Meet The Solution by Channel Islands—your new go-to for those sub-par days. 

Born out of a direct need for something that flies in typical, weak East Coast conditions, this board was designed to turn frustrating, small-surf days into the sessions you actually look forward to. 

When the waves lack push and you're forced onto your front foot to generate momentum, The Solution delivers immediate, off-the-mark speed and glide to keep you moving down the line.

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The Shape

The Solution features a generous outline from nose to tail, anchored by a wide, round tail with a subtle hip that provides massive planing surface for smaller waves.

To balance that width, the rails are kept relatively low to hide the volume, maintaining the critical sensitivity you need to lay it on rail.

The entry rocker is extremely low—flatter than anything in the current CI lineup—translating to instant drive and maximum speed right from the takeoff, while remaining incredibly friendly to a neutral or front-footed stance.

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The Bottom

Moving to the bottom of the board, you'll find a fairly generous double concave running through the back half which is pretty standard for grovelers.

Pair that with the wide round tail the concave generates a solid amount of lift.

Essentially, it allows the board to maintain speed across flat sections, while still providing a familiar, controlled lift when you step back on the tail to rip a turn in the pocket.

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Wave Type

This board is purpose-built to get stoked to get in the water when you normally wouldn't want to hop on the shortboard.

It thrives in bad, weak, or small waves—ranging from knee-high mush all the way up to shoulder-high runners.

It’s exactly what you want under the arm when the local surf looks soft and lacks power - aka your typical east coast windswell!

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Fin Setup

The Solution comes with a 5-fin setup, making it highly versatile depending on what the ocean is doing that day:

• Tiny Waves (Knee-high): Give it a go as a 2+1. This gives the board incredible life and lets you dart around in the smallest pockets of the wave. Dane Reynolds says that this is his favorite setup on the Solution.
• Small to Fun: Throw in a Quad setup for quick, down-the-line projection.
• Decent Surf (Shoulder to Head-high): When waves pick up, switch to a Thruster. The board instantly transforms, feeling much more like a traditional high-performance shortboard that you can drive vertically off your back foot.

From the Shaper: 

The struggle of lackluster surf is real. So, Channel Islands created The Solution.

Blending glide, paddle power, and versatility, The Solution is Britt Merrick’s most adaptable small-wave template yet. A fuller outline with a rounded tail increases planing area and drive through flat sections, while a single-to-generous double concave keeps the board quick, lively, and free underfoot.

The Solution’s new rocker and outline are unlike anything else in the CI range—a fresh design that holds speed in weak surf yet still invites performance when the moment calls for it. A five-fin setup lets you tune how the board feels: ride as a thruster for tight, up-and-down turns; a quad for pure top-end speed; or a 2+1 for twin-fin glide and flow. Custom tail patches add strength where it counts most.

The Solution is exactly that—a true step-down shortboard for less-than-ideal surf, built for speed, flow, and performance when it’s anything but pumping. Designed to be ridden 2” shorter than your Better Everyday, The Solution sits perfectly at the lower end of your quiver—ready to solve whatever small-wave struggles you pull up on.