Chilli Middy (Mid Strength) + FCS twin and quad fins review - The Surfboard Guide
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2023
- Welcome to our review of the Middy by Chilli Surfboards, the slightly smaller version of everyones favourite "The Mid Strength".
We rode this in the stock 6'4 x 21 x 2 9/16 - 37.3L
We check out a variety of FCS fins in the review, but if you would like to purchase any of them, please use the link bit.ly/3eEOvP2 as it let's companies like FCS know that reviews like this help your purchase decisions!
From www.chillisurfboards.com
After numerous custom orders, we´re now offering the Mid Strength in a smaller size range from 6´4 down to 5´10. Like the Mid Strength, the paddling power of the Middy is unmatched with plenty of volume under your chest. The more compact length of the "Middy" now allows an even more heighten level of performance. Stand on the tail and the Middy turns on a dime, shift your weight forward and you´ll be flying down the line!
James (Chilli) designed this surfboard over the summer of 2018/19 whilst he had a niggling knee injury and couldn´t surf to his full ability on his standard shortboard. "I just wanted something that paddled easy, catches waves and surfed without too much effort", so the Mid Strength was created. Essentially, this is a performance mid-length that should be a consideration for anyone who can competently stand and navigate along a wave.
OUTLINE
Outline has a full-ish nose to help with paddling. This flows down to an accentuated curve between your feet and into the back third of the board where the business gets done. The soft round tail intentionally creates a very forgiving and smooth turning arc for a longer board.
ROCKER
Turning and holding a rail on a bigger board must feel effortless, so Chilli combined a lower entry with a medium exit rocker out the tail. The aim here was to create a fast paddler that would pick up waves with minimal effort and still feel reactive on the turns.
CONTOURS
Slight single concave for speed up the front blending to a deep single/double concave through the side fins to loosen it up under the rear foot. An effortless combination in this mid-length model that s sensibly related to a mid strength beer; all the fun with half the effort!
PERFORMANCE
Getting a little older, maybe not as fit, or your surf time has simply decreased? Sometimes you just need the board to do the work for you. The Mid Strength is made to paddle and catch waves easy in the top end, and once up and riding; trim, pivot and turn super easy with a little bit of release when needed. The curvy outline and rocker combo helps the board not feel long and straight like most mid-lengths, so it actually surfs like a much shorter board. Ride it, and guaranteed you´ll be converted.
Fin Recommendations
Thruster - FCS II Accelerator,
Quad - FCS II Accelerator Sides + Performer Quad Rears.
These all-round templates with a little extra area work perfectly for the bigger crew on this board.
We checked out a few fin sets, but preferred the large Mayhem quads by FCS - /www.surffcs.com.au/products/fcs-ii-matt-biolos-tri-quad-fins but if you want to buy a set - hit the link bit.ly/3eEOvP2
Overview
The MB template offers freedom to perform tight turns in the pocket with an emphasis on speed.
Sitting in the reactor family, the MB is considered a high performance fin because it responds incredibly fast, but still offers enough control so you can confidently lay into a turn with plenty of force.
Tri/Quad (5 fin) set.
Tri/Quad (5 fin) set.
Ideal Conditions
A wide range of conditions, particularly good in critical overhead waves.
Board Types
Designed to fit the FCS II Fin System.
Performance shortboards and hybrid models.
Fin Family
Reactor: Find Speed. Speed, tight turns & snaps.
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Amazing review as always
Just bought mine Mid Strenght and loved it
Thank you
Stoked you enjoyed it!
Glad you’re still at it. Would be sick to see a Lost crowd killer comparison. Yewwwww.
I don’t really do Lost, they don’t seem that into the review stuff we do 😕
Excellent review Craig! Im close to sold on it
Enjoy!
Highly rate this board. Love everything about it goes well in anything from 2-6ft. Ridden it at rotto, bali and board has never let me down. Catch everything, easy to ride and still has good performance. 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for sharing ✌️
What fins you using?
@@Eidref102 i use the Kolohe Andino (medium) fins. The board goes really well with these fins that i haven't bothered to try any other fins.
Thought you were going to pull off the back flip grab at 4.50😂😂. Great review.
Just thinking about that hurts my knees...
Thanks mate
Enjoy!
love my 6''6 midstrength. now looking for a middy. greg is right when he says its hard to get off.
Haha! Greg is on the money! 🔥
@@TheSurfboardGuide yeh greg.lol... ya brother from another mother. I've had a couple beers cause this swell looks like it won't arrive till tomorrow down the gong.
@@MegaMr28 haha! Yeah, I surfed this morning and it was barely 2ft. Went down the beach again from 1-3 with the kids and it’s now almost flat. Ghost swell 🤯
I have a mid strength 6, 10 love it used Mr twin with two stabilisers love it
Thanks for sharing!
are you surfing it with twins + 2 trailers? - I haven't heard of that approach
Perfect timing for the review. Currently in search for a middlenght-type board for French summers I am torn between CI Mid, 6'6 Chilli Midstrenght 6'6 or Middy 6'4. It will probably the Middy now :)
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed ✌️
two totally different boards. unless you have a wave like malibu in CA go with the chilli. i was in the same position as you. i ended up witht he chilli midstrenght 6'6. great for beachies
A hotly anticipated review, Craig 🤙 I appreciate your comparison choices in fin setups between the Middy and the Mid-Strength.
I run Large Mayhems (futures) in thruster on my 7’2” Mid-strength, which work quite nicely.
I will have to try the Mayhem quad fins when I get around to buying the Middy.
Did you find the 6’4” was the sweet spot for the summer shories?
Would you scale up or down from the 6’4” (given the choice)?
Cheers for another excellent vid!
6’4 felt fine, but I’d happily have one on every available size 😂
Hey mate. Another great review. I watched you review of the Mid Strength and like many went and brought a 6’10. Running a quad set, just as you recommend, and absolutely love it. After watching this review I might have to speak with the Minister for War and Peace to what my chances are with getting a Middy ??? Love the reviews. Thanks PMCK
Hahah! Good luck, I think it’s a worthy investment, and might even be worth a little less peace for a while… 😂
As a lightweight surfer - 5'9, 150lbs - the 6'4 middy still gives me some of that mid-length glide, but with a touch more "performance" (though that word really doesn't apply to my surfing). I find the Middy works well in our steeper beachies (east coast USA) when a step-up is overkill, but I'm battling current or surfed out or simply trying to get a little barrel. Thanks for the review Craig.
Thanks for sharing - such a great board to cover a wide range of conditions and to achieve many different things!
Awesome glad to hear this! I have a 6'8 mid strength that is super awesome but I am 5'8 160 and the thing can be a beast duck dive in larger surf. I'm also on the east coast and just ordered a 6'4. Glad to see that I probably made a good call!
Do you have any update after surfing the middy and the mid strength? How does the 6“4 and 6“8 compare? Would be awesome to hear from someone who surfed both.
Samesies - would love to hear how the 6'4" and 6'8" compare. @@Jack-zx9sj
sick closeout reos craig!
Haha! Love ‘em!
Thanks for the great review. How did the 6'4 volume feel to you? Trying to figure out best size for me. Thanks.
Felt good - i could really go eitherway, but this felt like a good blend of maneuverability, a paddle power 💪
Great review. I have a 6”0 ordered. What future fins would be good for this ? I am 5”3 and slim
You thinking quad or thruster? I love the AM’s, so maybe the AM medium tech flex 5 fin so you have both options?
Thanks for the reviews mate, how do you think this would go in the twin tech construction?
Yeah good - I’ve ridden twin tech and it feels solid. This feels good though, so I don’t feel twin tech would be necessary, unless you want the board lighter and livlier ✌️
Thanks Craig. So I ride the BV2 at stock 6’0 33ltr I’m 182cm 82kg. I know sizing is subjective but what your thoughts between the 6’2 & 6’4?
Thanks for another great review Craig. I purchased a Middy stock 6’2 yesterday after watching your review and wanted to get your thoughts on fin setups for it. I’m 5”10 at 74kg.
My go to fin is Futures Am 1 honeycomb construction but I also have a 5 fin set AM 2 Techflex . I see you liked a quad set up in the Middy and was thinking the Techflex might be too stiff especially being in a large. Do you think the AM 1 would work ok in the board , AM 2 Techflex thruster or quad or is there possibility’s to play around with both fins mix and matching? Was hoping I didnt have to fork out for another set of fins.
Cheers mate 🙏
Hey mate! I find the AM2 Techflex to big/stiff for most boards, so i got a set of AM1 Techflex, and use them in the front, and the AM2 Techflex trailers (If you check our Campbell Designed "Sacrafishal" review you'll see this set up!). You can surf the board as a thruster, but the drive etc of the quad is what made it stand out to me!
@@TheSurfboardGuide Cheers for the reply mate!
You are dead right on how good a quad setup goes. I surfed my go to fin AM1 thruster first surf and the board felt awesome but a little skatey on some sections. Today I tried the AM2 Techflex and was way too tracky with too much fin in the water and maybe too stiff for my weight. I got 4 or 5 waves came in and put AM1 honeycomb at the front and Kryptonite quad - sx (Bali fin company) as the trailers . Holy smokes it went nuts!!!
The amount of speed the thing had coming out of a drawn out cutty was unbelievable . Thanks again for the review you have made me a very happy man👍
Dude you own that board!
Appreciate your content ....... Wish you were my surf buddy!
Thanks mate! ✌️
Hi Craig, I bought BV2 after watching your review. It’s a great board I love it! Now I’m interested in Middy and hope you can help me out about sizing. Boards I’m riding right now are BV2 5’8 29lt and white tiger 5’5 30lt. I’m 5’7 155lbs and consider myself as intermediate level. Looking for a mid length can increase wave count but not lose too much maneuverability. Do you recommend me to get Middy in 6’2 or 6’4? Thanks in advance
Hey mate!
If you’re 5’7, I’d probably go the shorter of the two if I was you!
Either one would be great, but if you’re searching for something that’s still quite responsive etc, the shorter would be better ✌️
@@TheSurfboardGuide Thanks for the advice!
All good! Hope it worked for you! ✌️
Hello Craig...!!!
Your surf is better with mid-lenghts than a short boards....!!!
Thanks! I guess…
one thing i would have love to know was how you felt about the middy vs the midstrength
I think I kinda covered that - but it wasn’t a comparison, they are different boards and surf differently…
@@TheSurfboardGuideI thought the middy was literally a smaller version of the mid strength no ? I’m 5”3 and pretty slim. Can’t decide between a 6”2 middy or 6”6 mid strength. I predominantly surf a 5”6 pyzel phantom . Looking for something that paddles in way easier but still turns and can handle those big days.
Any chance of a twin byrner mid review by town & country?
Maybe, they look pretty sick!
@@TheSurfboardGuide they sure do!
Hey legend how would u compare the Middy to the Gerry Lopez Squirty?
thanks
Hey! They're very different! My Squirty was around 6 inches shorter, so very different boards to be honest...
Thanks heaps for the reply!! I ended up getting a middy 5' 10 .. im 166 cm and weight 65 kg.. can't wait to see how it goes .. its arriving next Monday yyeewww.. love your work here ! 🤟🏽🤟🏽🤟🏽
@@gabrieldacruz6515 sweet! Be keen to hear how it goes. When the Mid Strength came out i saw clips of Balaram Stack getting a really small like 5.9 or 5.10 Mid Strength and just ripping on it.
I'll def let you know !!! Thanks again legend!!!
How do you think this sort of board would go as a twin + trailer? e.g. MRs
Fine, but I don’t feel like that’s what it was designed for. The drive you get out of the quad really compliments it, and I’d recommend a quad setup ✌️
@@TheSurfboardGuide awesome. thanks!
Once I can rehab my 52 year old shoulder and lower back, I want a middy in 5’10”. No more shortboards for me, but surfing is surfing!
Sounds good! 5’10 is small though, don’t be afraid to go bigger, the board is very maneuverable!
5 10 is a shortboard haha
Hey Craig, that board looked to suit you well! I wouldn't call a 6'4" a mid-length though, I know it's subjective, but for me still a short board. If it was a grom riding it or a small light man, for them it would be a mid-length. For me I surf a 6'4" Munro swallow tail quad as my daily driver, which has a more pulled in nose than the middy though, still not super pulled in. But it is only 2 3/8" thick giving me around 34L of volume. I'm 88kg, 5'10" & 60YO, this has always been and always will be a shortboard to me. My boards currently range from 5'9" to 7'4". The 7'4" is my mid-length. Again it is subjective, and only my own opinion, but I have always thought for an average size adult shortboards finish at 6'6", Mid-length from 6'6" to 8', Longboards from 8'. I wonder what your other subscribers think? Anyway thanks for another great review, keep em coming!
Hey mate!
Yeah I agree somewhat - but I’m also not naming/classifying the boards, I’m just an average surfer hopefully sharing my experience with them. I’m hesitant with the term, but also not gonna get hung up on it.
Definitely enjoying how boards like this surf, but also don’t want to get stuck on them as it would be quite easy to…
@@TheSurfboardGuide Yeah, I also gave it some more thought after writing what I did. And I was looking at a 6'10" DHD sweet spot 2 step up, thinking to myself, by design and application that's still a shortboard. Conversely take a board like the FW Greedy Beaver std size range is 5'6"-6'10" or even the Chilli Middy size range 5'10"-6'4", what are they shorties or mids? Bit blurred isn't it? haha. Then the Mid Strength is a proper mid length ranging from 6'6"-8'. It is hard to draw clear lines between categories isn't it, when you stop and think about it. So many hybrids around now a days. Have fun!
@@kenkohncke7929 yeah, it’s probably best not to get caught up thinking about it too much.
I just know that 15 or so years ago we’d call it a mini-mal, but I don’t think that’ll fly anymore… 😂
do big baron
They look fun!
Those crappy waves don't do you justice. 👍
It was actually super fun!
I dont believe a board under 7'2 is a midlength.
This is a great forum for sharing our beliefs…