We’ve spent time on a lot of longboards, and the Five Sugars stands out as one of the most committed noserider designs coming out of a small shaper right now. If you want glide, trim, and a proper nose-walk — and you’re already comfortable on a longboard — this board deserves a serious look.

Overview: What the Five Sugars Is — and Who It's For

Creative Army is a Gold Coast–based shaper with a cult following among serious longboarders. The Five Sugars is their flagship log: a wide, full-railed, PU noserider built in the traditional mold. The name is a nod to the sweetness of a perfect trim, and the board lives up to it.

This is not a beginner board. It’s not a cruiser you buy because you want something mellow. It’s a precision instrument for surfers who already know how to read a wave and walk a board — people who want to spend more time on the tip and less time fighting their equipment to get there.

The ideal rider is someone who’s already comfortable on a longboard and wants to graduate to a board that rewards footwork and style over power surfing. If that’s you, the Five Sugars fits. If you’re still working out cross-steps and hang-fives, check out our best beginner surfboards guide first — there are better places to start.

The Five Sugars fits best in smaller, slower, point-break-style surf — knee to shoulder high, with some shape. It’s not built for fast, punchy beach break, and it’ll feel stiff and sluggish in waves that demand quick rail-to-rail transitions. But in its sweet spot, it’s one of the most satisfying boards we’ve ridden.

Specs and Design

Creative Army keeps the Five Sugars true to its roots. Here’s a look at the typical spec sheet across the range:

The construction is traditional PU-poly — heavier than epoxy, but that weight is part of what gives the board its glide and predictable feel underfoot. The concave nose is the critical design element: it creates lift at the tip, making it easier to lock in a hang-ten without the nose diving. That’s the whole game with a noserider, and Creative Army executes it well.

The wide outline and low rocker mean the board planes easily and holds trim without much effort. It’s not a shapely, high-performance log — it’s a sled built for cross-stepping and nose time, full stop. For more on how different longboard shapes affect ride feel, our surfboard types guide breaks it down.

How It Rides: Glide, Trim, and Getting to the Nose

The first thing you notice paddling the Five Sugars is how effortlessly it catches waves. The low rocker and volume mean you’re into waves early, with minimal effort — which is exactly what you want on a log. In small surf especially, that early entry gives you time to set your feet before the wave stands up.

Trimming is where this board earns its name. Once you find the right foot position on the center-to-back third of the deck, the board locks into a rail line and just goes. It’s glassy and stable in a way that lets you focus entirely on your footwork instead of managing the board. That’s the hallmark of a well-designed log — it takes itself out of the equation.

Noseriding on the Five Sugars is genuinely satisfying. The concave nose provides enough lift that getting to the tip and hanging there for a count or two is achievable if you’ve put in the time learning cross-steps. The board doesn’t reward cheating — if your footwork is sloppy or your timing is off, it’ll let you know by pearling or stalling. But when you get it right, it holds the nose longer than most boards we’ve tested at this price tier.

Turning is where you’ll feel the board’s limitations. It’s a log — it pivots off the tail, it doesn’t arc or carve. Quick transitions from rail to rail require deliberate weight shifts and patience. In softer, slower surf that’s fine. In punchy, fast beach break, it’ll frustrate you. Know your surf before you buy.

Fin setup makes a real difference on this board. We preferred it with a single fin for the most classic, drawn-out feel, but the 2+1 setup adds a bit of drive and makes trimming in mushier surf more forgiving. Both setups work — it’s a personal preference call.

Pros and Cons

No board is perfect for everyone. Here’s our honest breakdown:

• Pro: Excellent nose time — the concave does its job, and the board holds the tip longer than most logs at this price point.
• Pro: Effortless glide in small surf — catches waves early and trims without wrestling the rail.
• Pro: Traditional PU-poly construction gives it a classic feel and predictable flex underfoot.
• Pro: Boutique shaping quality — Creative Army takes the time to get the fine details right on a production board that most factories miss.
• Pro: Versatile fin options — single or 2+1 lets you tune the feel to your preference and conditions.
• Con: Price — boutique boards from Australian shapers carry a premium. This is not a budget purchase.
• Con: Not for beginners — the board rewards footwork you need to earn first. First-timers or early intermediates will struggle.
• Con: Condition-dependent — it shines in slow, small, clean surf and becomes frustrating in punchy, fast beach break.
• Con: Limited availability — Creative Army distributes through select surf shops and their own website; you won’t find it at every surf retailer.

If the Five Sugars fits your skill level and surf conditions, the cons shrink considerably. But if you’re buying it as a stretch goal or because it looks good on Instagram, you’ll probably end up frustrated.

Alternatives: What Else to Consider

The Five Sugars is a premium boutique board, and its price reflects that. Depending on where you’re at and what you’re after, here are a few honest alternatives to consider.

If you’re a beginner or early intermediate: Don’t start here. A soft-top foam longboard will teach you more, take more abuse, and cost a fraction of the price. Our best longboard surfboards roundup covers the full range from foam learner boards to performance logs — start there and work your way up. The best beginner surfboards page has even more targeted picks if you’re just getting started.

If you want a similar traditional log at a lower price point: Catch Surf and Torq both make PU or epoxy longboards with noserider-friendly shapes at significantly lower price tags. They’re not boutique boards, but they ride well and are much easier to find in stock.

If you want to understand sizing before you commit: Longboard volume and length make a bigger difference than most people realize. Plug your stats into our surfboard size and volume calculator before pulling the trigger on any log — it takes two minutes and saves you from buying the wrong size.

If you want to compare other performance longboards: The longboard surfboard article on Wikipedia gives solid background on traditional log design and how noseriders differ from other longboard styles — useful if you’re still deciding which category of longboard is right for your surfing.

Bottom line: the Five Sugars is a serious board for a serious longboarder. If you’ve put in the time and you’re ready to invest in a board that rewards that investment, it’s one of the best traditional noseriders in its class. If you’re not there yet, the surf world has plenty of excellent, more forgiving options waiting for you.

Frequently Asked Questions