I am considering ordering a WRV hpsb for the spring with my tax rebate. I have heard good things about the company but not mention of who shapes for them. I know people like mike daniels of coil used to shape for them but whos building there boards now? Anyone out there riding a wrv?
For shortboards, they have a few fulltime guys, like Tommy Moore & Jesse Fernandez. They also have a lot of cameo shapers do batches of boards, like Mayhem & Yinger. You can't go wrong with Moore. Just a question, though: Why are you looking at WRV when you have smoking local shapers like Matt Kechele and Cosmic Bull near you? Those guys are all about surfboards....not obtaining Ron Jon status (like certain companies).
fernandez and yinger are both great shapers. I have a fernandez wrv rockfish. The feb issue of surfermag has a page with their boards and shapers in the 2011 board review.Both shapers are available to talk to. I talked to yinger a couple of years ago when buying the rockfish. just contact one of the two east coast locations (va beach or Kill devil HIlls) to get their contact info.
I got a fernandez 9'6, and 6'8 in my quiver, love them both. I Travel with the 6'8" it's built like a tank, and Rides great, minor repairs.
this is my own 2 cents, but in kind of my local "circle" people tend to consider WRV in the same class as a bic....or as was noted above sort of, a "ron jon" board
What is it about their boards specifically that would make you compare them to BIC or Ron Jon. Just curious...i have heard good things about them from other locals in DE, and recently bought a used WRV myself and it rides great.
I guess my answer would be that it's just the surroundings of my "friends". What I mean is that WRV for me has been like if you grow up in a family that buys only fords, then you are bound to hate chevy, regardless of the product. Also, I guess the only shop that I've seen WRV's in (brand new, not used) has been a "kooky" kind of shop, so perhaps that soured my taste. I mean no disrespect to those who ride ANY board. I just know that I've sort of been conditioned to steer clear of WRV's
lol ron jon sucks **** and doesn't have anything on wrv there is defiantly nicer boards but they're all solid shapes. Rockfish & the Nugget are sick
my first board was a 6'10" wrv, it was shaped like a big guys short board but its thick like a funshape, it was the perfect board to learn on, i keep it for if any of my friends that are learning to surf or use it like a long board when its really small. it took a beating and its held up pretty well. so i would recommend them based on my experience with that board, no sure about the newer smaller shapes though.
WRVs are like hondas WRV are a good general shape for the EC. Their off the rack boards are very general and every-man style. Good first short board, like your first car. Thats where the Bic-like moniker comes from. If youre an entry level surfer you will like them, user friendly, tough, and not too expensive. Their customs for team riders are the ****. Their shapers are real talented. I like to poach the used team trade-ins rack alot. Once you get to be an experienced surfer a custom shape from someone locally who knows the waves where you are is best. Until then WRV is as good a place to start as any, could do alot worse.
Yea I dont quite get the comparison to ron jon. the wrv stores ive been to resemble nothing close to ron jon in my opinion. I guess its all about where your from. I dont think the view in va and obx is that wrv is a ron jon type establishment.
your crazy as he11 WRV= BIC not a f'in chance. Ask Ben Bourgeois if his WRV rides like a BIC. WRV has been around for 40+ years and have tons of rippers on their teams. Ask Mark Healy if he would ride a BIC at Pipe or Waimea. I just saw a bunch of Yinger Nugget at one of my local shops and that thing looks fun as heck on a 1-4ft day! WRV=Quality PS- I have only owned one WRV and it was sick, but was thinking about talkin to my shaper to get a Nugget copy for the summer!
You are correct, sir. I confuse him with Wynn. How? I do not know. I accept that as your (and some others) opinion. I have mine and it happens to differ, based on entering their stores and dealing with their staff, as well as seeing the people that rock their stickers. Same folks as Ron Jon to me. As I eluded to in my earlier post, however, I think WRV have some really good people shaping for them. My point is that Cosmic Bull, Wynn , and some other well-known NJ (i.e. local to him) shapers do it just as well and are closer art of surfing than the art of marketing. Again...just my humble opinion. He asked. I provided. Sorry if it offends anyone.
WRV makes a great board, both stock and custom. But I have to agree with others, go to your local shop and get a board. Besides if your going to buy right off the shelf sometimes its better to put your hands on it first.
I have two WRV boards now, my first one was an 8'0" funshape, which i love, rides great in pretty much all conditions...and I just picked up a 6'6" Nugget shaped by J. Fernandez, only had it out once, but it felt good...they are great boards for the waves we get here on the east coast.
Been on WRV sticks most y life As someone stated earlier Tommy Moore is a great shaper, but hasnt been with WRV for quite awhile. I get all my boards from Tommy at least since he shaped me my first magic board. i order them from Tommy now that he is on the West Coast. Great sticks good prices and since he grew up shaping and surfing with the best east coast surfers years ago he knows east coast waves. In fact he is still sending boards this way for people. Tommy has sick stuff out. His round nose fish is better than the Mayhems. He also has a high performace board called the "the tweaker" which is right along the lines of a dumpster diver type shortboard. THe thing is sick with a or squash tail, tails is a bit wider than a typical hpsb. Also he has a new grovelr for this year for the East Coast called a Slop Rod, basically a hot rod for 1' slop, no need for a longboard catches and paddles like a long board but can still drive and do tight little cutbacks in 1' junk. Its a quad with a nose sort of like the ....lost Plank but it has a bump wing close to the tail with a wide squash. Tons of drive and super loose on the tail block great stick for 1' mush. Yinger is WRV's top guy him and Fernandez. I have tried Fernandez stuff but never rode a magic board of his when i have tried one, havent rode Yingers. I cant say Fernandez stuff isnt good its just that Tommy Moore has always done me right, not all boards are magic but 8 out of 10 work insane from Tommy. WRV is no where near BIC or whatever either, they are as core a shop as you will find. Sick shapes of their own. PM me if interested in a Tweaker from Tommy Moore or another model shortboard i can take a few pics and send you. They are sick. If you are going out of your own area to order a shortboard get up with me. Tommy's site has been down I just ordered the slop rod while i can get one, once these things start getting around it will be hard to get one this summer.
I have a couple Wynn's and I really like them. He is an easy guy to talk to and work out a custom with. His boards will be the basis of my quiver for the foreseeable future I am not looking to buy and off the rack, probably ever again. I was thinking about a WRV cause I am going to be in the VB area a lot and WRV seems to be the main local shaper down there. Cosmic bull....do they shape hbsp....atleast the boards i've seen by them are like old man retro boards. Does AJW have a factory in VB? what other shapers are around that make good hpsb?
If your going to be in the VB area get a board shaped by Bill Frierson, hes been making my shortboards lately. He used to shape for WRV, but opened up his own business. Best thing about customs is you get them exactly how you want them, and Frierson knows what works. Also ive had a couple wrv boards and they dont hold up. I have a nugget currently. Interesting board but beat it up the first week i rode the thing. Support your local shaper
