Looking at the website Ando & Friends, I checked out the surfboards section, and was shocked at some of the prices... Generally between 600 and 1000, and not for longboards (a 5'6" Swift for $1,050). Are these shapers like buying chic, designer clothes, paying for the name? I've never heard of most of these and been surfing 20 years: Swift Surfboards, Tyler Warren, Orange Surfboards, Kookbox,
No chick buy the latest fad. With Surfboards you get what you pay for Quality equals $$$$$Originally Posted by Exit98Surf
the Kookbox boards are insane If I wasnt locked in with getting a log shaped with Wynn when I get my tax return I would love to buy a 9'6 son of sam Kookbox. Heritage in OCNJ has a sweet 5.2 fish with wooden fins .
Handshaped boards, not CNC then finish shaped boards take time. Time is money and so is the knowledge and experience that the shaper has and uses when they shape your board. That and quality glass jobs are getting quit expensive now. You get what you pay for and I have no problem with paying $1000 for a quality handshaped board with a nice glass job. I mainly longboard so if you shortboard your opinions may be different.
Chic...definitely chic...more like CA hipster chic...just sayin'.
A 4'11" for $750...come 'on..., however, there are a few deals on there a 9'11" with a custom stringer for $850. But really some of those prices are almost as bad as CI's prices...pure handshape, glass, etc...they better be dropping some new hyrbrid polyesterexopyresinX resin on there to justify the cost...
Also the key to a quality glass job is a quality shape (over shaping is a no-no) and a tight lam...not everyone can do it, but most can...maybe some cut cost and use less on their hotcoat and gloss (=inferior product)...but I can get quality glass job on a shortboard for a couple hundred less in the Jersey area (Wynn is a contract glasser in our area...his own boards, cosmic, heritage, etc.) as well as a similar shape...just my $.02.
I think those prices are pretty fare for both of them boards . That Mini simons is pretty sweet. I have been actually wantin one of those for a while but a little bigger than 4'11
definalty you get what u pay for . CNC board from china glassed my someone who dont even know what surfing is for 400 dollars equals a crap board compared to a hand shapped and glassed board from someone who surf and knows what they are doing.
Hey Matt...I have a lot of respect for you...however...
I don't think your argument can hold up...a typical CI shortboard, as well as their Even Keel (fish model), retail at around $700+...sure they are CNC'ed (which is fine by me...closer tolerances and consistency), but like most others their glassing is outsourced and that is the problem with most of their boards imho. TYpically, it is not the "cutter/CNC", but the fact that their quality control goes down with their outsource). Their shapes, foils, etc. are incredible...their glassing flat out sucks imo!
Tyler Warren, Swift and most of the other "chic" labels out there have their own little niche and can be much more critical of the product that they are putting out...however, I think they're pushing their prices under the guise of functional art...realistically, that TW simmons shouldn't cost over $500 for materials and labor (and I think that is being generous b/c it is that isn't even a bulk rate for resin, cloth, blanks, etc.). If it was 8' simmons...okay I could rationalize that...but $750...?
Alright...rant over...thanks!
The reasone you find a CI for 750 is cause they are whats Deamed "cool" by the media.
Companies like Kookbox, tyler warren, Bing , Cooperfish ect are hand shaped and they companies let the boards speak for them selves .
that Soap Bar is a croos between a Mini simmons and a hull . I dont see CI ,lost or Firewire pumping them out on there CNC
Too rich for my blood. And even if i had the money, I'll probably pass. I think it's more of a collectors item, and could be marketed for the surfer who has top dollar cash. I would like to think the average surfer does not have $800-1000 to shell out for a board, even the most "soulful" ones may cringe at those prices.
Nah they are functional board . It not some mass produce peice of garbage made for the masses ( Quote Craig Stecyk). I dont lose any sleep shelling out that kinda money for a board of that caliber. I am not a rich man just you average workin guy with 3 kids and bills
i just know what I like and what works for me
Please dont think that I am trying to say that if you dont spend that kinda money on a board you got junk cause I am not saying that. It really what on can afford and is comfortable spending
Last edited by MATT JOHNSON; Feb 14, 2011 at 03:16 AM.
It's Laguna Beach, that should tell you something about price, I mean that's where the Ferrari and Lamborghini dealerships are.
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