Lost Roundup - 3 New Boards for Fall

Lost Cobra Killer

One of the new Lost models that we’re most stoked to get our hands on - a collaboration between Matt Biolos and Paul Lefevre (Sons of Cobra) - the Cobra Killer. A twin fin offspring of the ever-popular Quiver Killer with a ton of versatility.

Outline

The Cobra Killer has an overall hybrid type outline from nose to tail with a simplistic, continuous curve.

Just enough width in the nose to make paddling easy, while still having that performance feel to it.

It’s a touch wider than the quiver killer, with the wide point slightly back. This gives the Cobra Killer the performance feel while offering plenty of float for those smaller days.

The tail pulls in nicely to a round tail, which offers plenty of hold, and more importantly control, to the board. Twin fins are typically known for being fast and loose - often sliding out on sharp turns. The round tail on the Cobra Killer keeps you in total control - especially when paired with the unique bottom contours.

Some entry rocker to allow for steeper drops, but still flat enough for easy paddling with low tail exit rocker.


Waves

The Cobra Killer will work best in stomach high to overhead surf. It can handle a variety of wave types, from lined up points with walls for carving, to barreling beach breaks.

Bottom + Fins

The bottom contours on the Cobra Killer may be the most unique aspect of the board.

Single entry concave in the nose through the middle of the board. Double concave through the lower 1/3rd - becoming deeper through the fins and tail. The deep concave through the fins makes the board feel super lively and responsive, which is not usually synonymous with a twin fin.

We recommend an upright, Mark Richards type twin fin for this board. A prime example is the new Perch Twin set - available exclusively at Warm Winds which is in MR inspired upright twin.

This keeps the board quick and responsive, while still offering the speed and hold of a twin fin.


The Down Low

This board is for someone that likes the speed and flow of a twin - but wants hold and maneuverability on top of it. If you are looking for one board that can handle most conditions, then this sick little collab between Mayhem and the Son of Cobra is for you!

Lost's Description

“The “Son Of Cobra” (Paul Lefevre) is world renowned for his ResinWorks artistry, but Paul is equally adept at the craft of shaping. I’ve said for years that Paul may be the most naturally talented, all around board builder, that I’ve worked with in all my years” – Matt Biolos.

The COBRA KILLER is first and foremost, a Post Modern Twin-fin. Designed around Paul’s unique, and exceedingly deep, double concave bottom. It really piqued my interest to pair it with one of our proven models. We effectively merged his bottom contours into the outline, foil, rails and primary rocker of the time tested QuiverKiller. Thus, the name “COBRA KILLER”. Due to the relatively pulled in, rounded pin, being paired with the deep concave behind the fins, the COBRA KILLER needs no trailer fin, and is built exclusively as a Twin.

As Paul says “It’s really fast. Gives lots of drive. Makes sharp turns (with great responsiveness) and is not so loose, for a Twin Fin. It rides very lively under foot, yet surprisingly solid and firm. It can be ridden with confidence, without fear of sliding out, or drifting”.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a “Son Of Cobra” project without some added flair and fanciness. The COBRA KILLER also comes with artistically beautiful bells and whistles. Each shaped blank is built with dual, dark wood stringers. Thin enough for flex, but the 1/2” gap between them reduces unwanted twist and torsion.

Other features include…

One of a kind, embossed metal, glassed in label // Model specific, minimalistic “…Lost x Cobra” and mini Mayhem logos // Paul’s uniquely laminated, pastel palette, resin tints, with fin and tail patches.

Easy on the eyes, and fabulously fun to ride, these boards are truly pieces of performing art.

Lost Rad Ripper

Calling all Rad Rippers!! Your sleds have arrived. This one is straight out of the 80’s - looking like something Occy would rip on during the ‘85 OP pro. A fast and wide hybrid that will excel in small, sub-par, everyday surf.

Outline

The Rad Ripper has a retro vibe blended with modern performance. It's got a bit of thickness pushed forward, which pairs nicely with the slightly beaked nose. This helps with paddling and drive under the front foot. Generous width throughout the board also helps with paddling and stability, allowing it to paddle nice and accel in sub-par conditions.

The Rad Ripper has a wide (but thin) squash tail that keeps the board planing through anything, holding speed in and out of turns in all sorts of waves. The added lift and surface area of the tail are what make the Rad Ripper playful and fun when the waves drop.

Low entry rocker to help with paddling and catching waves, with a fair bit of rocker in the tail. The tail rocker helps with keeping the board loose, allowing for quicker pivots, and helping you stick later drops.

Also notice that the board has a bump/wing by the tail that helps break up the flow of water, allowing you to push the wider squash tail harder into turns.

Some entry rocker to allow for steeper drops, but still flat enough for easy paddling with low tail exit rocker.

Bottom + Fins

Slight single concave through the front 1/3 of the board, transitioning to a mellow double concave in the center, getting more aggressive towards the tail. Vee out the back of the tail. This is all about generating lift to generate speed, and the vee out the tail breaks up the water flow through the tail, helping the tail to release.

The Rad Ripper is set up as a 5-fin option, allowing you to play with a few different fin configurations. We believe the board would work best as a quad, enhancing speed and flow in weaker surf. We recommend the Futures R6 quad set. This fin will give the board a bit more hold through turns, so your not sliding out off the top.


Waves

The Rad Ripper excels in small to medium surf. It works great in punchy beach break - where you are surfing in a tight pocket and need a loose tail to punt or throw the tail out.


The Down Low

This board is well suited for the average/leisurely surfer that knows how to surf a shortboard but wants a bit of extra volume to help with catching waves and maintaining speed in average conditions. This board should be surfed like a skateboard.


Need some inspiration? Watch the clip on the left to see Luke Davis Rad Ripping on his Rad Ripper in Bali.

Lost's Description

Super-fast, forgiving, user-friendly retro fun, featuring modern updates and improvements, suitable for almost anyone.

RAD RIPPER is the latest in our “Post Modern Retro” collection. A direct spin-off from the Retro Ripper, but scaled for small, sub-par, every day surfing.

Starting with the Retro Ripper, I lowered the entry rocker a bit (for fast paddling, easy glide, and quickness out the gate), and replaced the speed controlling round tail with a wide, planing squash tail. Lots of lift and surface area for small surf. As a child of ‘80’s surfing, I’ve always been enamored by the ease of use from that era’s performance shortboards. The RAD RIPPER retains a noticeably healthy amount of tail rocker, cut through by an aggressive double concave, adding even more lift and squirt under the rear foot.

Super-fast, forgiving, user friendly retro fun, featuring modern updates and improvements, suitable for almost anyone.

Highlighted features include:

Flat, stable deck, with steep, low apex, tucked soft rails. // Slight vee in nose (to free up the low rocker) into a shallow single concave, into a deep double concave vee, for both speed and control. // Wide, stable squash tail, glides across anything, and holds speed through turns, even in small summer slop. // Forward thickness flow, with wedged “beak” nose, for drive and paddle -ability.

Lost Smooth Operator

This one is a bit out of the ordinary for Matt Biolos - who is known for shaping progressive and high-performance shortboards. New from Lost for 2019 is the Lost Smooth Operator - a mid-length option for the surfer that wants a bit of extra foam. That's right… a mid-length option from Lost.

Outline

The idea of a mid-length is effortless glide and momentum.

The outline of the Smooth Operator is not the most traditional for a mid-length surfboard. Its nose and tail are a bit more pulled in than typical but still has the textbook forward volume and width. This gives the board plenty of get-up-and-go glide/momentum and the ability to generate speed.

Where many mid-lengths fall short is in the maneuverability department. The Smooth Operator has a great continuous curve to it, especially through the tail as it comes into a pulled in round tail. This allows the board to hold turns through the tail and gives you the ability to really lean into a turn and throw spray.

More tail rocker than you would typically see in a mid-length, which also helps open up the turning. Super low entry rocker, which is typical amongst these types of surfboards.


Waves

The beauty of the Smooth Operator (and many mid-lengths in general) is that they can be ridden in a wide variety of waves.

You could have fun on a small knee-high day, being able to pick up enough speed to make a turn. When the waves start pushing head high to overhead, you can get in early and the tail will hold in a pretty steep face.

Bottom + Fins

Slight double concave right at the nose becomes a single concave through most of the board, slitting into a double concave just before the fins, and eventually a slight vee out the tail. These mellow bottom contours are super versatile, designed to work in all types of waves.

The Smooth Operator is set up as a 4+1 option. This allows you to ride the board as a single fin, a 2+1 (single with side bites), a quad, or a thruster (using an equal size center fin as the side fins). You can change this configuration up depending on the type of waves your going to surf or based on the mood your in that day.

A note on the glassing: the Smooth Operator comes stock with a heavier glassing schedule than most other Lost surfboards. It is a 6oz + 4oz on the deck (standard is 4oz + 4oz), and 4oz on the bottom. This gives the board a bit more durability and a little bit of added weight.

The board also has a tapered (or wedge) stringer that is thicker towards the nose and tapers towards the tail. This keeps the board solid and rigid under the front, and flex more through the tail while loading up the turns.


The Down Low

Coming from a shortboard shaper - the Smooth Operator is very maneuverable for a midlength, but still has that glide and trim characteristic of a true mid-length surfboard. This makes it the ideal board for a short boarder who is looking to jump into his or her first mid-length, or a seasoned mid-length rider that is looking for something a bit more maneuverable. One of our favorites for 2019.

Lost's Description

The SMOOTH OPERATOR is a trim and turn machine. High volume, low rails and tons of fun. We’ve souped them up with a 4+1 fin set up, offering a myriad of options and performance characteristics.

The SMOOTH OPERATOR is our modern twist on the classic mid-length, double ender. I’ve become more interested in not only designing and building this genre of board, but also inspired to really learn how to ride them. It was sparked by previous dalliances with mid-length, semi-performance boards, like the “Lazy Toy” and “EZ-UP”. These boards, with their Wayne Lynch/Evolution inspired vee bottoms and rounded noses, were forgiving and easy to ride, but essentially glorified fun boards. More recently, we developed the Crowd Killer, more of an over inflated pump and rip stick, with its hyper extended nose rocker and equally aggressive tail rocker. While high volume and performance minded, the Crowd Killer does not possess the effortless glide and horizontal trim of a classic mid length. The SMOOTH OPERATOR does. Built around an exaggeratedly low entry rocker, forward wide point and thickness flow, and a nose and tail that measure the same width at both 12” and 24”, the SMOOTH OPERATOR paddles and glides like nothing ever adorned with a …Lost or Mayhem logo. That’s not to say it doesn’t turn though!

Interested in Lost's new Evil Twin??

We recently wrote a great review on the Lost Evil Twin that you won't want to miss. Click the image below to scope it out!


Watch: Fast and Loose - Mark Richards