The Sub Driver’s low tail rocker, curvy rail line creating concave and vee out the back, is a winning small wave combination, proven timeless and unsurpassed, for years. The Sub Driver OG and 2.0 have long been staples of our amateur, WQS and Challenger Series competitors’ quivers. A small wave performance, workhorse weapon, since a young Kolohe Andino used them to rampage through the Amateur and QS ranks, on his way to over a decade on the World Tour.
A longstanding favorite of Average Joes and countless Bros, on both East and West Coasts, to stay surfing on a performance short board, on a level they can boast…rather than a fish or hybrid shape, in average to sub-par surf. The past 3-4 years’ refinement and feedback, we’ve evolved the foil, bottom curves, outline rails and rocker, for a new generation of surfers to attack typical small wave contests.
Guys like Cole Houshmand and Kade Matson both relied on swallow tail Sub Drivers to qualify for the WT. Michael Rodrigues regularly rips them, as does East Coast stalwart Michael Dunphy and the OG Kolohe. Based off rider feedback and the consistently large amount of custom orders for swallow tailed Sub Drivers, we realized it’s time to release the updated design…and do it as a swallow tail, first. The SubDriver3.0 (swallow) was born. A generously proportioned, performance outline, with its wide point noticeably set back, creating a hip between the feet, that swoops into a moderately wide swallow. The bottom features a deep single concave, through the center, maxing out between the feet, then hyper-extends (with plenty of double concave) through the tail. There, the rail line accelerates to the Sub Driver 3.0’s distinctive Vee, behind the rear fin.
The swallow tail reduces surface area, provides drive and lends some grip and pivot, while still retaining width, for speed. The rail rocker mirrors the outline hip, combining to provide a balanced fulcrum to initiate effortless turns, anywhere on the wave. This is really where the board has evolved to the point of warranting a new model update.
The low fast tail rocker drives from the rear foot and is balanced with a moderate entry rocker that is quick off the bottom and easily wraps around when put on rail or laying into cutbacks. With both the rail line and outline having the apex curve set back (between the feet), the SubDriver3.0 is very maneuverable board. Its low tail rocker and generous width and concave get it up to speed quickly with down the line speed. It excels where other performance boards fail and is designed to be ridden a 1”-2” shorter and a fair bit wider than the DRIVER 3.0 or 3.0 STUB.
BlackSheepBuilt boards begin with light weight, 1.5lb virgin EPS and utilize the most advanced “Triax-NCF” (Non-Crimp Fabric) high-quality carbon fiber, to create a fast, responsive and lively surfboard. A board that is both lightweight and flexible, but also surprisingly strong.
- “Triax” Carbon is laminated only on the deck, with a short bottom lap and sandwiched with multiple layers of 4oz, “D-size” fiberglass, top and bottom, for both durability and performance.
- •Engineered for rapid reaction and maintaining a forgiving flex and dampened overall feel, under foot.
- The combination of both Triax Carbon and fiberglass helps BlackSheepBuilt boards feel lively and exciting, but familiar at the same time.
- The unique performance of BlackSheepBuilt boards comes from the Triax Carbon, which combines a triple-axis +30/-30°/0 layup. It is an “un-crimped”, multi-directional carbon, which enhances and controls torsional force from rail to rail. Multi-axial carbon fiber is a great alternative to traditional woven carbon fibers because it is made up of alternately aligned layers of unidirectional carbon reinforcement.
- Because it’s not woven, the fibers do not “crimp” under and over perpendicular fibers, in the way that traditional woven fabrics do. The fibers lay flatter, retain less resin, remain smoother, straighter and stronger, with a more natural flex. Unlike traditional woven fabrics, there is also no 90 (degree) rail to rail carbon, which creates weak points and easy fissures for deck buckles, cracks and breaks.
- The +30/-30° fabric orientation, the torsion force and pressure from the surfer’s feet radiates outward to more of the rail line, creating greater drive, connection and thus control, with the edges and perimeter of the board. Strength and stability underfoot and along the rail line, work together as one.
