The Softech Flash Surfboard by Softech is arguably one of the most popular foamies out there, and for river surfing, it performs surprisingly well…for a Foamie. Measuring 5’0” x 20” x 2 3/8” at 32L, the Flash carries a lot of volume through the middle, making it stable and forgiving on river waves. Its EPS X-Foam core laminated between polycarbonate shells, combined with dual composite stringers, makes it the stiffest Foamie we’ve tested so far. That added stiffness, along with sharper rail definition than most soft tops, gives the board a more traditional rail line and noticeably better responsiveness when carving or transitioning onto rail. The board uses the FCS II thruster fin system, allowing for easy fin upgrades and tuning. While the bottom contours are fairly flat — making rail engagement a little less aggressive than higher-performance hard boards — the Flash still delivers the closest thing to a hard-board feel in the Foamie category. Overall, it now takes the crown as the best-performing Foamie we’ve tested.