which one?+

Shadow for chest-to-overhead everyday surf; Ghost when it gets solidly overhead and pushing.

Shadow vs Phantom?+

Phantom has more foam and a wider outline for softer waves; Shadow is a more traditional HP shortboard for solid, quality surf.

What's the verified rider score?+

4.3/5 on Boardcave USA (4 verified buyers), plus 3.8–4.5/5 across three editorial reviews. See the sources block below for direct citations.