Brand Spotlight
Channel Island
Channel Islands is one of the world’s most renowned and influential surfboard brands. Since 1969, the brand has stood for performance, innovation and exceptional craftsmanship. Al Merrick is the legendary shaper and founder behind the brand, regarded as one of the most influential surfboard designers of all time and a key pioneer in shaping modern high-performance surfboards. Channel Islands and Torq have jointly developed the X-Lite Series, combining iconic Al Merrick & Channel Islands shapes with Torq’s precise, resource-efficient CNC epoxy technology. The result is lighter, more durable and more eco-friendly boards that deliver classic CI performance at an attractive price point.
In 2016, Channel Islands Surfboards recognized Torq’s manufacturing technology, and together they developed a carbon-reinforced version for a shared model: X-Lite — now featuring three CI models in the range. It all began with the legendary Pod Mod, one of Channel Islands’ best-selling surfboards. The Pod Mod is a heavily revised version of the original Pod design, developed to be ridden even shorter and wider than the original — ideal for surfers who want more volume up front for easier paddling without sacrificing performance.
The next board to join the lineup was the Chancho in X-Lite construction, an evolution of the popular Water Hog model. The all-new Chancho is extremely user-friendly and a very stable board that allows you to catch waves effortlessly. Despite its mid-length outline, the Chancho offers generous volume and features a low nose rocker for early and easy paddling. Subtle V-bottom contours running through the fin area provide smooth and controlled turns.
The newest member of the X-Lite family is the M23. It originates from the legendary M13 lineage, a hybrid board that Al Merrick originally designed for himself and rode in different variations for decades — from fun, cruisy sessions at Rincon to powerful, heavy conditions at Sunset Beach. It is a true high-performance hybrid board, suitable for a wide variety of surfer types and sizes, and designed for an exceptionally broad range of wave conditions. Not to be confused with the CI Mid: the M23 features more overall volume, fuller rails, and a sleeker nose outline. It paddles exceptionally well while still riding very much like a shortboard.
