Modern Highline 2.0 — 5'9" High Volume Shortboard

The Modern Highline 2.0 is one of the smartest transition boards on the market — and the 5'9" is the go-to size for surfers under 60kg who are ready to step off a softboard or a larger foamie and into something that surfs like a real shortboard.

This is the second generation of the Highline, and Modern have refined what was already a winning formula. The plan shape and rocker from the original have been kept exactly as they were — because they worked — but the bottom contour has been significantly updated. The update features a dramatically tweaked bottom contour that has a small amount of Vee upfront, then a noticeable double concave with a lot of Vee between the fins. The result is a board that generates speed more easily and turns with noticeably less effort than its predecessor.

At 5'9" x 21¼" x 2 9/16" and 36.6 litres, this is a genuinely high volume shortboard — enough foam to catch waves early and paddle confidently, but a shortboard outline and feel that helps you actually develop your surfing. By dramatically increasing your wave count it in turn increases your confidence, and with the updated bottom contour it increases the ease of turning the board. More waves, more turns, more progression — that's the whole idea.

Construction is traditional PU/polyester — CNC milled and hand laminated using Hexcel fibreglass, Silmar resin and Bennett foam — giving the board a lively, responsive feel underfoot. FCSII Tri Performer fins are included in the box, so you're ready to paddle out straight away.

If you've been riding a softboard and wondering when to make the jump, the Modern Highline 2.0 in 5'9" is the answer. Available in-store at Flowstate Surf + Sport, Newmarket, Auckland.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR THIS BOARD

NOTE: Rider weight is based on board volume and intermediate rider skill level