I know some that do SUP demo days but do any surf companies do Demo days in the North East? Would love to be able to go somewhere and try out a bunch of different boards from a company like Lost,Firewire, or even some local companies like 5 star, Chinos, or Vec's...Are there such days around New England?
My most recent board purchase - 5'10" Stretch What model (basically its a Round Nose fish quad) - was the result of a shop with demo boards. I wasn't really looking for a board, but hey if they're gonna let me take it out for a couple days what the hell. It took no longer than 5 waves for me to know I was going to make them an offer. Ending up buying it at the end of this summer and its my go to board for small-medium waves. Been thinking of taking a couple pictures and writing up a board review I like it so much. I have no idea whether any shops up north are doing this or not, but they should because it moves used boards and creates new customer interest. As a result of one simple demo I've been in this shop more in the past six months than I had in the previous six years.
I have no idea, actually. But I am sure Chino would allow you try some of his boards, if he were to have any lying around. I suggest you call and ask him. Tell him Cisco (the name he knows me by) sent you. As for 5star, I suspect he may do the same, but again, call him.
Thanks for the info Barry... I mean "CISCO".... Ill have to give that a try. Ive been going to Pioneer board shop and renting used boards for my son to try out. Only problem is its 30 bucks a whack to demo a board for the day. I understand though as its a business to these guys and if I like the board I can put the 30 towards it. So far he tried out a 6 5 lost motivator with the funky beak nose and a hypto krypto 6 2 he also tried out the sweet potato I bought last week that was a 5 8, all three are different boards with their own set of volumes dimensions and shapes.. funny, he like the motivator alot, hated the hypto krypto and loved the 5 8 sweet potato. Thinking his comfortable volume range is around 40 based on what he has surfed I know that is alot for a kid his size 6 FT 140 but for his experience, it works for him. Would love to get him on a potatonator, a double agent, or a lost v3 or even a proctor apache but I dont see any of them around for him to try out..and the waves look flat flat flat for the next week or so.... UGH!
I like Pioneer; good guys. But don't stop there-try CR as well; explain to them your quest, perhaps they will "loan" you boards for trial uses. I have no preferences for either shop. Both are fine.
And while your there, ask them if they can set you up with some waves to try some on. Hope that you find what you are seeking...
Yea very familiar with cinnamon rainbows. Dave and his crew have always been great! Demoed a few boards from them for my son last year and ended up buying a 6 8 wrv fun fish with the flexlite technology. We ended up selling it for more than we bought it for so I know they are very fair. I don't think they let you demo new boards though but if I, looking to buy I'm sure they would help me out... Also ur right about needing waves to try them out on. Time is running out... I am a ski bum in the winter and usually wrap up surfing at the end of november
firewire did a couple demos in various places in the NE last summer. CI did some the year before. I found more boards I didn't like than boards I did...
Really? I didnt know they did. Wish I knew but maybe its a matter of sending emails out and asking companies to do them around here. Which boards from Firewire DIDNT you like and why? Just curious on feedback if you have any.
I've ridden a sweet potato demo and didn't like it at all... The rocker seemed wrong to me...pushed water just when you tried to trim it out for speed. rode it on a day with nice thigh/waist high lined up waves, but it wouldn't trim out with any sort of speed like a mini simmons. OK, so resort to generating speed by pumping off the back foot....seemed like too much volume and big boxy rails to really be a board you could pump. Also the round tail seemed to bleed off speed riding on your back foot compared to a square tail. There's a reason why wide square tails have become the go-to shape for mush.
I missed the FW demo. Found out too late. Only one I've ridden is the cornice, bought out in CA and brought back to NJ. Worked great in Santa Cruz, worked like crap here, even in Joaquin swell. It was very foot placement finicky and really needed a fast wave and then wanted to be fast rail to rail non stop. It did crack off the lip really really well though. About CI, i thought I'd like the Average Joe, but didn't at all. Seemed way too corky, but I did ride it a little large, think it was 33-35L iirc. Tried a few other boards, didn't really care for anything.
