SMTH Shapes Goldfish 6'5 review: the fun, all-round twin fin

Updated 2026-09-19

The SMTH Shapes Goldfish is a 6'5 custom twin fin, logged simply as a fun all-rounder. It is one of the most ridden boards in the current rack, and it is spoken of as a board to keep riding for as long as it holds together.

What it is and why I bought it

I ordered the Goldfish from SMTH Shapes in September 2021, a PU board with a medium rocker, full rails and a deep single bottom running into a double concave, finished with a swallow tail. At 21 1/2 inches wide and 45 litres over 6'5, it was built as a genuine everyday board rather than a specialist shape for one type of wave.

How it surfed

The Goldfish is one of the most used boards in the entire rack. Its best wave came at Jails, at a top speed of 28 km/h (about 17.4 mph) over a 250 metre ride, using a JBK 2.1 or Machado fin setup. It has been described as one of the best boards owned, a standout that earns a permanent spot in even the smallest travel quiver, and it remains in that role, kept in reserve for a trip-specific rack precisely because it does everything asked of it.

Who it suits and who it does not

A fun, all-round twin fin like this suits someone who wants one board that covers the bulk of everyday surfing without a second thought, from small days through to good size. It is hard to point to a rider it does not suit, which is exactly the trait that has kept it in such heavy rotation; anyone specifically chasing a dedicated big-wave or specialist small-wave shape would still need something else alongside it.

What happened to it

It is still in the rack. It cost $710 to build, with a replacement cost of $910 logged, and carries an asking price of $650, though it shows no sign of moving on.

Questions people ask

What fins work on the SMTH Shapes Goldfish?

A JBK 2.1 or Machado fin setup are both logged as pairings that have worked on this board.

Why does the Goldfish see more use than most other current boards?

It is used as an all-round, everyday board and has also been kept as part of a smaller travel quiver, both of which put more time in the water on it than a more specialist shape would get.

What conditions suit the Goldfish?

The logged range is 1 to 6 ft with 2 ft as the ideal, and its best recorded session covered 250 metres at 28 km/h at Jails, showing it holds up well beyond just small surf.

For the full spec sheet, see the current quiver. For similar everyday twin fins, see the SMTH Grande and the Mitch Surman Dark Void. For the case for a small, well-chosen travel quiver, see dream quiver.