Gato Heroi Models

Wild Things is the Australian manufacturer and distributor for Gato Heroi. The different models are broken out into families: Classic Edition, Universal Edition, Progressive Pig, Acid Series and CREME. You can read model descriptions below, or view current stock here

CE - Classic Edition

This line of boards is the most traditional side of GH with sleek and elegant shapes paying tribute to the masters. 

SMOOTH OPERATOR

The name sums it up well ... A stable board with continual rocker, a rolled bottom and low volume rails that allow the rider to stay and surf in the pocket. The widepoint is set back slightly, it has a subtle scoop and flip in the tail for stable noseriding. Thin rails and the curve out of the tail facilitate really aggressive snappy turns and crazy manoeuvrability. We generally offer this in off the rack in 2 1/2 up to 2 7/8, more bladey than the operator but maintaining soft rails that won't track. SLightly narrower this is a more performance option to the Operator. As much as is going on in this board, everything is very subtle and blended, a very lo key looking board with great performance We also offer this in a square tail - the Chop Op. The wide point moves back providing more area in the tail, tighter turns and more stability on the nose.

 

OPERATOR

The more classic surfing board in the operator series. Slight rolled bottom, gentle rocker, usually finished 2 3/4 up to 3 1/4, the operator is more "bellied" than the smooth op . The widepoint is set back slightly for stable noseriding and the tapered volume towards the nose and tail that allow for drop-knee turns and manoeuvrability. This is a really classic more traditional version of the smooth operator. You will find the board trims from a wide variety of positions due to the low rocker and really glides through those full fatter sections with ease. A classic all round pin tail. 

UV - Universal Edition

This collection of longboards is Be Bop 60's, both dynamic, surprising, but with a solid foundation. A combination of Australian and classic Californian style results in the trim, noseriding, wild turns and drive unique to Gato Heroi. These are the longboards we surf in all conditions.

PLAYBOY

This model is directly inspired by the boards Australians surfed to 66/67 (think Nat Young Hot Generation) with the widepoint set back, pinched rails and strong vee through the tail, it's a rocket, very versatile off the tail and manoeuvrable from the nose. With commitment and dynamic surfing, you will be surprised by the unlimited potential of this board. 





DAGGER

The DAGGER was first developed by Robin as Al knost’s model - fine-tuned for punchy Blackies beach breaks. After many years development in all conditions the model has been greatly refined. A healthy nose rocker provides stability up front, transitioning into a low and fast tail rocker - trim speed balanced with all the control of a pulled in square tail. The dagger now has a more refined rail foil and is even faster and more sensitive than ever. Holds in tight for great noseriding in the pocket, while handling sharp turns and full blooded cutbacks with ease. 

 Kai Ellice-Flint riding DAGGER by Jimmy Jazz James

PG - PROGRESSIVE PIG

The Pig is the origin of Hot Doggin and the evolution of contemporary surfing. This range is available in several models of different sizes. Suitable for big turns and surfing in the pocket. These boards will surprise you with their versatility in all types of waves.

SPACEPIG


Clearly influenced by Wayne Lynch, the space pig is an amazingly versatile mid-length in all conditions - beach-breaks, reefs and points. A generous outline, pinched rails and light vee bottom allows the rider to stay in trim, change direction in a flash and reach the nose in the right sections. Versatile and ideal for travel, but also for those days when changing conditions make for a difficult choice of board.

SPACEPIG PG

The spacepig PG shares a lot in common with regular spacepig, both are fast, loose and responsive boards. However where spacepig trims beautifully, the PG wants to be surfed on rail. The PG's wide point is more central than the standard spacepig and it has more of a panelled vee through the tail. PG works best when pushed - a midlength geared slightly more towards performance.



AD - Acid Series

Transition boards, inspired by the late 60s / early 70s and surfers / travelers. These models are sleek and radical.

SURFAR

The Surfar model exists within the ACID range - falling somewhere between a long mid-length and low volume log. The clean teardrop outline with forward wide point makes this board super versatile - fast through the water (with a sweet spot in forward trim) and then drivey and radical off the tail. Whether you need to hold a line in waves of consequence, plow through junk on bigger waves or find effortless trim speed on smaller days, the Surfar will deliver. The rocker is low and flat with a rolled vee throughout, transitioning into a more panelled vee off the tail. Foiled 70/30 down rail is forgiving for all operators. Choose Surfar for mercurial performance in all conditions.

SPEED ACID


The original acid was conceived by Robin over 10 years ago for a trip to Morocco, testing prototypes in the long running points from knee high to double overhead. The Acid Series has evolved from these early trips into a few closely related models. Incredible paddle power, drive and speed on the open face, these boards love surfing with the rail engaged! The acid will surprise you with its original approach in all situations - from driving turns and tubing sections on bigger days to high speed trim on knee-high pipes. It fits well among a quiver of longboards and is a versatile board, great to travel with! The speed acid ranges in length from 7 to 9 feet plus.  

 

ACID DROP

The Acid Drop is the latest addition to the Acid family. Wide point forward Subtle roll under the chest into a spiral Vee out the tail. The rail line transitions from soft up rail in the nose to a fairly conventional feeling rail through the body into down rail in the tail with edge from the fin position back, allowing for additional hold and drive. The rounder outline and rounded pin tail of the drop allow it to turn tightly, tighter top turns, tighter cut backs into the pocket and off the wash. Yet maintaining long drawn out bottom turns and highlines like the original speed acid. The Drop is a great all round board, it'll work in junky beach breaks where maneuverability is key, but will blow your mind when you get it on some open faced points with size!

 

ACID 2020

Updated acid! After much testing and refinement in France and Mexico over the last 2 years, this acid is a new trip. A fuller outline with slightly more volume through the rails adds even more versatility and user friendly performance to this all-rounder. Board for all conditions, the acid loves surfing with rails engaged, driving you to take different lines than your normal board. The acid will surprise you with its original approach in all situations, in trim as well as through turns and tubing sections. Its ideal size is between 7 and 8 feet, The acid fits well among a quiver of longboards and is a versatile board, great to travel with.

SHORT

Modern foils for drive and release in shorter outlines, concave and edge combine with unique Gato Heroi flavour.

ANTI FISH

The anti fish is clearly inspired by the early MR's with Robin’s spin. They are a twin that surfs fast and loose, and with ease on your backhand with the more pulled in narrow swallow tail. Entry vee into a double into v out the swallow tail, fluted flyers, relatively hard edged rail. A super fun twinny to surf that allows you to go vertical and release the tail on turns when desired.

GATO TWIN

The Gato Twin has a generous entry rocker compared to most boards in this category which makes getting into tight sections easy, this blends into a long single concave, which keeps the rocker fast and flat through the stringer along the bottom of the board. The underside of the board bevels slightly up at the rails allowing for easy transitions into turns.

The Gato Twin comes in 2 fin options. Firstly, with glass on keel fins - allowing the board to have incredible hold and drive, draw long arcing turns and gain incredible speed down the line. The second option is with futures fin boxes which allows the surfer to surf a more upright Mark Richards style fin for a tighter turning approach to the wave. This is a versatile twinny, another model that truly works in variety of conditions for most levels of surfers. Its stable and easy to catch waves on and can perform to a level of the most advanced surfer if pushed hard.

CREME FISH

An incredibly fun fish with a lot going on! The creme fish is essentially the new ‘gato twin’. This board works well in a wide range of conditions, from points to choppy rip bowls. There is more entry rocker than your traditional fish, and a fast flat rocker in the back 3/4 of the board. A single concave starts up under the chest and runs out the tail. There is a subtle bevel between the concave and rail, (inspired by steve lis) which provides easy transitions into and out of turns, no catching, faster rail to rail than you would expect from a short wide board. Volume foils out nicely toward the tail with a hard edge for drive through turns.

FALCON

Robin’s step-up shortboard inspired by the brewer mini gun. A subtle concave (double to single through the tail) gives the board maneuverability and acceleration. Full rails and plenty of foam under the chest offer the rider confidence in waves of consequence - enough paddle power to get around out there and forgiveness once up and riding. Tail edge provides bite and control for critical drops and plenty of release for high speed arcs. Ideal in challenging overhead conditions.

SPACE ROACH

The space roach is a relatively conventional single fin, with Gato aesthetic and performance. Built for guys transitioning from a shortboard into the single fin feel, this board has a subtle roll under the chest allowing for ease of paddling and nice trim when toward the front. The double concave in the back 1/4 of the board gives drive when the surfer is coming off the bottom or out of turns. This is an easy surfing board great for a variety of conditions and a great model for that transitioning surfer.


ROACH

The latest Roach that Robin released on his 2024 trip to OZ has some subtle design improvements. There is slightly more area all round particularly in the tail allowing it to turn on a dime, it's also flatter, faster and incredibly refined behind the fin, providing great control and stability in hollow waves. This latest version once again references the MP Kirra stubbie outline and and to surf, it feels reminiscent of the way that board looked under his feet... Robin wanted a board that he could travel with that was flat enough to be fast and work in average waves but would have enough foam to paddle into bigger waves and hold in if it got hollow. RK is about 6'2 and 80-85 Kgs and has been surfing his new Roach at 6'4 x 21 5/16 x 3 1/8. We are surfing our one a little thinner at 3' thick. The new roach has been impressing us in a range of conditions — it's been really fun on open faced pointbreaks but has also really blown our minds on beach breaks.  The board turns tight and it's super fast and really agile in punchy waves. This is an incredibly fun board.

CRÈME SERIES

If Gato Heroi was be bop then CREME is the Bossa nova. This label was the first label set up by Robin, more traditional, consisting of generous lines and coloured resins. Inspired by the classic surf spots of California: San O, Malibu and Newport, with the legendary Takayama, Weber and Nuuhiwa in mind. These boards embody the culture of the early 60's during the height of noseriding.

CALIFORNIAN

The Californian is the perfect summer longboard, an incredible noserider that still turns really nicely off the tail. The parallel outline and fuller mid section ending in slightly kicked tail combine to make for dynamic noseriding. The scooped nose reduces swing weight through turns as well as providing flex when you’re up the front of the board. The Californian is wide and stable, yet somehow still holds in nicely on steeper sections. A Classic California log essence has been refined for trimming from centre, control on the nose and quick pivot turns. We have all been surfing it non-stop and highly recommend!!

The CRÈME Californian model ridden by Kahu Andronicus and Kai Ellice-Flint, filmed by Max Alesbury in and around Byron Bay in Summer 2020.

 Kai Ellice-Flint riding the Cali filmed by Jimmy Jazz James in 2021.


PLAYDATE

Keeping the spirit of PLAYBOY, we modified this model to make it more accessible. Less pronounced contours, allowing easy noseriding without sacrificing maneuverability, this model is one of those perfect longboards, combining ease of use with performance.

 

FAT CAT


With a generous outline and 50/50 rails, the FATCAT is the perfect compromise. Easy noseriding, manoeuvrable from the tail and fast, forgiving glide. Ideal for all levels.


 

PLAYPIG

The Creme Play Pig is a classic 60's inspired log, the wide point set right back with a pulled in nose and a tight pin tail. The bottom contour is rolled from nose to tail complemented by a rail foil that is boxy relative to most Gato Heroi's, but inline with the fuller Creme models. Entry rocker is quite pronounced mellowing in the back 2/3's of the board and gradually extending throughout the tail. True to its period of inspiration the Playpig is a very cruisy board to surf, it pivots nicely from the tail and really feels like a classic board when coupled with a D fin or something with similar volume... Smooth, stylish, classic surfing.

FLEUR

The Fluer is a traditional classic rounded pin pig outline with a slightly more high performance foil than the rest of the range. A touch more volume than its sister the fat cat with a flat bottom under the nose provides a stable platform for easy noseriding. This model is inspired by Weber's "Feather" and Bing's "Classic Pintail" combined with Robins design elements soft pinched rails it is fast through the water and very easy to control. The Fleur is one of Robins limited edition designs that you will not find as a production model.

Field Notes 3 by Jack Coleman featuring Makala Harmony Smith on a 9'7 Fleur and River Covey riding 9'8" Californian.

VIEW CURRENT BOARDS IN STOCK:

NEW & USED BOARDS IN STOCK AT WILD THINGS
WE SHIP AUS WIDE AND TO SOME OVERSEAS LOCATIONS

CONTACT:

INFO@WILDTHINGSGALLERY.COM.AU
0414265202

AVAILABLE AT:

WILD THINGS - NSW
(1/93 Centennial Circuit, BYRON BAY, NSW - 0414265202)

KEEL SURF & SUPPLY - NSW (website)
(9/12 - 14 Lawrence St, Freshwater, NSW - PH 0402503914)

SUNBURNT MESS - NSW (website)
(41 GOULD ST, BONDI, PH 0427403330) 

SATURDAYS SURF - NSW/VIC (website)
(PACIFIC BONDI BEACH, BONDI 02-83164518/ ALBERT COATES LANE, QV, MELB 03-96393869)

FINBOX - NSW (website)
(269 LAWRENCE HARGRAVE DR, THIRROUL, NSW PH 02-42682050)

OCEAN HAUS - NSW (website)
(Shop 1/ 5-9 Campbell Cres, Terrigal, NSW - PH 02-43856000)

MORDY'S - VIC (website)
(MORDIALLOC PLAZA, MORDIALLOC, VIC / PH 03-95801716)

THREE STORIES - WA (website)
 (105 High St, Fremantle WA 6160 PH 08-93351289)

DESSA - QLD
(10/224 David Low Way, Peregian Beach QLD 4573 PH 07-5471 3489)