Designed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s son, Fletcher, the quad-fin Quark is one of the lightest, greenest, most durable boards we’ve seen yet. Its fishlike characteristics include a nearly 20-inch width, high flotation, and mild swallowtail that make even the mushiest surf entertaining. Meanwhile, the Quark has mucho acceleration out of turns. Its four fins are placed surprisingly far back on the tail—yeah, we were skeptical of them at first—but our testers found the setup ideal for shortboarders who want a board that can handle a wider range of surf conditions, from waist-high to overhead. A word of advice: Buy yours two to three inches shorter than you’d normally go on a shortboard. 5’10” to 6’6″;