not even that much, i know a bunch of local boards that are in the $400 range. think of it this way: chinese boards are about $400 because of shipping and high mark-up, without it they'd probably be around $200. a locally made board however is $400 because it's hand shaped, and they don't have to pay for shipping so you're getting a much better price compared to what it's actually worth. that and you're supporting your local economy, etc. you already know.Originally Posted by njsurfer42
Problem is, they're not a $#!tty chinese "surfboard". A lot of them are really good boards. If they were really $#!tty we wouldn't be discussing them and almost nobody would buy one. There are plenty of boards made by local shapers with no CNC machine that aren't that great. If you exclude SUVs would you rather drive a Dodge or a Honda? Look at what's in your driveway or the label in your shoes before you berate people for selling the American worker down the river.
A text received yesterday from a recreational surfer who bought a locally shaped custom...
"...love it. It's my go to board... easy to duck dive and pop up (his main complaints with his old board). Very happy... It has stepped up my surfing to a whole new level. Stoked."
Another text received yesterday from a sponsored competitive surfer riding locally shaped...
"...the board is awesome!!!... Took it out last weekend during the NorEaster and loved it!... it gets vertical really easy (his main goal to step up his game) drives down the line, and is very responsive."
THAT's why people will pay more for custom.... because they want to increase their level of either fun or performance. A stock board may or may not be able to do that for you, but most people will hit the ceiling on an off-the-shelf anything... CI, ...Lost, whatever.
Last edited by LBCrew; Aug 1, 2012 at 01:57 PM.
In my opinion a significant portion of the overseas boards are purchased mostly due to marketing. The companies selling these boards are corporate minded and put a lot of value in marketing. People get on the internet onto these companies websites and read about how great this board is for them and its meant for xxx conditions. Then these people walk into the surfshops, already armchair experts from reading GSI's website. The people demand these boards enough and a lot of the surf shops respond by carrying the product.
Contrast that with your local shaper who just wants to surf and make good boards, has very little acumen/desire for marketing. No wonder its tough to get by, even though they can make a superior product for a comparable price. That's probably why, like someone mentioned, most of the "local" shapes you see are from WRV, because they turned themselves into a company and realize the value of marketing. You see that with some of the American based companies such as Al Merrick, the popular ones have a website explaining different models and the people read about how great it is for them. Then they see Reynolds riding it and all of a sudden its the new trend for the summer, whether its the appropriate board for the person/conditions or not.
One guy mentioned buying multiple overseas boards and not being able to afford an American Shaped one. Those two boards combined adds up to much more than one American Shaped board. But he probably didn't know he could find local shaped boards for a not significantly more price, because they aren't marketed, and when he walks into the surf shop and sees the brand he says "what is that???". Cut back on beers for a few weekends if you truly care about the surfboard building industry and supporting the small guys who are the ones building the best boards and innovating and would be the crux of a truly sustainable/good for the environment surf industry. Spend the extra money.
It's pretty simple, if you want to make a living shaping / sellling boards then you gotta take your business seriously. You can't except people to just find you, the internet has changed everything. It's now a global market.
If I was a shaper I would team up with surf shops to carry my brand and have a contract that forces them to keep a certain % of the rack space for my boards, and then I would have a legit e-commerce website setup so that I can sell my boards not only locally to those that don't know i'm right up the road from them, but also to those half way across the globe that have no idea I exist.
It's 2012, those businesses who sell retail items that don't have a website will fail eventually. If you go to most websites for surf shops or shapers, it's a BS site setup by their "buddy who knows IT" and has a "nice fancy lap top", there's no way to sumbit an order on the majority of them, it appears like more of a blog site or just a business card type setup, but you can't actually buy ANYTHING.
If you want to compete with the GSI websites of the world and other major E-Tailers, then you gotta have a functional site where you can allow customers to place orders whether you are open or closed, rain or shine. I understand you want to talk with the customer and build the board specifically to their specs, and there is a way to do that, but you gotta get the sale 1st, that's where it begins.
Last edited by DawnPatrolSUP; Aug 1, 2012 at 03:12 PM.
That was exactly my point, the little guys aren't as good as the corporations at business, and its unrealistic to expect them to be. Sure, they could do better... but my point was as consumers we have a choice. We can either support the guys who make the best boards, innovate, and care about surfing, or we can support the people who are in it for the money.
I don't really cae to discuss what they could do better as a business obviously there are many things.. one of which is presenting the consumers with the choice.
in my driveway is a jeep. best vehicle i've ever owned, never given me a problem. prior to this was a nissan...constantly in need of work. every other week it was back in the shop for something else.
anyone know where i can get a $400 in the 757 area lol. I would like to get a copy of the RNF
lmao....Jeeps are still made in the U.S.A. or I should say assembled in the United States. The parts themselves can be made in Canada, Mexico, India, Japan or America. The assembly plant itself is located in Toledo, Ohio. Just food for thought
I drive a 2006 Jepp Grand Cherokee. Got it brand new... It's the biggest piece of crap I've ever had. Nothing but problems. I had Hondas before that and never had an issue.... But you're talking about surfboards. A hand crafted stick from a good shaper is gonna be better than china board more often than not.
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