Are we living in a soft top era?

I keep mine for those “step off” days or the 200 yd long closeout sets 15’ from shore Hahahaha

 

And I wear that hat when I do

 

I have mixed feelings about them. On one hand they do seem cool for their intended purpose. No waves except for a grinding shore break barrel. Perfect for them. Then on the other hand i see guys like Ben gravy or whatever riding them in good waves. And i shake my head. But they actually still rip. Maybe I'm just jealous or embarrassed. Riding a freaking joke of a board and ripping. Like their low key mocking our average skills.

 

As I've said in other posts, I keep one in my quiver. They have their purpose.
Better than nuthin if ya got nuthin else.

But last summer in particular, I did notice a lot more of them than usual.

 

I rate them worse that Chinese pop-out SurfTechs or kooks with GoPro mounts glued to the nose of their board.

 

Blame Kalani Robb and Ben Gravy.

They’re better than SUPs.

 

I bought one for my wife a while back, she only used it a few times so this past summer when it was small and breaking right on shore I took it out a couple times to spare my nice LB the damage of hitting bottom after each wave. It was fun and it caught everything so easily. Then a larger wave came through on my paddle back out, I tried to duck dive it and ended up snapping it in two pieces lol now, no more soft top. The end.

 

Kalani is sponsored by Beater or some shit, so he’s getting paid to rep a soft top.
Ben Gravy rides one to make fun of us mortals.

 

I've said on here many times before that I dont worry about what other people choose to ride waves with. SUP, bodyguard, soft-top, Hawaiian punch raft whatever. I will say that I consider them sub par equipment thus question the decision to bring out the soft top in good surf.

 

Well-said ^^

I'm always impressed, or maybe depressed, by the number of 'core dudes' on longboarts that either go straight down the line or just make little trim movements up on the wave face until the wave dies, without ever turning or even attempting a turn.

I actually know a guy, longtime surfer, who is adamant that his trimming stuff are 'turns.' I'm like, dude, a turn is a change in direction, period. He's not having it. Trimming = turning in his book.

Point being, there are so many people on longboarts, more & more on foamies, who are catching waves because of modern foam tech & just barreling down the line. I don't even know if I have a point here, actually!

 

thanks Yankee we call them milkmen they milk the wave and think they are shredding

It's all Jamie O's fault, he makes it look soooo cool, but it's a crutch in real life and gives too many kooks the ability to clog the lineup. I see them paddle out to a good peak on a good day and I think to my self, OH NO! And sure enough when a set rolls through they are gone.

 

i don't see them out as much so not sure about the era. did have someone trying to lure me into Catch Surf i believe, not at a surf shop, but i wasn't having any of it. just shorebreak waves fo sho, but even then i have enough in the quiver to risk. fyi NSP does the job just fine when it comes to that

 

I love having a soft top in my quiver.

I bring it to the beach when we are just hanging on the sand all day. No worrying about one of my nice LBs roasting in the sun all day.

I have pushed so many people into their first waves on it. Fun times.

I'll ride into shorebreak without a care in the world.

Last winter it snowed here and I didn't have a sled. The wavestorm was a blast on the hill.

As far as the hipster thing: yeah they are a fad, no doubt. Around these parts though, you don't really see them in decent surf.

 

I’m a fan. They’ve been the perfect craft for my lady and quite frankly a blast for me too. She’s tiny so having a foam board is a lot easier for her to haul than a legit fiberglass borte. We've got a 8’ wavestorm and a 7’ wave bandit. Each new for $100. Can’t beat the price point.

I love using these boards on shore pound close out barrels. The same days when I wouldn’t want the single fin ripped off my 68’ Hobie.

Don’t get me wrong, they don’t replace a legit board and I don’t take them out on the best of days. But they do their intended purpose and it works for us.

 

A couple of years back I was at the top of the peak at Lower Trestles in a very stacked lineup. You had the Andinos out there along with the Gudauskis crew, Jeff Booth, Rosey Hodge, Ian Foulke and a bunch of pro level rippers. It was a well overhead day with lots of waves to go around and everyone was taking their turn with a super good vibe. A guy on a soft top paddles out goes right to the top without working his way into the rotation and right off the bat drops in on Jake Davis (One of the top San Clemente junior pros at the time). Shouting match turned into a little shoving match and lets just say the soft top guy became separated from his leash and board after a little under-water wrestling match. Perhaps a punch or two landed. His board got sent to the beach leaving this ding bat with a long embarrassing swim in. Next thing you know there's sheriffs vehicles, lifeguard trucks, bullhorns, lifeguards on paddleboards demanding to know who assaulted the d-bag and that they turn them in or the water was going to be cleared. It was quite the scene and just a classic memory.

 

'From what i can see he just had a bad wipeout'

 

wow.

This brings up an important subject: the surfing "pay wall"

For most of us, dropping at least $3-4-500+ on a board means that we are responsible enough to earn the money, buy the board, and know how NOT to do something stupid with it.

Being able to get a bigger board for just over $100 opens the door for some real kooks to paddle out in places where normally you have to earn your spot over time. They have nothing invested, and you can't even hurt a wavestorm, so why not do something stupid that would normally cost you your brand new $900 log?

This is what gives soft tops bad rap.

 

HH I feel the same way about longer boards. Way back your only option was a shortboard and most people gave up trying so the guys who stuck with it paid plenty of dues.