Sharpeye Inferno 72 Surfboard Review

Board and Dims

5’9” × 19 1/4” × 2.5” — 28.1L (Dark Arts)
5’9” × 19 1/4” × 2.54” — 28.5L (E-2)

Review by: @danielvaldenegro
Surfer dims: 5'7", 165 lbs

This review is by SwellSpy friend Daniel Valdenegro. Daniel owns two Inferno 72 boards: one in E-2 construction and a newer Dark Arts version.

Daniel surfs Central Florida regularly and has also ridden the E-2 version in heavier Costa Rica surf. The Inferno 72 really gained popularity after Filipe Toledo won the 2021 Stab in the Dark contest riding this board, as well as his victory at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch.

Board Ratings

Attribute	Rating
Flex & Feel	4
Speed	5
User Friendly	5
Carving	5
Flow	5
Rail to Rail	5
Paddling	5
Pocket Surfing	5

Pros

Very fun in 3–6 ft surf
Extremely user-friendly
Fast and lively feel
Durable Dark Arts construction
Great pop and release

Cons

Not ideal in bumpy or choppy surf
Harder to set rails for barrels in Dark Arts
Less forgiving once waves get well overhead

Inferno 72 Surfboard Review

What I liked

The model is very fun in the 4-6ft range (also works in 3ft with punch). Fun on rail, paddles well, and can handle barrels pretty well. Personally my favorite model so far.
User friendly, especially if you have a neutral stance. I found it to have less of a learning curve compared to other boards I’ve tried.
The Dark Arts (DA) construction makes the model feel more lively compared to other constructions, I previously had it in E-2.
DA construction is very durable and feels lighter than regular epoxy and PU. You can go a bit less on volume compared to regular epoxy. I went from 28.5L down to 28.1 on the DA.
When bottom turning it feels like DA has more spring and provides more speed up the wave compared to other construction.
Top turns feel like it has more pop and release in DA compared to other construction.
If you like riding epoxy boards you will definitely like the DA construction. I had the same model in E2 construction before I got it in DA. I really liked it in E2 but I love it in DA.

What I disliked

If the wave face is very bumpy the E-2 and DA construction tends to make the board feel very stiff and rails don’t engage as well compared to traditional PU.
A little harder to set your rails for barrels in DA construction.
Once waves get bigger than 2ft over head and have power it tends to feel out of control. Better off on a traditional PU step up after that point.

My Firsthand Sharpeye Inferno 72 Review

Initial Takeaway

When I first tried the model in E-2 construction I found it to have a very short learning curve. It didn’t take long to get used to compared to other boards I’ve had in the past. It took about 3 sessions for me to really like the model. Once I was used to it it, it felt really good under my feet and always found my self on it.

When I first tried it in DA construction I was hooked and made me love the model a lot more. Turns and hits felt awesome and felt like my surfing had a bit more spice to it.

Durability

So far DA construction feels more durable, minimal compression marks on deck as of now but I have only had it for a couple of weeks. The E-2 construction (stringer-less) I had is also pretty strong but I put compression marks on the deck faster and it lasted me 8 months before it started to buckle.

Cost

The DA construction is definitely more pricey compared to what I payed for it in E-2, about a 400 price difference. Since DA construction is so expensive I don’t recommend getting it if you haven’t tried the model already. I recommend going DA once you know you like the model. Otherwise, it can be an expensive hit or miss.