Tkb Review: 2021 Core Ripper V4

Sizes Available: 5’4 x 18 1/2” x 2 22.6L, 5’8” x 19” x 2 1/8” ”“ 26L, 5’11” x 19 5/16” x 2 3/16” ”“ 29L
Sizes Tested: 5’4 x 18 1/2” x 2 22.6L

Core Says:

So what’s new? Everything, except the construction and thruster fins. For starters, the Ripper features a wider, fish-inspired, profile and new mini swallow tail. The additional width and volume focused around your feet make it easier than ever to ride under-powered or sloppy waves. We reduced fin toe-in by 4mm to give it more drive and added a mini swallow tail for a little extra bite in the corners. Imagine the fun you’ll have in sloppy waves. Yesss, fun! Give it a try. You’ll see. Just remember to demo the smaller sizes too. You may find your perfect Ripper is one size smaller now.

Ripper. If you wanna rip around.

Visit for more info: www.corekites.com/us/boards/surfboards/ripper-4

TKB Says:

There’s a new sheriff in Core town and he’s bringing a whole new Ripper line of boards to the beach that has nothing to do with the old ones. Available in smaller sizes, the Ripper line got a ground-up redesign that does everything differently from construction to shape, and this requires a completely fresh look. From our first tacks, we had a hard time putting the Ripper down because it is one of the most playful active boards out there, with a new formula that just wants to jam.

Right out of the box, we noticed that the Ripper shed some weight this year and features noticeably lighter construction that leads to a very flickable high-performance ride. The new Rippers feature a new shape that features a wider center that tucks in through the hips significantly to a small swallow tail while the nose stays a bit full as it approaches the tip. The rocker is three-stage, with noticeable increases in the tail and nose rocker which seem to make the Ripper a fun spud launcher that is ready to bust big airs or slash any size lips with minimal input from the rider. The rocker in the center does a great job of keeping the Ripper feeling fast and skatey. The Ripper feels flat in all the right places and encouraged us to amp up our speed between hits, but the nose and tail rocker seemed to balance that with supremely smooth riding through chop and amazing turn initiation. The tail and fin grip felt right in the middle for the perfect blend of looseness for slashing, feeling extremely playful but also offering enough grip to really drive and feel like we could aggressively attack anything. Having tested the 5’4” which is a bit small for our medium-sized testers, we were impressed with the range and glide we got, but some of that extra playfulness was from riding a smaller board in the lineup. The Ripper really transformed small to medium-sized surf, with pivot turns in mushy lips super easy and controlled. We just don’t think you can have a boring session on the Ripper V4.

Having shed some weight, the Ripper has some extra flex in its core that softens the ride a little, yet the construction feels durable, built to take the beating of an active rider. It feels like all the little Core construction details give you a board that you can bust strapless airs on pretty confidently without breaking your stick but light enough that it’s flickable and fast and just feels really active through the water. On bigger airs, the board levitated really well and stays glued to our feet just long enough to keep it together.

The Ripper came with a ¾ deck pad for the front foot that noticeably extends way up onto the nose of the board. The tail pad has an aggressive heel kick at the end with a bump down the center to support your heel arch. For strapped riders, upfront you get three threaded inserts for adjusting your front foot forward and aft and for the back foot, you get three options down the center. Overall, the pad has a ton of cutouts and texture which gives you lots of grip. The durometer offers a little cushion, but its density allows you to feel all your inputs going into the deck.

When it comes down to it, the Ripper is fast and agile and will get the blood pumping for more aggressive and active riders. The Ripper turned our local sandbar into an action-packed video game with the goal of zooming around at top speeds and slashing anything that moved for points. While the Ripper can handle bigger surf under the feet of more confident riders, we think its natural groove extends into the head-high realm. The Ripper V4 turned out to be one of the very big surprises of this year’s test with its zipped-up performance that will up the stoke of riders of all levels.