The Mini Padillac is a great step-up for surfers who want a fast-paddling, manoeuvrable board that’s still stable and easy to ride. It’s built to get you into waves early, while still fitting into a curvier, later drop. Some might even run it as their everyday board. We took the proven Padillac, scaled it down, and redesigned the front half so it performs better in waves that aren’t massive. When we shrunk it, the nose felt a bit too wide and flat, so we pulled in the width and added extra nose rocker. The back end stays the same, but those front-end tweaks help the board fit into tighter wave faces and handle later drops with ease. The Mini Padillac still carries extra volume under the chest for paddle power, but it’s hidden through a nicely rolled deck and refined rails for responsiveness and speed. Under the arm, a 2' thick Mini Padillac feels more like a 2 1/2" shortboard. The rocker is a long, continuous curve, keeping things smooth and predictable through turns. Underneath, you’ve got a gentle vee with double concave, flowing into a light flat vee through the fins and out the tail. This setup keeps the board fast, loose, and stable with plenty of drive. The swallow tail adds extra release off the bottom and pivot through the lip. Another key difference from the original Padillac is the 5-fin setup, giving you the freedom to switch between configurations depending on the conditions. Overall, you can size the Mini Padillac however you like, but a good starting point is around 1/2" to 1" wider and at least 1/4" thicker than your daily driver. Foam is your friend, and this thing has plenty of it packed in where it counts.
