The 2023 Phantom is back for another year and ready to rip like no other surf-style board out there. With some tweaks to the design that really compliment Parker Payne’s signature high-energy riding, the ‘23 Phantom doesn’t hold back when it’s in the wave. Parker’s riding is aggressive to say the least, so that means he needs a board that can keep up. We pieced this board together with our brand new signature Flightlite V2 Pro Select layup that delivers high performance while also keeping the board extremely light. Combine this with just the right amount of rocker and concave through the board and you get a recipe for tons of pop! Check out what Parker had to say about his new design below and check out the Phantom here!
P5: What are some of your favorite features of the 2023 Phantom?
Parker: I love the colors and graphics for this year! The Mexican-style skull really ties my Phantom and Matrix boards together. Additionally, the Phantom is extremely light without sacrificing durability. This is a huge factor for me when traveling with my boards as I’m always worried the airline will try their best to destroy it! *laughs*
P5: Were there any design changes from the 2023 model?
Parker: There were two new design changes for the 2023 model. First, the board is now 20% lighter due to the new build and you can really feel the difference. The board also incorporates a hexagonal nose to prevent the nose clipping the wave when loaded down before doing a trick. The 2023 P5 Phantom is the best it’s ever been!
P5: How beginner friendly is the Phantom?
Parker: The Phantom is my favorite board to teach new riders on! It is very beginner friendly while also having lots of room for progression all the way up to pro level riding. Ample amounts of push allows new riders to easily find the “sweet spot” while the tucked rail design provides a forgiving riding experience.
P5: What type of rider would you suggest the Phantom to?
Parker: The Phantom is the board to get for that rider that wants to turn it up to 11 and finally land that 360.
P5: How does it compare to other surf style boards in the Phase 5 line-up?
Parker: Compared to other models in the line, the Phantom stands out by its trick focused design. It was made with the sole purpose of being the highest performing board that everybody can ride!
P5: What are some of your favorite tricks that you throw on the Phantom? What’s the most memorable thing you’ve landed on it?
Parker: I love to do 360 shuv-its on my Phantom! Stomping it just feels amazing to me. My most memorable trick was the 540 big spin. It defies what’s possible on a surf style board so they are always memorable when I land them.
P5: You’re known for your versatility and ability to go back and forth between surf and skim style boards with ease so the people want to know…do you have a preference between between surf and skim?
Parker: It's really hard to choose! I’m more known for my surf style riding and I will always be a surf style rider at heart. However, I really love to push my skim riding as well. I take what I learn on both boards and try to cross them over. I will go through phases of riding one more than the other for a week or two at a time.