Hey all, I am looking at getting my first board. (I have surfed before just never got my own board). I am 5 8" about 155 lbs. I have been recommended a dumpster diver as i live in OCNJ and the waves are rarely breaking overhead unless its the winter. I am open to all recommendations and or comments.
Let me save you some time and provide the top 10 responses that you're going to get: 1) Find a local shaper who knows your local breaks! 2) YES!!! The Dumpster Diver IS the most awesome board ever. Do it!! 3) DUDE, Dumpster Divers SUCK! Do yourself a favor and get a LOST Mini Driver. Works in knee high to TOH. 4) First board... don't spend any money. Buy something used and cheap off the racks of a shop or Craigslist and experiment before you commit to a big purchase. 5) Man, Longboarding is the only way to go for a beginner. Don't waste your time on anything under 8', you won't even be able to stand up. 6) COIL, COIL, COIL. 7) Whatever you get brah, make sure it's a quad fin. Quads are ten times faster than thrusters. 8) Have I got a sweet deal for you, just posted my 1987 classic Dave Endress Twinzer on C-list. It's got some delam and a few open dings (nothing that you can't fix up with some hardware store putty), but it's the best board I've ever surfed. Classics like this go for $1000+. Since we're swellinfo buds, I'll let you have it for only $550! 9) DUDE, YOU'RE A F@#*ING KOOK! HOW DARE YOU ASK DUMB QUESTIONS ON THIS FORUM! and last, but not least.... 10) Want a REAL surfboard, you must buy the Hot Kurl 10'5"! All other boards are beneath me... Cheers mate! Buy whatever you like... Like your first girlfriend, there'll be many, many more after her! (most of them better where it counts!)
John, I'm your size and learned to surf a long time ago on a board that wasn't that much different than a Dumpster Diver only it was a 6'2". It was fine and shapes like that were the norm in the early 1980s. Nobody on this forum (myself included) has any idea what your first board should be. what boards have you ridden? how often do you plan to surf? year around or summers only? Do you want to learn how to ride a longboard or are you into ripping? Are you 14 and athletic or 24 and don't get much exercise? Stuff like that matters. My advice is go into several shops, be completely honest about your situation and tell the clerk that you want advice but aren't buying a board immediately. If they try to steer you to a $700 shortboard, say "thanks" walk out. Ask them what they have on the used board rack that would be good to learn on. My personal opinion is your first board should not cost more than $350, because it will inevitably get beat up quickly and it will inevitably lead to a second board usually within a matter of months. So this pretty much means I'm telling you to look on Craigs List or used board racks AFTER you get a bunch of good advice on what kind of a board to look for.
