Dimensions: 5’0 x 20.125″ x 2.5″

I also got a chance to try the Cole Trunk Board recently…again in small knee to waist high waves. Conditions this day were very very clean, small but lining up very nicely. The board I tried was a very short and stubby 5’0 model with thruster setup running M5 FCS side fins and an M3 center fin. The overall thickness and width make up for lack of length and paddling was pretty good for such a small board.

The bottom features a deep bonzer like concave running from front to back which looks like some type of jet intake and low nose and high tail rocker. The full rails have those Stretch channels for improved durability (I think) but nonetheless provide extra grip when duck diving. This particular board was a custom ordered PU board though they also offer several Aviso carbon fiber models.

Paddling into waves was super easy…probably because of the extra low nose rocker and once up and riding the lack of length made this board feel very skatey. The board was very responsive and I could pump it on the face of the wave just like those Carver skateboards. I really like the way the board turned tight in the pocket…you feel like you can make the board go anywhere you want it to. The Xanadu Wave Rocket is my favorite mushburger board but it’s length is a bit much for someone of my size (5’5 140lbs) and it’s turns are much more drawn out than the Trunk board (b/c of board length and twin fin setup).

According to Cole, the full length deep concave drastically reduces drag which is probably the reason the board was pretty fast running a truster setup. Normally you only get that type of speed with a twin fin but I’d say this board with three fins generates similar speeds as a twin/quad board would in small surf.

I’ve tried a few short stubby boards under 5’5 but in the past those shorter boards have been squirrely without much drive which is why I’ve stayed away from them. The Trunk board on the other hand had plenty of drive for such a small board yet it feels much more snappier than a retro fish.

I didn’t get a chance to ride it backhand but I hear it works great both ways…this is definitely a great board which lives up to the hype and they make them in a wide range of sizes. I’m 5’5 140 lbs and the 5’0 was more than enough board to surf a very small day so adjust accordingly and talk to Cole himself. I’ll have to consider getting one of my own!

The concept of how the board was created is pretty interesting. The surfers in Japan wanted a board small enough to fit in their tiny trunks or small enough to bring along on train rides so Cole designed a board with shortboard volume compressed into a short stubby board, hence the Trunk board was born.

This board was also featured in the Lost video 5’5 x 19″1/4 REDUX with Kelly Slater giving it a test ride somewhere in California. Pretty cool stuff.

Website: http://colesurfboards.com/trunkBoard.asp