Lost Smooth Operator Vs Pukas 69er EVO

Once again at Boardshop we are pitting two boards against each other in the Battle of The Boards. Against various criteria these two amazing boards are scored and ranked to determine a final winner. This time around the two boards stepping onto the Battleground: The Lost Smooth Operator and the Pukas 69er Evolution.

As always, we have run both boards through their paces, scoring them on our findings and reflections. As before, the judging will be on:

Taking advantage of winter waves with more consistent swell, the team at Boardshop have been able to really get to grips with these boards and test them out in a wide range of conditions.

Now, onto a bit more about the two boards & the scores.

Lost Smooth Operator

Let’s look at the Lost Smooth Operator first. This is Matt Biolos’ answer to ‘a do it all’ mid length and is the board he surfs personally more than any other, especially according to his Instagram!

Matt may shape for some of the best surfers on the planet, but that doesn't mean he is one of them. He can surf for sure (but like many of us he is getting older) and surfing for him is all about fun, catching the most waves and most importantly making the most of those waves. That is exactly what the Smooth Operator delivers.

An outline that blends a look of a traditional egg with a modern drawn-out hybrid board, the simple sleek design means you have a board that is silky smooth through turns and manoeuvres. It paddles very well and can be used in a vast variety of waves sizes and styles.

Designed as a 4+1 set up, the versatility this gives is subtly ingenious. The quad allows for more speed and drive in small weak waves. On the other hand, the 2+1 gives you the confidence that the board can pivot and turn (rivalling a thruster) along with more control, which helps in bigger waves. 

Pukas 69er Evo

Across the ring, we have the Pukas 69er Evolution. Derived from the much-loved Pukas Sixtyniner Original, Axel Lorentz, stretched out his classic template while fine tuning the dimensions to deliver the 69er Evolution to us. A brilliant all-round board that is ideal to take on a huge range of conditions, meaning the Pukas is an outstanding choice when wanting a one board to rely on, either at your local or when travelling.

Unlike other boards in of this style, the 69er Evolution is given a 5-fin set up, rather than a configuration centred around a larger centre fin. By doing this, Pukas give anyone riding a 69er EVO the choice between a fast, loose and driving feeling by using a quad set up, or a controlled and consistent ride when using a 3-fin configuration.

The outline, rocker and rail profile on the Pukas 69er Evolution all combine to ensure that whether you are surfing slack, rolling waves, or fast-moving hollower waves you know you can rely on this model to work. The wide point is forward of centre to give you phenomenal paddle speed. This working in conjunction with a pulled in tail and profiled down rail edge allows for performance and control too. Therefore, this is effectively the surfboard version of a multi tool.

Now to dive into the scoring:

Paddle Speed

Both models possess very good paddle speed. You will be upping your wave count whichever is your pick. The Lost has a slightly fully outline under the chest which gives this the win.

Scores are 5/5 from the Smooth Operator, and 4.5/5 for the Pukas. 

Wave Catching Ability

Much like the Paddle Speed, both of these boards are wave catching weapons. With outlines that are similar, both boards are high scores in this section. We can’t split them so 4.5/5 for both boards. 

Speed

When you are up and riding, on either model, you have the ability to really pick up speed with ease. So, both are fast and fun models. Setting them both up as a quad fin will give you the most speed. Without a speed gun it’s impossible to pick a winner, so 4.5 again for both.

Manoeuvrability

Again, with the right fin choice, both boards turn hard and fast and react to where you want them to go. The Pukas 69er Evolution does have an edge in the performance and manoeuvrability category for sure. The Pukas takes a 4.5 whereas the Smooth Operator scores a healthy 4.

Fun Factor

The fun factor in both boards deserves a 5 out of 5, but when comparing to others, we need to try and pick a winner, right? Very slightly edging the win is the Pukas as it can almost do all the Lost model can but with more ability in the performance ranks the fun level can be notched up. Pukas’ 69er Evolution scores a 4.5 while Matt Biolos’ Lost model gets a 4 out of 5.

Result

The two models where already strong favourites here at Boardshop. Taking the win, by a tiny margin, is the Pukas 69er Evolution. But the real winner here is anyone that gets to surf either of these boards!

Watch The Battle Of The Boards Video!

Check out the full range of Lost Smooth Operators and Pukas 69er Evolution’s in store right now by clicking on the images and decide for yourself…