YOLO ALERTS

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,276
113
San Diego, CA
I need to cop a feel
before I make a deal

if the board doesn’t fit
I will not yolo it
Totally agree with your logic, of course. Pragmatism is the opposite spirit of YOLO. If you feel it up, it’s just a regular stock/used boar purchase, and loses some of the irresponsible roulette thrill of the online YOLO.
LOL. This is a ridiculous place of enablers. Entertaining tho.
 

frontsidegrab

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 4, 2014
1,427
1,515
113
doesn't album give fin recs when you order or pick up? I've literally never had a shaper not give advice when asked.

Matt gave me recommendations on what fins to run on my sub. Stumps always gives me fins to shoot for on my beards. I don't see the issue.
Agreed. Most everyone I've gotten customs from talked fins, whether I asked or not.

Maybe the fins are an issue for people that are buying off the rack?
 

sh3

Michael Peterson status
Dec 1, 2008
2,403
3,118
113
Im anti-YOLO. I believe in supporting a local shaper and building a long term surfer/shaper relationship. But I get the thrill of trying new and shiny things. Hope you guys post up the crappy YOLO experiences too.
I love this. Thank you @teeroi .

I've "yolo'd" a few boards in my time. Mostly good, but one or two awful experiences. My first Tomo (10 years ago now?) was WAAAAYYYYY too small for me, and I based it on what the erBB said to do. Doh! I'm glad I didn't give up and had Daniel make me one far more appropriately sized for my dad-bod. Haven't looked back since. Also had one gun from Danny that didn't quite work for me - just too thick in the rails for my style. He more than made up for it! I LOVE Danny's guns.

Other awful expereinces?
a. Back in my CI days, I ordered a Sashimi. Dog. Zero redeeming qualities in that board.
b. Back in my Infinity days had a hideous airbrush done on a board, thinking "YOLO!" I couldn't get past how fugly it came out. Had to sell that awful thing.
c. Back in my Herbie Fletcher Surf Shop days, got an Exile quiver instead of my typical Mayhem from Matt. STUPID. Each board lasted about 3 sessions. Such shitty construction.
d. Tried a Surftech when they first came out. Jeezus that sucked. Heard they're good now. I wouldn't know.

As always: YMMV.
 
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Oceanslide

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2008
9,698
2,321
113
Oceanside, CA
I'm a little disappointed in Oslides showing as of late. you hiding crap or what?
You mean boards? Lol
Did a massive YOLO last year of a Michael Takayama Annihilator. Craziest noseriding board evar, but I couldn’t figure out how to surf it well in my beachbreak waves. Crazy,
he has such high demand he took it back and re-sold it for more!
Picked up a 7’2” (I think) Mandala twin last year
also that has been great locally and in a variety of reef waves nearby and in Baja.
Just this week I picked up a JS Black Baron
and (today) a 7’4” Mitsven Magic, but haven’t
tried either. I need the f’ing time to change to get back to
regular morning surfs.
Oh yeah, a Snyder midlength twinzer I’ve only tried once too.
I’m so out of surf shape.
 
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silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,500
23,099
113
Tower 13
hell ya that's more like it!

curious what you'll think of the magic. don't be afraid to put it in some juice... so I've heard. Never ridden one but have been curious.
 
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SixtyGrit

Gerry Lopez status
Oct 3, 2015
1,010
1,219
113
SD

bobwarren

Nep status
Feb 24, 2016
839
125
43
Neptune Beach FL
Tried to YOLO a custom through a shop that's a dealer of a particular shaper (both shaper and shop are local). Shop gets the order and says thanks we'll send an invoice for the down payment soon. Then they get back to me saying said shaper is not taking custom orders, only shop orders (this shop has his boards on the rack) since he is really backed up. Fair enough. But if I"m ordering through the shop, it's a guaranteed sold board for both parties, so what am I missing here?

After all, the boards on the rack are just ones ordered by the shop in shapes/sizes they believe will sell. I don't order or buy boards often so trying to get one lately has been frustrating.