Grant Ellis
One of the best parts about surfing, as a physical endeavor, is that one can constantly chase new feelings with a little bit of board experimentation. Unlike say, skateboarders, skiers or snowboarders, surfers have access to a plethora of different types of equipment (varied in a multitude of specificities) that can completely change the way one rides a wave from one day to the next. Or even within the same session.
While most of us 9 to 5 workaday surfers stick to our go-to shapes on a daily basis, it’s a good idea to surf outside the box every once in a while and test out new crafts – even if those crafts are a tad unconventional. In praise of some in-the-water trial and error, the SURFER staff each picked a – let’s say, non-traditional – board that we’d love to get our paws on. Below are some unconventional shapes; others are just downright weird-looking. Either way, here’s what we’d love to test out this summer:
Photo: Album Surfboards
Koa Smith x Matt Parker Serrated Board
Upon first seeing this board, I, like I’m sure most everyone else, thought: “There’s no f*cking way that’s going to work.” Surfboard rails are supposed to be smooth, drawn out, made for slicing through the water with minimal drag, right? Right!? Perhaps we were wrong.
When Koa Smith got his paws on the original model of “The Steak Knife” – part of his new board brand, Resonance Surf, in collaboration with Matt Parker of Album Surfboards fame – even he was skeptical. The idea, as Koa explained, came to him when he was slicing through a steak with a serrated knife. So, Koa thought, what if a surfboard could act like that knife? And the wave, the steak? An easier way to slice through the chop? Bingo. It worked shockingly well.
It’s early days when it comes to serrated surfboards, but the proof is in the shredding. That first session Koa had at Rocky Point felt like the first flight from the Wright Brothers. The future is now, the ball is rolling, and I’ve never been more excited for such a weird, novel surfboard design. As Koa told us in our interview: “To me, it was like, why isn’t this on all my boards?” –Dashel Pierson, Associate Editor
Related: Are Serrated Surfboards the Future? Koa Smith Thinks So.
Dark Arts
Tomo x Dark Arts Vader V2
5’7” x 19 ⅝” x 2 ⅞ x 33 L
Confession time: I’ve never ridden something like this. Never touched a carbon board, nor stood on a diamond tail. But after witnessing Daniel “Tomo” Thompson articulate and demonstrate the properties of this black beauty, I was intrigued. The second iteration of his Vader model, encased in Dark Arts carbon, is all about speed. That pronounced vee-double concave runs from nose to tip, meaning it goes rail-to-rail in a hurry. The board has all the shiny features like the channels and the carbon material, but it’s the unique outline that makes this board fly.
“You have an equal amount of nose area as you do in the tail, which gives you this symmetrical balance of foam and surface area, which translates into really effortless planning speed over dead sections,” Tomo explained in his breakdown. “And even paddle speed, you can get your chest right up on the nose.”
If you’re feeling stuck in a surfing routine, riding equipment beyond your comfort zone is a highly effective way to give the whole thing a jolt. Tomo has long been adept at nudging surfers past conventional designs and into new shapes and sensations. And at the end of the day, speed is a trump card. That’s why I couldn’t help but bookmark the Vader when Tomo hailed it, “Literally the fastest board I’ve ever ridden in my life.” –August Howell, News Writer
Fireball Fish by Corey Graham
Last year I wrote about a finless Fireball fish shaped for Kelly Slater by Corey Graham. Kelly’s boards have long been beyond my pedestrian talents, but this one looks like such a dream.
Featuring channels, a protruding string and deck concave, “this board took a massive effort to not only shape but to glass and sand,” says Graham.
As a true believer in Derek Hynd’s free friction theories, and lover of jazzy finless surfing, as well as a Fireball Fish fanboy, this creation ticks every box for me. Who knows if I’d ever be able to claw my way to my feet on the thing, but as mind surfing goes, I envision that flying down the line on a good day at Lennox Head would be an absolute ball.
“Pretty rad to be trusted to make a board this technical and hard to do for a surfer like Kelly,” reported Graham in his Instagram post when he shared the design. “The glassing was a few stage process as was the sanding.. but for all the effort it took to make this board it was a fun project to do.” –Jake Howard, Editor in Chief
Asymmetrical Twin from Eko Setya Budi of Eight’00 Surfboards
Unless you spend time in Bali, you probably haven’t heard of Eko Budi’s surfboard label, Eight’00 Designs.
You will soon.
Drawing inspiration from surfer/shapers like Matt Parker of Album Surfboards and Ryan Burch, Budi builds mostly “alternative” surfboards: twins, pins, quads and unique asymmetrical shapes, like this all-black blade he recently shaped for pro surfer Kayu Vianna. You’ve likely noticed the alternative surfboard movement gaining steam in lineups around the world, and Bali is no different. These days, you’ll find as many stubby twins as you will step-ups during a pumping day at Padang. And while asymmetrical designs are still rare, during a recent run of 6-foot swell, I watched a couple of surfers slice Uluwatu up on an Eight’00 asymmetrical twin. From tight snaps in the pocket to quick adjustments in the tube, Budi’s boards obviously work, and will spread out beyond Bali soon. In fact, I’m en route to his Studio Repair shop in Bali to put in my custom order now. –Zander Morton, Writer-at-large
Grant Ellis
Dane Gudauskas’ 13-Foot Glider, “The Alien”
To be honest, I would have no idea how to wield 13 feet of foam and fiberglass on a wave. That is a lot of board length. That being said, I’d love to give it a go, especially if the waves were unrideable on anything else. This specific enormous piece of equipment was hand-shaped for San Clemente radical Dane Gudauskas by the talented foam master Donald Brink and clocks in at 13′ 11 1/2″ x 19 7/8″ x 3 7/8″. “The Alien”, appropriately named by Gudauskas, is more Hawaiian Olo than glider, would be incredibly fun to play around with in ankle slappers. According to Gudauskas, there’s not much drag with this board, “and when you’re riding a board that long and that narrow, when you find the pocket, it accelerates at such a speed that you’re not even familiar with as a surfer. It’s an entirely different type of trim experience. It’s like you’re levitating.” –Ashtyn Douglas-Rosa, Senior Editor
Related: 8 Unconventional Boards We’re Dying to Try This Season