Campbell Brothers Step Up 7'10 review: a bonzer that outgrew its rider
Updated 2026-09-19
| Length | 7'10" |
|---|---|
| Width | 21 7/8 in |
| Thickness | 2 7/8 in |
| Volume | 55? L |
| Fin config | Bonzer Five Fins |
| Wave range | 3 to 8 ft |
The Campbell Brothers Step Up is a 7'10 bonzer five-fin, a board built in 1992 and bought secondhand decades later. It did good work on bigger, less crowded days before its size stopped matching what was actually needed.
What it is and why I bought it
I bought this Step Up secondhand in June 2015, a PU board built in 1992 with a curved rocker, soft rails and a flat-to-double-concave bottom running to a rounded pin tail, in a bonzer five-fin setup. At 21 7/8 inches wide, it is an older-style performance shape, bought used rather than new.
It came in a red colourway.
How it surfed
Its best wave came at Novotel, where it earned its place as a genuine larger-day board, good for less crowded conditions with real size. The register is candid that it eventually became too big for regular use, a common outcome once a rider's everyday quiver settles on shorter, more versatile boards. The logged wave range is 3 to 8 ft, ideal at 5 ft.
Who it suits and who it does not
A bonzer five-fin step-up like this suits someone who specifically wants a bigger board for less crowded, more powerful days, and who does not mind the classic bonzer feel over a modern twin or quad setup. It is not the board for everyday small surf, and the register's own note about it becoming too big is a fair warning for anyone assembling a similar-sized quiver.
What happened to it
It sold in November 2017 for $500, matching its purchase cost exactly.
Questions people ask
Why did the Campbell Brothers Step Up eventually sell?
The register notes it plainly: it became too big for regular use, once other boards in the rack covered the same conditions more practically.
What conditions suited this board?
The logged range is 3 to 8 ft with 5 ft as the ideal, making it a genuine bigger-day board rather than an everyday option.
Did this board hold its value?
Yes. It sold for $500, the same price it cost to buy, a clean break-even result.
For the full spec sheet, see the sold boards list. For the other Campbell Brothers bonzer in the log, see the Campbell Brothers Custom Egg. For more on how many boards a quiver actually needs, see how many surfboards do you need.