The CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard in Thunderbolt Red technology is CJ Nelson’s take on a performance egg. An egg that he claims will go in anything from mushy surf to even double overhead 🤯. So how does this performance egg-shaped surfboard hold up then?
Sizing & Construction
The CJ Nelson Outlier X comes in varying sizes such as:
6’3 X 21 1/4 X 2 5/8 V39.02
6’6 X 21 1/2 X 2 3/4 V42.82
6’9 X 21 3/4 X 2 7/8 V47.05
They also come in different thunderbolt technologies including:
Thunderbolt Red
Thunderbolt Black
I chose to ride the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard in 6’6 X 21 1/2 X 2 3/4 V42.82 and in Thunderbolt Red. Not by first choice though, I actually went to my shop wanting to buy the 6’3″ version, but unfortunately they didn’t have it in stock, so just opted for the next closest size. I don’t regret it though. After riding it, I actually am glad I got the 6’6″, coming right off the Milo fish, I would say the 6’6″ version paddles just as good as CJ Nelson’s Milo fish surfboard. The board’s continuous rocker, still allows it to help fit in the sections of the waves too. I chose to get this board in Thunderbolt Red technology has the EPS/Epoxy durability, but the flex that feels more similar to PU boards.
Fin Combinations that I’ve tried: CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard
First I gotta put this out there, that man the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard, is one versatile egg. Equipped with a single fin box, and with 2, FCS2 side fin boxes, there’s a lot of fin opportunities I got to try out on this board & due to the fin versatility, it allows you to maximize your experience in all sizes of waves. However, there are some fin choices I’d recommend more over than others based on personal experience, and even one fin combination & position, I’d recommend against, but first I will walk through all the combinations that I’ve tried so far.
Keel twin fins
7.25″ single fin + 3.5″ side bites
6″ single fin + 3.5″ side bites
7.25″ single fin
Twin + trailer
Keel twin fin with a nubster trailer.
How It Felt to Ride: CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard; Make or Break Moments
Keel Twin Fins: Fun for all things shmall.
Just coming off the Milo Fish, I was so stoked to ride it as a Keel twin fin. So I wanted to see how that would translate over to the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard. Right off the bat, could tell it paddled super similarly to the Milo fish, and got into waves, almost equally as good too. The board felt fast and loose, but did feel like it couldn’t get past some sections like the Milo or Seaside and Beyond, seemed like it lacked a little drive. I believe this is because the board wasn’t designed solely as a twin fin, and thus the fin boxes were higher up the board. Otherwise, this board and fin combo was still fun in the smaller waves.
7.25″ Single Fin (Placed all the way back) + 3.5″ Side Bites: Don’t do this.
I was super pumped that twin keel fins still worked great on the board, but wanted to try the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard, on the opposite end of the spectrum. I used a raked 7.25″ single fin + raked 3.5″ side bites, and put the single fin all the way in the back (this was huge mistake, I would strongly recommend against this exact fin combo & single fin position). The board immediately felt like I entirely different board in all aspects. It felt sluggish to paddle, which made catching waves and even duck diving more difficult. While riding waves the board felt rigid, and mostly felt like driving on tracks that wanted to go straight.
6″ Single + 3.5″ Side Bites: Redemption
I then changed the single fin to a smaller 6″ single fin, and moved it up the fin box to around the half way mark, along with the same side bites. This is what I thought a 2 + 1 set up should of felt like from the get go. I could see how this set up would do better in bigger waves, and see guys like Devon Howard on the CI Mid riding bigger waves all the time on boards like the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard. For my personal twin – loving nature, the board still felt like it drew a much longer line than I liked.
7.25″ Single Fin: Smooth rides, with turns that felt like a knife through melted butter
This was one of my favorite ways to ride the CJ Nelson Outlier Surfboard too. I don’t usually ride a lot of single fins, but with this fin set up, It made the ride feel more cruisy, as the board stayed in the highline of the wave easier. Turns were longer drawn , but with turns that felt looser like a twin fin. I dug it pretty hard, and will be one of the go to set ups. I don’t see any faults with this set up.
Power Twin + Trailer: A reliable all arounder
For when waves did get a little bigger, and when I wanted more hold in a slightly larger wave, but still have some twin style loose-ness, it was the power twin with the trailer set up. Did well in smaller waist, stomach sized waves too. One thing I did notice with this set up was, it felt like on some turns, it didn’t feel like the board wanted to wrap all the way through a full arc in its turns. A lot is probably a lot on me as the rider, but also thinking the board may prefer the fuller sized rear fin. One person on my youtube channel mentioned that the board went unreal as a full on thruster, so I’ll have to put that on my list to try’s for this versatile board.
Twin Keel + Nubster: The Keel twin fin 2.0
For the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard with twin keels and a nubster, it took all the best parts of the straight twin keel, but fixed the deficits of just the straight Keel. Where the keel twin fin lacked a little drive, and made it tougher to get around certain sections, adding that cutie 1.7″ nubster, made the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard feel like it became a drivey, fast, small wave weapon.
For duck diving even at 42.82L of volume, I didn’t have any problems duck diving the CJ Nelson Outlier X surfboard (I’m about a 150lbs). Where I would’ve had problems duck diving my Firewire LFT Seaside and Beyond. Thunderbolt Red Flex aids both flex turning (and even duck diving!), & is a super durable construction.
So many options for fin set ups and combinations, depending on the condition and how you feel like riding for that day.
Go-to Fin set ups for the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard
For me, the go-to is gonna be:
-Keel Twin Fin + Nubster for fun in the small mush – stomach high waves.
-Single fin – If it’s feeling like a more cruisy day, or if the waves get in the stomach – overhead.
-Single + side bites for when it gets bigger ( or leaning toward thruster, although, haven’t tried this set up just yet).
Overall Scores for all Fin Set Ups
Whose it For?
The CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard is a board I could easily recommend to beginners, and would recommend them to get the largest size of 6’9″ and to ride it 2+1 set up or single fin set up. For intermediate and advance surfers, you could ride the 6’3″ if you want to squeeze the most performance out of it. The 6’6″ has been a nice balance of still getting into waves early, while getting some longer drawn out turns.
Wave Range
Can be ridden in knee high mush to what CJ Nelson claims even double over head (although haven’t tried this myself yet.)
Recommended Accessories:
My go to tangle-free Leash (FCS Helix) & FCS Sharkbanz pod for protection & peace of mind from any sharks while out in the water.
Check out this longboard box to FCS fin converter to really diversify the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard!
Conclusion/Summary
The CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard is an incredibly versatile board, featuring a single fin box and two FCS2 side fin boxes, allowing for numerous fin setups to suit various wave conditions. Based on my experience, here’s a breakdown of the fin combinations I’ve tried:
- Keel Twin Fins: Great for small waves, offering a fast and loose feel, though lacking some drive.
- 7.25″ Single Fin (placed all the way back) + 3.5″ Side Bites: Not recommended; made the board sluggish and rigid.
- 6″ Single Fin + 3.5″ Side Bites: Improved performance, especially in bigger waves, but drew longer lines than preferred.
- 7.25″ Single Fin: One of my favorites, providing smooth, cruisy rides with longer drawn out, loose turns.
- Power Twin + Trailer: Reliable for larger waves, though some turns felt incomplete.
- Twin Keel + Nubster: Enhanced drive and performance, making it a small wave weapon.
My go-to setups include the Keel Twin Fin + Nubster for small waves, a single fin for cruisy or larger days, and experimenting with single + side bites for bigger conditions.
In summary, the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard is an excellent choice for both beginners and advanced surfers, offering flexibility and performance from knee-high mush to double overhead waves. Beginners should opt for the larger 6’9″ size, while intermediate and advanced surfers can choose the 6’3″ for maximum performance. The 6’6″ strikes a nice balance for early wave entry and wider arc turns.
Video Review
You can also check out my video review on the CJ Nelson Outlier X Surfboard here.
Other Alternatives
If you’re interested in another one of CJ Nelson’s surfboards, Check out my review on the CJ Nelson Milo Fish Surfboard here! It’s a super great small wave beast machine, that loves to go fast and makes turning easy and feeling buttery smooth. 😎