Some seem to enjoy the traditional style of longboard and some seem to think those old boards were dogs and why would you ever ride them.

So what do you think and why?

No right or wrong here McHenry, the magic board will make surfing easy and the others will make you struggle, I'm no expert but make a super coach / judge. I have a mate who's surfing has turned to crap since board swaps but hey he thinks he rips but sadly he doesn't anymore,it's a board thing peace and love my friend

Depends what feel you want and how you want to surf I guess. I'm a Johnny come lately to longboards. I wanted more glide, slower turning, more waves. Turns out they surf big waves alright too.

I surfed a mates HP comp longboard. I wasn't enamoured as it lost a lot of the glide and paddle power. Surfed amazingly well for a 9'1" though - really sharp short arc turns in the pocket. Fast rail to rail transitions too. My longboard pivots more than goes on rail.

Different horses for courses. If I was on the east coast I would have a log. Here, not so necessary. A pintail single fin longboard? Nice!

This might not be a popular response - but no red thumbs these days so suck it up

I rode a longboard for the first time in 5 plus months this morning (smallest day since March). Epic. It was a log. Thats what I like. I am not a fan of high performance longboards. A shorter board will do all those things better I reckon - from my perspective. These days you can buy a shortie / mid length that users all the volume of a longboard smashed into a shortie / mid length if you so desire. But nothing beats a real old school longboard for me in the right conditions. They are limited in what they can do and what waves are suited. A HP will give you a lot more range. I know some people love their HP longboards - I have no issue with that - but they are not for me. In the right situations the log gives me a load of joy. In all other situations give me something shorter. But thats just me. It really doesn't matter what you ride at the end of the day - its all about having fun without running anyone over in the process ! Loads of different boards out there - go forth and enjoy as many of them as you can. Its alright to have an appetite as long as you eat at home - Which for me is something shorter than longer

Ray Gleave has a traditional style but his "model" boards are modern.The soft railer "copies" don't respond to "modern" HP longboard style of surfing.Knee to waist high either is fun.

Get both and have twice as much fun

Swells picking up the day I arrive & hovering around 2m until at least next Friday Ted

...Longboards are part of a quiver for me. I enjoy them when the waves get small, fat or crowded with LB's/666.

You can't beat a log at least 10 foot on those clean summer small waves. The ability to ride waves that don't even break, trimming along having a great time on days that would be otherwise unsurfable on anything else including most 666's.

I've got a Clearwater Whalebone 9'4 that was a big step up for gliding into tiny waves but also able to ride big waves due to its sharper edges, bottom contours & fin setup. Not only does it help when competition gets a bit fierce, its also great for shifty peaks. I think its a great allrounder.

I'd like to have three LB's, you do have the HP & Log. But don't forget the good old all rounder. The Clearwater Whalebone is a great longboard to have when you only have one longboard.

But I'd also like to have another log, but this time an 11 or 12 footer. A mate has an 11 foot Tolhurst I hope he doesn't sell before I am able to buy.
Would also like a TJ Pro, a couple of local LB rippers swear by them for HP longboarding. That or a Clearwater HP.

But yeah, three longboards are the go if you wanna cover all bases imo

Redline by Mctavish will cover everything if only one is affordable.

Just go surfing.... Why use labels, it is hipster marketing BS...

Long boarding is long boarding. IMO If you can't walk, trim and nose ride it it isn't a long board, If you can then it's a longboard.

I wouldn't even call the ASP LB events High Performance surfing, sure they are performing at a high level but the surfing is a good mix of turning, trimming, walking, nose riding etc..

People are kidding themselves if they ride modern traditional boards and think that it is old school, the boards aren't the same. Modern boards are 100 times better... I can hardly lift my 1965 board let alone think about jamming it off the bottom into the lip.

As other have said there are heaps of boards out there that lie in the middle of HP and Traditional that do most things nearly as well. You can pretty much get away with a one board quiver if you get the right mix. Just need a few fin options for it.

I thought I would just start a conversation thread as the breeze has been a bit quiet. Looks like I caught SP on a grumpy day!

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Ted the Kiwi said..
This might not be a popular response - but no red thumbs these days so suck it up

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McHenry said..
I thought I would just start a conversation thread as the breeze has been a bit quiet. Looks like I caught SP on a grumpy day!

Nah McHenry he is not grumpy your right its been quiet.

Na not at all mate, lack of sleep last night maybe.. Or i should have put some
And
In there...

Just think that Longboarding is longboarding, if

why put marketing terms over it? It's only in the last 10 years it has really happened.
Is it to sell a lifestyle & product ???
To make it more appealing to the Johnny come latelys??

I reckon yes. It has nothing to do with surfing and everything to do with with moving merchandise..

But on boards the old logs are terrible to ride. New traditional boards aren't traditional, they are 100 times easier to surf and do thing the old boards couldn't
and IMO HP longboarding doesn't exist..

It's all just a way to market it to the masses..

Surfing is surfing and why the **** anyone care what others are thinking is beyond me. Competition an Short boards have meant everyone is judged against some scale of how you should look and surf..

in the old days it wasn't about looking the same or riding the same board as everyone else it was just do it how you want and have fun.. We need more of this.... Burch, Rasta, Tyler Warren, knost are all interesting cause they don't subscribe to the trad or modern label they ride everything and do it with a good style..

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wavemaniac said..
Redline by Mctavish will cover everything if only one is affordable.

defiantly its a nice board that ticks a lot of boxes, but it don't tick the Hi Performance box.
great trim drawn out turn board.
Umm thats in my hands, i can throw 666 boards around more than this board.

Will be taking out my modern traditional Noosa 66 out tomorrow as its going to be 2 foot and cleannnnn

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SP said..
Just go surfing.... Why use labels, it is hipster marketing BS...

Long boarding is long boarding. IMO If you can't walk, trim and nose ride it it isn't a long board, If you can then it's a longboard.

I wouldn't even call the ASP LB events High Performance surfing, sure they are performing at a high level but the surfing is a good mix of turning, trimming, walking, nose riding etc..

People are kidding themselves if they ride modern traditional boards and think that it is old school, the boards aren't the same. Modern boards are 100 times better... I can hardly lift my 1965 board let alone think about jamming it off the bottom into the lip.

As other have said there are heaps of boards out there that lie in the middle of HP and Traditional that do most things nearly as well. You can pretty much get away with a one board quiver if you get the right mix. Just need a few fin options for it.

Sure you could get away with one board, I did it for 15 years. But I missed out on a lot of waves because of it & didn't surf waves to their full potential coz I was on the wrong board a lot of the time. Long boarding is longboarding yep & whatever your definition of it for yourself is fine by me np. However a longboard is a longboard no matter how you surf it or even if you just hang it on the wall. It will remain a longboard lol

There has been some major innovations in surfing over the last 60 years for sure, absolutely agree. I know you mean or are really commenting on the LB spectrum of available options. The design of which has mainly changed in materials rather than shape with the exception of bottom contours & removable interchangable fins as you also touch on (depending on how far you wanna go back) plenty of tweeking in the modern mals, but most generally resemble boards of the past....just to expand that spectrum of available options to SB's also that have become mainstreaming'ly available in the way of shorter/wider, flex control, rocker, concaves & materials. I think it has allowed people to not only surf a vast array of different waves one board would not cover. Its also allowed people to continue surfing shorter boards as they grow older.

I mean if I was still surfing the same shape I surfed for 15 years, a 6'8, 18 1/4, 2 1/2 glassed on fins 90's banana. I would really be struggling today.

I agree there are a lot of marketting labels out there, absolutely. However I wouldn't totally dismiss all labels as BS. The range of options out there is great these days & even an old log maybe not your 1965 model haha but another one might out perform a great all rounder on certain days

Lastly, try & tell people this isn't high performance longboard riding LOL .....PS I know where your coming from, agree with you somewhat but not totally....few more emoticons for ya

hahahha...

**** you.... I was thinking of him as i typed the comment... And thr Brazil bloke Phil Ras.....

He is one of the few bloke that is the exception to the rule but he is the exception and not the rule. Not many can or do surf like that..
And to some that probably isn't even good surfing... Just a bunch of circus tricks...

Each to own is the point...

Surf how you want, have FUN and **** what people think...

As for one board??? Yeah i was talking Long boards.

The old boards are nothing like today's boards, just have a look at any old Mal comp compared to a Modern Traditional comp, completely different . Not only the surfing but the boards bare little resemblance.
Different rails, concave / vee , plan shape, rails, weight, thickness, width, materials the list goes on, besides being over 9ft they have bugger all in common. Doesn't mean it isn't fun to pull it out and take it for a wave every now and then..

Not to mention the improvements in technique make today's surfing so different from the old days / boards, they were surfed the way they were because it's the way to surf them. Drop knee turns, trimming etc came out of that was just how you had to surf them. You don't see many people hanging heels on an old mal for a reason..

And i didn't say you should keep a board for 15 years but i said you can get a board (longboard) that can be surfed in 99% of conditions and it will make bugger all difference to your enjoyment. Maybe that is just my personal experience and the boards i like.

It doesn't mean that owning a log or something different is a bad thing and there wont be days that are more suited to a particular board but my all rounder could be surfed 95% of the time in anything from ankle to over head, just a matter of different fins, doesn't mean i am going to surf a LB 95% off the time though just that it could and it would do the job without any problems.

I would agree with you SP, my McCoy all arounder mal covers most conditions from 1 ft to easily overhead and especially as you said with the fin box allowing you to change fins.

Yeah but the Noosa 66 looks better...

How are you finding it? Good?

Only had it out once as on the weekends when I get to surf it has been a bit big or not super clean for the Noosa. It is very different to the McCoy as it is quite low volume for a 9.6 with the pinched rails etc but I think it will be a great board. It is very quick rail to rail and lively. The build quality is very nice, its a stunning board. Going to try a different fin (Thanks Pup) in it tomorrow.

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SP said..
hahahha...

**** you.... I was thinking of him as i typed the comment... And thr Brazil bloke Phil Ras.....

He is one of the few bloke that is the exception to the rule but he is the exception and not the rule. Not many can or do surf like that..
And to some that probably isn't even good surfing... Just a bunch of circus tricks...

Each to own is the point...

Surf how you want, have FUN and **** what people think...

As for one board??? Yeah i was talking Long boards.

The old boards are nothing like today's boards, just have a look at any old Mal comp compared to a Modern Traditional comp, completely different . Not only the surfing but the boards bare little resemblance.
Different rails, concave / vee , plan shape, rails, weight, thickness, width, materials the list goes on, besides being over 9ft they have bugger all in common. Doesn't mean it isn't fun to pull it out and take it for a wave every now and then..

Not to mention the improvements in technique make today's surfing so different from the old days / boards, they were surfed the way they were because it's the way to surf them. Drop knee turns, trimming etc came out of that was just how you had to surf them. You don't see many people hanging heels on an old mal for a reason..

And i didn't say you should keep a board for 15 years but i said you can get a board (longboard) that can be surfed in 99% of conditions and it will make bugger all difference to your enjoyment. Maybe that is just my personal experience and the boards i like.

It doesn't mean that owning a log or something different is a bad thing and there wont be days that are more suited to a particular board but my all rounder could be surfed 95% of the time in anything from ankle to over head, just a matter of different fins, doesn't mean i am going to surf a LB 95% off the time though just that it could and it would do the job without any problems.

haha I know I'm mainly taking the piss

And I know you didn't say keep one board for 15 years. Point was having more than one board is not only a mans right lol ...its actually highly practical & yeah I could make do with my Clearwater Whalebone in 100% conditions. That doesn't mean I would enjoy surfing it in lumpy bumpy chunky double overhead waves that another board would be fine in & that doesn't mean I'd have a great time paddling it out in overhead beachies with no deep water channels or rip currents. Nor does it mean I would have a high success rate taking off on a sucky reef ledge or a number of other wave types or conditions mainly involving bigger waves, sucky waves & waves breaking close to reef/rocks that require quick exits.

Yep materials & surfboard manufacture techniques have improved greatly & shapes have been tweaked. Totally agree & those changes have allowed for a lot of variance in design, resulting in different boards suited to different conditions & helpful labels for them

PS Taylor Jenkins surfs alright too...not many can surf like a lot of guys, due to the degree of difficulty in what they are pulling off. You could say their surfing is high performance perhaps...cheers mate

High performance or performing at a high level??

Guess I always thought HP surfing is cutting edge.
To me a LB will never turn as tight, go as fast or do as critical turn as a shortboard. So to me HP surfing is done on shortboards.

Doesn't mean that people can't surf kinda like that and rip on Lbs. as you said Taylor, Harley Ingelby to name a few.

I would change my % though I'd say more like 70% and the east coast is a bit different to the west.

But in the end as long as you are getting a few waves and having fun then your doing it right


Hopefully it is alright for you tomorrow McH what fin are you using in it?

HP......I agree, have a good one mate

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SP said...
High performance or performing at a high level??

Guess I always thought HP surfing is cutting edge.
To me a LB will never turn as tight, go as fast or do as critical turn as a shortboard. So to me HP surfing is done on shortboards.

Doesn't mean that people can't surf kinda like that and rip on Lbs. as you said Taylor, Harley Ingelby to name a few.

I would change my % though I'd say more like 70% and the east coast is a bit different to the west.

But in the end as long as you are getting a few waves and having fun then your doing it right


Hopefully it is alright for you tomorrow McH what fin are you using in it?

I got a 9" volan Shapers Dolphin fin from Pup. I think it'll be perfect for the McCoy and hopefully go well in the Noosa. I'd like to ultimately get a 10" Greenough 4a esque fin for the Noosa.

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McHenry said...
I thought I would just start a conversation thread as the breeze has been a bit quiet. Looks like I caught SP on a grumpy day!

Wow you have gotten all touchy feely if you think that is a grumpy response from SP. I thought it was one the better replies on here.

Then mick pc comes in as the devils advocate...and more good posts.

Absolutely some good replies

Sp has summed it all up for me though

Spot on bro, just trying to stir some energy into the forum like McHenry's initial post


Nothing wrong with what SP wrote, just left some holes open for disscussion. Not enough disscussion lately, just statements & fanboi replys...

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MickPC said...
Spot on bro, just trying to stir some energy into the forum like McHenry's initial post

Mchenry is a hipster... no worse,he is a closet hipster.

Oh yes every time mchenry talks a polaroid camera falls out of his mouth as he froths on the weird wild and cool ... i love you mchenry and you know i do

LMAO...I don't exactly understand...but I'm just wasted enough to find that hilarious...I guess there is some arvo shadow on his profile pic & he's had that for a long time...he may well be a full blown hipster by now with a big cascading beard lol

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chrispy said...

MickPC said...
Spot on bro, just trying to stir some energy into the forum like McHenry's initial post

Mchenry is a hipster... no worse,he is a closet hipster.

Oh yes every time mchenry talks a polaroid camera falls out of his mouth as he froths on the weird wild and cool ... i love you mchenry and you know i do

Yep spot on Chrispy. Big old manicured beard. Long hair, top knot included. Eco friendly wettie, all natural surf wax. You know how it goes, you guys are from the goldie, where the surf hipster originates from. Here in SA we dont have hipsters just a bunch of dirtbag surfers

^^^^^^^ dirtbag anything is a good thing

I like this one at one my locals. Some nice, slightly onshore/cross Mamas.