Torq Go-Kart ACT - Futures - 5 Fin - Shortboard

“It’s a super easy board to ride and the tech feels alive, fast and loose, which is the best combination in a board. It also holds its rail nicely through carves.” – Damien Fahrenfort

Like its namesake, the Go-Kart is super fast and agile, designed for quick acceleration and tight turns.

Torq’s team riders tested this board in all conditions, from windy and waist-high to overhead and hollow. It’s a board that does it all and more: airs, turns, barrels, yet with enough buoyancy to skate on slacker days.

If you’re looking for a board that surfs like a shortboard, but without the limitations of a regular shortboard, this is it.

Fins included: None.

Construction - ACT

Torq ACT surfboards are the world's first EPS/Epoxy pre-preg surfboards. Pre-preg is the highest-performing composite process, with the best strength-to-weight ratio and the best reflex (springiness) of any fiberglass lay-up.

That's a big claim, so here's some more substantiation:

“Pre-preg fabrics virtually eliminate all process variation seen in traditional lay-ups or vacuum infusion processes. As a result, pre-pregs have completely changed composite production.”

They have “maximum strength properties” and ensure “less mess and less waste. All the woes of hand lay-up – cups of resin, sticky rollers, drips – are no longer an issue.”

“Without the pitfalls of manual laminating techniques, there are no resin-rich areas and no dry spots.” “Pre-pregs are considered the most advanced system for composite production.”

These are quotes from professional sources, websites, and informational guides. Search for 'pre-preg composites' and you'll find pages full of them. It is unanimously considered the most advanced composite process.

What is it?

Pre-preg is short for pre-impregnated. The resin and catalyst are machine-applied to the fiberglass fabric, creating a matrix of fiber and resin.

This matrix has a perfect mix of resin and hardener and a perfect resin content with a perfect distribution.

The matrix is machine-cut – Torq has cutting files for each model and size, ensuring the exact correct fiber and resin weight is used on each board – and then laid onto the board shape and cured under high heat and pressure in an oven.

What are the advantages?

Reflex or springiness:

Hand laminates, even with a vacuum bag, retain a significant amount of excess resin. This adds weight, makes the board more brittle, and limits the properties of the fiber because it's encased in a thick shell.

Pre-pregs are machine-impregnated with precisely the right resin density. Whatever fiber is used – glass, carbon, or basalt – the pre-preg process allows the fiber to perform without the limitation of excess resin.

In surfboards, this translates into a springy, responsive feel. Every flex you push into the board in a turn immediately returns as reflex and is not dampened by the resin. They return all the energy you put into them. Because the board is allowed to flex naturally, it absorbs much more of the vibrations you often feel with lightweight epoxy boards.

Strength-to-weight ratio:

The other advantage of not having unnecessary extra weight from excess resin is the additional amount of fiber that can be included at the same total weight. ACT boards have a heavy-duty fiber lay-up, making them significantly stronger than an equally weighted surfboard in any other construction.

There is 2 to 3 times more fiber in these boards at the same weight as a light PU. They are not the strongest Torq boards, but they do have a much better strength-to-weight ratio.

How do they surf?

They feel alive from the first wave.

The feel is somewhere between a light PU and epoxy, with an added springiness not found in either technology. They feel familiar enough to get used to immediately. But once you're used to them, every other board feels flat.

About Torq

Torq builds epoxy surfboards known for their strong constructions and well-thought-out shapes, from performance shortboards to accessible all-rounders. The boards are made to withstand intensive use and still feel lively. This makes them a logical choice for the changeable conditions of the North Sea and for the rack at Hart Beach.