whats a good longboard?

I am 6' and 175lbs and my board is 9'6", with a cutaway fin for easier turning. If I could change anything, I'd take it down to like 9'-9'2" just to make maneuvering a little easier. They're fun in the smaller stuff, but they can also handle up to the head high range too. On the East coast, longboards deserve a spot in your quiver in my opinion. Fishes are fun too, but they can't completely replace the longboard for small stuff.

 

Hey speedfreakdvd... I hope you don't mind me asking this, but if you are trying to find the right size, fin set up, width, length, noserider or performance oriented, etc... why go "new"?

Why does it have to be new?

Then if it's the wrong board for ya then you are stuck selling a new board?

My .02 would be to check craigs list or local surf forums/garage sales, etc. and find some nice used long boards to screw around with. Hell, this time of the year when most guys aren't thinking about their longboards you can probably find a steal or two. Pick up a nice glider for $250 or $300 and see if that's what your looking for, if you decide that that type of setup wasn't the feeling you were looking for it's not a huge loss. Find another kind, make the hunt for one and then put that one that turned out wrong for you back up for sale. Plan on limiting your search to under $350 or $400 if you want. Keep buying and selling them until you find that longboard that fits you. Then you can go have one shaped for you that will fit you best. Dont be iin such a hurry to buy new. There is no rush, man.
Not only will you be able to dial in what youi want much better than relying on others in a forum, you and your son can have the fun of picking up and trying all kinds of different styles and shapes... for cheap.

Just a different way of looking at it.

 

Believe me, I understand what you mean about the collection. I'm not sure if I could ever say I have "too many" boards though... I don't think that could happen. My wife would agree with you but then again she gets bummed every time I sell one or give one away... she knows my collection almost as good as I do.

But I regress... buying a longboard is a personal thing I found. Just me personally. It's not like jumping on a standard thruster. So many variables that you might want to go through.

I'm still on that longboard hunt. I've tried a few, borrowed a few, bought a few, and sold em all. I can't find that longboard that makes me happy yet. I think I find that one on a good session, then I take it out again and it lost its luster. Maybe I just like the change.

It's just also kinda cool to try so many boards and you are also keeping a small footprint. Remember the whole reduce, reuse, and recylce.

There are so many boards out there by so many shapers, why not date instead of marry?

 

Like he said, check Craigs List... I check religiously for surfboards, and there have been a bunch of brand new beer logo boards (like hang in the bars) shaped by Peter Benjamin for $200-250. It's a longboard, I personally wouldnt really care if it had a beer logo... CL is where I found my perfect longboard... a 8'6" Herbie Fletcher stepdeck in great condition for $200, I dont use it much, but she turns on a dime like a shortboard. Good luck .

 

That's a nice board. I would ask for closer pictures though. Riding the nose is more about the fin/fin placement and your position on the wave. If that board is in good shape, that is a nice deal.

 

challenger? aren't they chinese?

 

Stay away from them. $450 is ripping you off big time. A used chinese challenger is worth pennies on the dollar. Now, if this was an authentic Challenger from back in the day... different story. This is a label owned by a complete shyster who buys old lables from real shaping companies and then puts them on pop outs.


Here is more:

http://www.newyorksurf.com/modules/...3&pid=148543&mode=threaded&start=#entry148543


QUOTE (sk8ty @ Jul 11 2007, 08:16 PM)
tom sena is the biggest A#$hole , he doesn't even surf!!!!, he does nothing for the surfers in rockaway, never has done anything positive. he just rips people off, he bought the rights to those labels and has them massed produced...he sells them to all the kooks and kook shops in the northeast, rhode island, conn, maine etc...makes a huge profit off of them....he has run other good people out of business in rockaway who tried to open a surf shop, he is trying to do it to "Boarders" right now. yes business is cut throat but surfing isn't all about that...atleast other people give back to the sport or the commnunity,he has been a detriment to the surfing community in rockaway...never sponsored one grom, nothing....called the EPA or a certain laocal shaper...complete scumbag....if you know anyone in the surf industry pass the word along..., ask anyone in rockaway about him and they will tell you the same thing...he doesn't deserve to be in the industry...don't give him any business...



I am glad that my query has touched off a discussion of this apparent douchebag. It's too bad there's no way to effectively educate the public as to the truth behind these piece-o-**** boards. I have a few friends who've bought them, and their main justification is cost. These guys ain't noobs, either. Many have been surfing for 40 years, or more. Sad.
Someone should make up bumperstickers that say something like "Chinese surfboards are a Joke". Or, "Don't buy Chinese surfboards". "Chinese Boards R 4 Kooks" ?


I would say "no", you would be getting ripped off big time. I wouldn't pay more than $5.
Keep looking! You are on "the search" and remember that the trip is sometimes better than the destination...

 

And it turns out I was correct... if it was a "real" Challenger it might have actually been worth thousands of dollars... check this out...

http://www.challengersurfboards.com/

I wonder how Bobby "Challenger" Thomas feels about Mr. Sena?

 

I have seen that same board in Kona Sports in Wildwood for 600 dollars new . That a really good deal for that if its in really good shape.


If you rather have new Check out Brian Wynn surfboards. My latest longboard is made by him . Its a retro board with a single fin and heavy glass. It performs real nice and nose rides very well and the heavy glass doesnt effect it turning abillity either.

 

what Mofo Said

The best advice I've seen on here is to ride as many boards as you can until you find something that really suits you. I had this really sweet Stewart Colin McPhillips shape. It was really fast and really thin... just suited me perfectly. I broke it in March and am back in the hunt for a replacement...

Good luck and enjoy.

 

Yep. Try to buy that one. Either that, or get the dimensions & hull design and find one with the same design. Chances are that you're going to want poly, not epoxy.

 

For used boards, other than craigslist, check out www.chubbysurf.com....I got a great condition 9'0 Jacobs longboard for 350 (including shipping) that I use in OCMD all the time.

 

I had a mctavish ray greave model the thing paddled like a beast and i could walk all over it.....

 

It most likely a Egg Roll Special then. There are plenty of Shapers on the Eastcoast that you can get nice longboard made for a little bit more than what your wanting to spend.

here''s a list of Shapers in the NY / NJ area

http://www.nynjsurf.com/NY-and-NJ-S...rd-Shapers-and-New-York-Surfboard-Shapers.htm

Check them out you might even wanna call or send some of them a email to get a bit of info on priceing and wait time