Who - Launched in 2018, The RNF_RETRO was Lost Surfboards spin towards a more classic, almost 1970’s inspired, fish. Generous dims, low rocker, flat deck, steep rails and wide tail, made catching waves and speeding along, easier than any fish they ever designed. What set the RNF_RETRO apart from the endless schools of fish, was the use of a snowboard inspired design element, reverse radius side-cut, in the outline.
When - The RNF Retro can be ridden in just about anything. But this model really favors clean, slopey surf (ranging from knee high to overhead). That is where the characteristics of this board really shine. The right surfer can also take this board in steep surf and reap the benefits of the Retros sheer speed.
What - Lost first used side-cut, in our “Pelagic” model, a decade or so earlier. Side-cut outlines are nothing new in surfboards, San Diego pioneers like Mirandon and Caster had used them for ages. We feel the sidecut enables a flat rockered and generally parallel outlined board, to turn sharper and retain speed in tight radius turns. They “lock in” to the wave face and carve, off the rail, without sliding out or digging. The RNF_RETRO uses not one, but two side cut radiuses: one between the feet, starting just behind the wide point and another, shorter/tighter one, right under the rear foot, in place of a hip, or wing. Lost believes this outline lends the RNF_RETRO a truly unique ride in a sea of relentlessly similar “fish”.
Here is what …Lost did for the RNF Retro Revamp ’23:
• Moved the wide point slightly forward, but gently narrowed/pulled in, the forward 12” of the nose, to get it outta the way, in tighter turning situations.
• Deepened the rear side cut, for bite and control, right under the back foot and also added a hint of width to the tail block, for horizontal trim.
• Without changing the tip or tail, we adjusted the rocker curves, both fore and aft. The tail rocker hangs lower in the rear third of the board, but then swoops up quickly, though the fins, creating more curve under the rear foot without actually adding rocker. Up front we took a more direct route to the nose, cutting out some of the curve in the forward 1/3rd of the board. At the same time, we eliminated the slight forward vee.
• We carried the thickness foil further forward, adding paddle power, ease of entry into waves and front foot drive, to balance the now more curvaceous tail rocker.
Stock Dimensions
…Lost RNF Retro '23 Revamp stock dimensions
Length
Width
Thickness
Volume
5'0
19.25"
2.18"
24.25 L
5'1
19.50"
2.23"
25.50 L
5'2
19.75"
2.27"
26.75 L
5'3
20.00"
2.30"
28.00 L
5'4
20.25"
2.34"
29.50 L
5'5
20.50"
2.37"
30.75 L
5'6
20.75"
2.40"
32.00 L
5'7
20.88"
2.42"
33.05 L
5'8
21.00"
2.45"
34.25 L
5'9
21.25"
2.48"
35.60 L
5'10
21.50"
2.52"
37.00 L
5'11
21.75"
2.55"
38.50 L
6'0
22.00"
2.60"
40.00 L
6'1
22.25"
2.64"
41.50 L
6'2
22.50"
2.67"
43.00 L
6'3
22.63"
2.72"
44.50 L
6'4
22.75"
2.75"
46.00 L
RNF Retro ’23 Revamp Quick Facts
…Lost RNF Retro ’23 Revamp quick facts
Brand / shaper
…Lost Surfboards, Matt “Mayhem” Biolos
Board type
Classic, 1970s-inspired fish
Skill level
Beginner-intermediate to pro
Tail
Wide swallow tail
Design
Generous dims, low rocker, a flat deck and steep rails; two reverse-radius side-cuts in the outline, one between the feet and a shorter, tighter one under the rear foot
Fins
Quad (FCS II or Futures boxes). Best template: a quad set made for a traditional fish. Try the FCS II Split Keel Quad or the Futures Mayhem Evil Quad.
Stock sizes
5’0 to 6’4 (24.25 L to 46.00 L)
Sizing
Shorter and wider than your regular shortboard, with 1 to 2 L more volume; about 6" to 7" shorter than a Driver 3.0
As a retro fish with generous dims, the RNF Retro is ridden shorter and wider than your regular shortboard, with a tad more volume: we recommend 1 to 2 liters more. In …Lost’s stock dims that works out about 6" to 7" shorter than a Driver 3.0. For example, if you ride a 5’11 Driver 3.0 (28.50 L), look at the 5’4 (20.25" x 2.34", 29.50 L). Stock sizes run from 5’0 (19.25" x 2.18", 24.25 L) to 6’4 (22.75" x 2.75", 46.00 L). If you don’t know your volume, use the Volume calculator at the top of our …Lost 3D board builder: enter your height, weight, skill, fitness and the waves you surf, and it recommends a volume by board type, from shortboard to fish, hybrid and mid-length. Our shop staff can help you pick a size.
What fins does the RNF Retro use?
The RNF Retro is a quad, with four fin boxes (FCS II or Futures). Neither FCS nor Futures lists a pick for this model, so choose a quad set made for a traditional fish. On FCS II boxes, the FCS II Split Keel Quad (one size, L–XL) is an upright, high-area keel template that FCS designed for traditional fish shapes with moderate-to-low rocker, adding bite and control without losing pivot; the FCS II Performer Split Keel Quad is a looser version built for small waves. On Futures boxes, the Mayhem Evil Quad is Matt Biolos’s own quad, built around the large-area Evil Twin fronts (a replica of …Lost’s original RNF twin template) with downsized 80/20 quad rears, developed around fish and alternative boards; the F6 or F8 Legacy Quad is Futures’ neutral, all-around quad. Futures sizes its fins as Small 95–135 lbs, Medium 125–175 lbs and Large 165 lbs and up.
What makes the RNF Retro different from other fish?
It is …Lost’s spin on a classic, almost 1970s-inspired fish: generous dims, low rocker, a flat deck, steep rails and a wide tail. What sets it apart is the snowboard-inspired reverse-radius side-cut in the outline, first used on …Lost’s Pelagic: one between the feet, starting just behind the wide point, and a shorter, tighter one under the rear foot in place of a hip or wing. …Lost says the side-cut lets a flat-rockered, parallel-outlined board turn sharper and keep its speed in tight turns, locking into the wave face without sliding out or digging.
What is the RNF Retro like to ride?
…Lost says the generous dims, low rocker, flat deck, steep rails and wide tail made catching waves and speeding along easier than any fish it had designed before.
What skill level is the RNF Retro for?
…Lost rates it from beginner-intermediate to pro.
What tail does the RNF Retro have?
A wide swallow tail.
What constructions does the RNF Retro ’23 Revamp come in?
We always stock the RNF Retro ’23 Revamp in PU (poly), Light Speed II and Black Sheep Built, and we have also stocked it in Light Speed, Double Dart, Lib Tech and C4. Each in-stock board on this page lists its construction. All constructions are available for custom order through our …Lost 3D board builder.
Can I custom order an RNF Retro ’23 Revamp?
Yes. Use the Custom Order RNF Retro ’23 Revamp button on this page, or open the …Lost 3D board builder directly, to design one: you choose the dims, construction, fin boxes, colors and art.
