RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Keen to hear how much money plays a part in what board design you get when ordering a new board ?
For example when you are ordering, would you possibly try something more alternative or totally experimental if they didnt cost as much ? I realise that money plays a role in deciding how many boards surfers can own but would you be riding the same shape if boards were say $100 cheaper ??? or even 200 ?
Do you stick to the tried and tested design you have ridden for along time because you dont want to risk the dollars and possibly not like the other shape as much ???? thoughts


www.moresurfboards.com

When I decided to go from a thruster to something different money wasnt the issue. I just needed a change and felt stale and wanted to draw different lines. It took a long time to finally make the final decision to do it and I dont think if the board was cheaper the decision would have been any easier.

On the other hand, the swinger design is a total different kettle of fish. If I had the coin to get one I would, but I would have to be able to ride one first as coming up with that much money for me aint easy and if it did not suit then it would take a long time for me to come up with more money to replace it.

A person on a single wage supporting a family has not got the money to stuff around, I suppose Im not the sort of person you would target as Im more concerned over glass jobs, and I just dream over trying and buying things but I will only get a board every 2 years, I have got 3 now and will ride them to death then replace. When I replace the normal amount of research will go into it and if possible I will be trying out a design before I buy.

Mark,
After having a disposable income for most of my life til a few years ago, my whole mind set has changed. I will only stray a little from what I know works for me...as just can't afford to have shit boards, as I know I will be stuck with em for a couple of years. And that scares me!!
Cheers Ben
PS fixing up the other MORE to ride for a few months, will see how I go.

Like others I don't have the disposable income I had 4 years ago so I want a board that is going to last (good glass job) and one that I can repair myself. Based on that a quality foam/glassed board is pretty much what I want.

Epoxy I'm not sure on. Had an el-cheapo pop-out (NSP) one a few years ago and (amongst other things) found it quite "stiff" in comparison tothe foam/glass ones. Would imagine a quality one would probably be closer in feel to a foam/glass one nowadays but when you're onto a good thing....

I was very intrigued by the usage of hemp in making boards as per the article in Surfing World recently. That appeals to me a lot for the enviro benefits and using something natural as surfboards are hardly a planet-friendly commodity.

I wouldn't mind paying a little bit more for something like that, but certainly not the prices Roy would charge for a wooden board

Cost is what stops me from considering buying newer materials such as epoxy/carbon, compsand, wood, etc. It doesn't stop me from buying something new and different (as I'm sure you've noticed by now). My quiver reads - 6'0" high volume HPS quad, 5'11" Swinger quad, 5'7" Kritter twin/quad, haha. I barely have a "conventional" board left.

It does make more sense to me to buy a stronger lighter board, but the cost will always be a down-side. I'd prefer to spend $600 now and have the board snap in 2 years, than spend $1000 now and have the board snap in 5.

I don't have the money to throw around for boards either, but being open to trying something different and trusting Mark in his ability to match a good board to a specific surfer has given me some really fun boards.

Everyone collects their own theories on what works for them and what doesn't. Some have more access to trying lots of boards, different designs etc.

I like to shop around for different ideas, but within reasonably tightly defined guidelines. I'm not into mals but have ridden them and have a mini-mal atm, meyerhoffers will never interest me, usually has to be a shortboard, rarely over 6'6'' these days.

But amount of foam, tail shape, plan shape, wide point, nose, rocker are all up for experimentation. Thruster or quad, would happily try them all. There are enough parameters in there to experiment for a lifetime.

Would like to try some of Josh's compsand work. Might have to sell 2 or 3 boards to pay for it, but that might be worthwhile.

Mark, always think the best option for alternatives, rather than cheapen your price, is to have demo boards available. Realise that may mean having a few available but the cost to you is less significant and knocking money off your retail would soon make the cost of producing them seem worthwhile.

This may depend too on how adamant you are about sticking to certain aspects of your design.

Case in point... a shaper who works from the same factory as me produces quite a few boards in the Lost ‘Rocket’ style. Never tried one so took his personal board for a spin - 5'8" x 19 and a something x 2.5 I believe, now those that know me know that is WELL below my size however, having ridden Huie’s little traveller some time ago told me a lot is in the mind, therefore just suck it and see. Took it out in some small week stuff and got a couple of little runs that told me more than enough. He also has the odd one in a local store for them to demo.

Discount and it becomes your price or people will question ‘why this and not that?’

i am not considerinprice, more a question out of sheer curiosity, my prices have risen a little lately and wont be going down except for a few sales to clear stockies......I have had a few testing days and they were quite fun, and reasonably successful, but the demo boards are good idea and I often lend boards out for crew to try but it is very rare that I have something in the right dims, would need alot of boards if ya wanted one of each of my designs in a range of dims for trial...anyway, the question was to see how many people really wanna ride diff stuff but restrict themselves to one style of shape, keen to see how many people dont ride what they want and wonder how this effedcts their joy levels and their whole surfing experience.....

i dunno mark....i just trust you make me a good board....i guess the next one will be similar too the last in someways

but i'd expect and hassle you do something better

mine u....things are tighter ( for everyone, your customs are still really cheap with the price rise) ....so i'd most likly say no spray/ extras u know

that suxs a bit

i'd want it super lite too

my 2c

p.s the mongral fuc.kin excelled today butterflys are working a treat but only in the back plug set up

p.p.s i saw one ya budda sticks in the mudjimba pawn shop it's in good nick...want me save it for u

I wonder what kind of interest I would get if I was to offer 'new designs' for about $200 less than usual price in return for plenty of feedback ??? I guess its like a discount for info or being paid $200 to supply ride reports and thoughts on that specific board and its design .....

pridmore wrote:I wonder what kind of interest I would get if I was to offer 'new designs' for about $200 less than usual price in return for plenty of feedback ??? I guess its like a discount for info or being paid $200 to supply ride reports and thoughts on that specific board and its design .....

Funny information from me.. I tend to charge a couple hundred extra for new experimental boards and get it easily... My customers really seem to want the freshest new creation I have got going on

understand when they are new designs that have been thoroughly tetsed and proven to go well, but I meant when its a totally new design and testing has yet to be done ( or at any significant level ), the guinea pigs so to speak....never intended to pay or give that sort of discount, was merely related to the topic of costs effecting design choice....glad to have you on here Dave, some shapers to discuss things will be great for a change...always good to have different opinions on design.....