The Ghost by Pyzel is one of their most popular surfboard models, becoming iconic when surfed by John John Florence at big pumping Margaret River. The board was designed for big, hollow and powerful waves, however it proved to go well also in reef breaks and points etc. Most surfers would put the Ghost into a step up / big barrel category, opting to take it out when the surf gets serious.

The Mini Ghost is a recent surfboard model that was developed between Jon Pyzel and professional surfer Koa Smith. The idea was to essentially shrink and squash down Koa’s Ghost model into a more rippable, chunky 5’5, whilst maintaining attributes of the Ghost. This board would be considered more of a daily driver that is a versatile option in a variety of waves from everyday beach breaks to hollow reefs.

 

 

Attributes Comparison

 

Outline

The Ghost has a refined outline with a low volume nose area and pulled in tail for fitting better into the curve of hollow waves. The Mini Ghost on the other hand has a much wider outline with more volume in the nose, with an added beak feature that pays tribute to surfboard design in the 80s. This added volume helps in smaller conditions where paddle power is essential. Both boards have a rounded pin tail, which adds a lot of hold in hollow waves. The pin tail of the Mini Ghost is definitely chunkier and wider than the Ghost which helps in smaller conditions by adding more surface area.

 

Rails

The Ghost has thin foiled out rails which provides hold in barrels and also hold whilst performing big turns rail to rail. The Mini Ghost has much thicker rails which adds more buoyancy and a stable feeling when surfing in smaller conditions.

 

Rocker

The Ghost and the Mini Ghost both share pretty much the same rocker throughout the whole board, which makes sense as this is where a lot of the ‘feeling’ of a board comes from, which Pyzel wanted to keep the same for both models.  The entry rocker is low to medium which helps with paddle power and speed, which means both boards are easy to paddle into waves. The exit rocker out of the tail has a generous amount of curve which creates a responsive feeling throughout turns and also helps fit into the pocket of punchy hollow waves.

 

Concave

The Ghost has a single concave running throughout the entire bottom, with a double concave out of the tail. The Mini Ghost has a Single to subtle double concave out of the tail. Both boards benefit from great speed and quick rail to rail transitions from their concave.

 

Fin Setup

Both boards come with 5 fin boxes which gives the option to set up as a thruster or quad depending on what you prefer.

 

What size to ride

As the Ghost is more of a step up board we recommend to surf it anywhere between your exact height and 8 inches higher. The Mini Ghost packs a lot of volume in a small package and therefore can be ridden 3-4 inches shorter than your standard shortboard.

 

Surfer Ability

Both boards are tailored for Intermediate to Advanced surfers. Advanced surfers will feel right at home on these boards and Intermediates will be able to progress well with the right sized board. Both boards are definitely not for beginners due to their attributes.

 

Wave Size

Both boards are very versatile, with the Ghost being recommended between 3ft and 12ft, but it definitely excels in the bigger end of the spectrum. The Mini Ghost may seem like a small wave board at first glance but it holds its own in solid surf too, with a recommended range of 2ft up to 8ft.

 

Where to Surf these boards in Bali

As an everyday daily driver we would recommend the Mini Ghost. You can be pretty certain whatever the conditions throw at you here in Bali you should be fine. Anything from Canggu beach breaks like Sandbar to the classic perfect days at Uluwatu where Racetracks produces fun overhead barrels. For the serious days when Padang Padang and Outside Corner are working, we would definitely recommend to opt for the Ghost, as it is much more well suited to bigger barrels. 

 

Where to Buy

If you are in Bali you can buy both boards here in-store at Boardriders Echo Beach, Canggu. View the Ghost here, and the Mini Ghost here.

 

Price

We currently retail both boards at 8,950,000 IDR.

 

Board Talks from Jon Pyzel

 

 

Feature Image Credit: Trevor Moran