G-Money by Surf Prescriptions

Dimensions & Material

We tested the 5'9"H x 19 1/2"W x 2 1/2"T Polyurethane model. The board has a wide nose with a tight, pulled in tail.

Bottom

The bottom is a shallow entry single concave through the tail.

Tail

The G-Money has a pintail design that makes it a great board for pocket surfing.

Nose

The full nose outline keeps the board steady and buoyant.

Fins

We tested this board in 3 fin Futures F4 polycarbonate fins. These fins work best in bigger waves for heavier riders. We also tested the bigger/ stiffer FEA glass fins, which really opens up the board in smaller/weaker waves.

Paddling

Paddling on the G-Money is comparable to most performance fish models, which is to say that it paddles well. The wide nose keeps the board steady and buoyant while paddling through breaks or choppy waters. Because of the wide nose and narrow tail, you'll have to position your body close to nose to keep balance. Overall, the extra paddling power is always welcome.

Catching

The G-Money will catch most overhead to shoulder high waves. The wider nose allows for a stable platform during take-off and the pintail allows the board to quickly cut into steep waves. However the pintail does make locking into waves more challenging as you'll have to add a few more paddle strokes to lock the board in.

In waist-minus waves, the G-Money really needs some pulse from the wave to get locked in. If the waves are slow or slightly mushy, you'll have to work to get the board locked into the waves. Also in these waves you'll need a light-footed pop-up otherwise, you'll bog down the board. Again, having a larger fin set up will help give the board some extra drive in these conditions.

One of the nice aspects of the G-Money is it's stability during pop-up. The wide body outline gives the board a stable platform to plant your feet. If you plant your back foot too deep on the tail, the board will bog on those smaller waves. Other than that, the board is relatively forgiving on foot positioning during take off.

Riding

The obvious reason to go for the pin-tailed G-Money versus a wider tail is for the performance. More specifically, for those tight barrels. The pintail design on the G-money allows the board to stick in the pocket almost without effort. The wider body also gives the board some natural drive while in the pocket, so you're not trying to micro-pump your way out of the rabbit hole. So if the day calls for fast, shoulder to head high barrels, the G-Money is your board.

Outside of barrels, the G-Money is a fun board. The narrowed tail design allows for harder turns and slashes compared to a wider tail, small wave board. To provide some perspective, the G-Money doesn't have the agility of a performance shortboard, but you'll still be able to perform solid turns and cuts. This board seems to work best in flowing turns and motions rather than jarring cuts of progressive surfing.

The G-Money is best enjoyed in long walled waves, or anywhere the board can grab continuous speed. The board provides some natural speed from the wider nose/body but the pintail design dampens that natural drive significantly. So ideally, you'll want a wave that supplies the power. From take-off, the G-Money builds speed well with each pump the board only really requires 2-3 solid pumps to get going. If you're running a little late on a section, the G-Money handles floaters pretty well. If you're looking to pull the board a bit more out of the water (i.e. aerials), the G-Money does an alright job.

In waves smaller than waist high, the G-Money struggles, which comes back to the limited natural drive due to the pintail. But, you'll still be better off with the G-Money that a standard shortboard thruster in these waves. The G-Money works best in solid medium to overhead waves. And although if you're in a bind, you could use it in small waves, you're not fully taking advantage of the G-Money.

The G-Money is a nice performance, medium-small to overhead wave board. If you're looking for only a small wave board, then look at other boards with a wider tail design. But the G-Money wasn't designed as a small wave board. It was designed for fast and fun conditions (i.e. barrels). And for that, the G-Money passes with flying colors. While the G-Money may not be as agile as a performance thruster, you'll have more flexibility in the waves you can ride this board in, and with more forgiveness. The G-Money is ideal for surfers who already have a solid quiver, but looking to add another board for those fast, fun, medium days.