Album Surfboards

j_mac

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 16, 2020
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Initial thoughts...

3hrs, lots of waves, Plasmic EAST (PE) in some waist/chest high beach break, offshore winds, and just me and my buddy.

The PE is 5' 7"x19.5"x2.32" - 30.9L. The outline looks like more volume than stated. Started with the Asher Pacey 5. 59" fins.

It has more rocker than the OG 5' 4" Plasmic (OGP) which is nearly flat, even slightly more than the 5' 6" Twinsman. The PE has wider tail and wider overall tail outline than OG Plasmic. Much of the board characteristics are defined by the tail outline.

The PE is a cheater board with performance within reason. Super easy to surf, paddles well, and it will catch all of the waves with no issue, handles the pitchier ones better than OG plasmic. I want to emphasize this again, it will catch all of the waves. Even though it has a cheat factor, is not overly bulky. It is a stable board with its continuous wide outline. The bonzer channel lets you accelerate when you need it, love the squirt of speed. Nice mini barrel because of this. After weeks of surfing the Twinsman, the wider tail of PE felt limiting unless the waves were juicer. The speed of the PE lets play on the wave but wide turns. I bogged a few turns thinking it was a Twinsman.

I think the OG Plasmic is more fun in the smaller package. It is more like skateboard that's uber playful. The OG Plasmic has more fun lower limit, and can be pushed into bigger waves with success, but finding more and more there is a upper limit to the OG Plasmic. The PE will extend beyond this limit.

I think the PE and its cheat factor will be ideal for softer bigger breaks without surfing a bulkier board. The PE will also be a good board for waves that are crowded.
 

Sam_K

Legend (inyourownmind)
Dec 11, 2019
412
954
93
Thanks for the input. I've had a few XTR Tomos and they always last a long time, but the finish with a resin tint usually has a bit of funk to it. Is the finish on the Varial a bit cleaner? I'm a bit OCD about some things...
Not sure about Varial, both my boards are as white as a wintering European, but yeah the XTR faux resin tint isn't perfect. It's got a few blemishes.
 
Jan 19, 2018
32
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Anyone got some ride reports on the Album Insanity? Yolo’d a Tomo Hydroshort (5’9, 29L) in XTR (Parallel Carbon, 3.0) but haven’t been feeling it that much. I was looking for a daily driver for decent-good waves for SFOB, anywhere from chest-high to decently overhead, and the Hydroshort doesn’t seem to do the trick. I’m not sure if it’s my specific board, but there isn’t much nose rocker at all, and it seems to not want to get too steep on critical sections. The QISC is pretty interesting; it’s definitely different than what I’m used to (especially going backside) but it might not be interesting enough for me to compensate for the strange front-half of the board. My main board is a CI Rocket9 in Flexbar with a 2+1 set-up, and it can handle some critical sections/barrels while still remaining super loose and fun in the pocket. Overall, it seems like the Hydroshort seems a little “dead” compared to the liveliness of the R9, and I’m looking for another board that matches that liveliness and fun-factor while being suitable for good waves.

I’ve had my eye on the Album Insanity for a bit, and love the overall shape of the board. I haven’t seen one in person, but it looks similar to the Rocket 9, and might be what I’m looking for. Something that can hold in critical waves, get tight in the pocket, but fun and lively overall. Any recommendations? I’m 5’11 and 165-170 lbs, was thinking of going for the 5’10 in XTR (30L)…
 

Sam_K

Legend (inyourownmind)
Dec 11, 2019
412
954
93
Anyone got some ride reports on the Album Insanity? Yolo’d a Tomo Hydroshort (5’9, 29L) in XTR (Parallel Carbon, 3.0) but haven’t been feeling it that much. I was looking for a daily driver for decent-good waves for SFOB, anywhere from chest-high to decently overhead, and the Hydroshort doesn’t seem to do the trick. I’m not sure if it’s my specific board, but there isn’t much nose rocker at all, and it seems to not want to get too steep on critical sections. The QISC is pretty interesting; it’s definitely different than what I’m used to (especially going backside) but it might not be interesting enough for me to compensate for the strange front-half of the board. My main board is a CI Rocket9 in Flexbar with a 2+1 set-up, and it can handle some critical sections/barrels while still remaining super loose and fun in the pocket. Overall, it seems like the Hydroshort seems a little “dead” compared to the liveliness of the R9, and I’m looking for another board that matches that liveliness and fun-factor while being suitable for good waves.

I’ve had my eye on the Album Insanity for a bit, and love the overall shape of the board. I haven’t seen one in person, but it looks similar to the Rocket 9, and might be what I’m looking for. Something that can hold in critical waves, get tight in the pocket, but fun and lively overall. Any recommendations? I’m 5’11 and 165-170 lbs, was thinking of going for the 5’10 in XTR (30L)…
Nice timing. I just took my Insanity out for the first time today. Head high to 1.5 oh and it held in nicely. Felt like it had plenty of control on the larger waves and I had some steep drops that were no problem. I think it's a bit more performance orientated than maybe what you want. I noticed it slowing down in weaker waves, doesn't seem to carry a lot of speed. I was expecting that and it's fine for what I want, but maybe you would want to think about something else like the bullet? I think the insanity is probably more of a oh + board that will work better in doh than waist high slushy surf.

It is a beautiful shape though. I'm selling my ghost and a guy came over to check it out. He had a look at my quiver too and out of 15 boards or so, the only one that really caught his interest was the Insanity. He picked that one out and was really interested in it until I told him it's a $1,200 surfboard. At which point he very gingerly put it down haha.

For whatever that's worth...
 

taking one in

Nep status
Jun 16, 2008
610
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I'm sure this was covered, but this thread is way too long to go back and read through.

How does the Twinsman go backside?
 

ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
1,703
3,109
113
S. Redondo
I'm sure this was covered, but this thread is way too long to go back and read through.

How does the Twinsman go backside?
I don't approach backside turns on my 5'6" Twinsman much differently than I do on my 5'9" Neckbeard 2. In CH - HH waves I feel like I can get pretty square off the bottom and there's only the slight sensation of give when transitioning off the the heelside pin to the full tail block.

For me, it's much more of a struggle to link decent looking backside top turns in waves belly high or below in typical Southern California beach-break surf as it feels pretty stiff and clunky compared to my go-to's for those size waves, which I alternate between my HS Psychedelic Germ and the NB2. For anything CH and up, the Twinsman is my favorite until things get into Ghost territory which is several feet OH+.
 
Jan 19, 2018
32
57
18
Nice timing. I just took my Insanity out for the first time today. Head high to 1.5 oh and it held in nicely. Felt like it had plenty of control on the larger waves and I had some steep drops that were no problem. I think it's a bit more performance orientated than maybe what you want. I noticed it slowing down in weaker waves, doesn't seem to carry a lot of speed. I was expecting that and it's fine for what I want, but maybe you would want to think about something else like the bullet? I think the insanity is probably more of a oh + board that will work better in doh than waist high slushy surf.

It is a beautiful shape though. I'm selling my ghost and a guy came over to check it out. He had a look at my quiver too and out of 15 boards or so, the only one that really caught his interest was the Insanity. He picked that one out and was really interested in it until I told him it's a $1,200 surfboard. At which point he very gingerly put it down haha.

For whatever that's worth...
Honestly, this is exactly what I wanted to hear! OB definitely has some punch and some curve, even at head-high, so I want a board that can hold in good-solid conditions (I thought the Hydrshort would do the trick) so maybe the insanity is the board for me. Did you rock a 2+1 or thruster? How did you end up sizing the insanity for your height+weight?
 

taking one in

Nep status
Jun 16, 2008
610
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I don't approach backside turns on my 5'6" Twinsman much differently than I do on my 5'9" Neckbeard 2. In CH - HH waves I feel like I can get pretty square off the bottom and there's only the slight sensation of give when transitioning off the the heelside pin to the full tail block.

For me, it's much more of a struggle to link decent looking backside top turns in waves belly high or below in typical Southern California beach-break surf as it feels pretty stiff and clunky compared to my go-to's for those size waves, which I alternate between my HS Psychedelic Germ and the NB2. For anything CH and up, the Twinsman is my favorite until things get into Ghost territory which is several feet OH+.
Thanks...sounds good.
 
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j_mac

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 16, 2020
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Honestly, this is exactly what I wanted to hear! OB definitely has some punch and some curve, even at head-high, so I want a board that can hold in good-solid conditions (I thought the Hydrshort would do the trick) so maybe the insanity is the board for me. Did you rock a 2+1 or thruster? How did you end up sizing the insanity for your height+weight?
The Insanity is a favorite of mine and lots of my next boards are based around the Insanity. For me, the 5' 9" length is limiting on most days for how it fits the wave and my preference for shorter length boards. If it was shorter, I think I would use it more (twin plus trailer), though the quad has been working very well. I had lots of good email conversations with Matt Parker about next directions based around the Insanity.

Based on this, Matt recommended a 5' 7" mash-up, quad, asymmetric Insanity/Bullet (check videos of Sebastian Williams). As I understand it, the Insanity supports more volume, and the Bullet is more foiled/less volume. The goal of this is more of DD. ***Note this was before purchasing the 5' 6" Twinsman.

The 5' 9" Insanity works best at my local beach break just before it starts to close out right about HH. The other local spots that work when it is big, are slopey, and then pitch up. The 5' 9" Insanity hasn't worked the best in the big waves, works well when HH to slightly OH after that for the break and then I need more length. The 6' 9" BPUNT works well for this, but I want something shorter. @trifish Moonstone piqued my interest. Again in chatting with Matt, we decided on stretching the 5' 9" Insanity to a 6' 2", same volume as the 5' 9", but narrower, and thinner, so it is more sensitive.

The last one, which developed from the 5' 6" Twinsman and pushing performance. 5' 7" roundtail twin fin Bullet.

I excited to get these boards.
 

Sam_K

Legend (inyourownmind)
Dec 11, 2019
412
954
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Honestly, this is exactly what I wanted to hear! OB definitely has some punch and some curve, even at head-high, so I want a board that can hold in good-solid conditions (I thought the Hydrshort would do the trick) so maybe the insanity is the board for me. Did you rock a 2+1 or thruster? How did you end up sizing the insanity for your height+weight?
I've got a set of Stretch quad fins in, seemed to work pretty good. Since I'll ride this oh to 2x oh I'm not sure I want to do twin and trailer in it.

I get my shortboards what many people would consider "too big." So mine is 6'1 x 19 7/8 x 2 1/2 and that's about 34 liters or so. Feels like it paddles pretty well for it's size. It's not super foiled out, carries plenty of foam throughout hence how you can get a 2 1/2 thick board that ends up being 34 liters.

I wouldn't really consider it a one board quiver. I would prefer a Pyzel shadow or HS Untitled for that, but if I was going on a trip with just the insanity maybe I would bring twins to put in when it's smaller.
 
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taking one in

Nep status
Jun 16, 2008
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So, probably going to get a Twinsman at this point (prob 5'6"). What's the consensus on builds for Twinsman?

I can't do a standard Pu/Pe -- can't handle how they fall apart.

Looks like I'm going with one of the following...
--direct from Album PU/Epoxy (have had success with this build from Album in the past)
--order from Varial -- Poly infused (does that crack like normal Pu/Pe?)
--order from XTR -- probably parallel carbon based on their info page

Money-wise, looks like with tax and shipping, these all end up in the same ballpark. Could go with the standard stringered xtr and save a little money I guess, but their info page suggests it's going to be stiff for me.

Wasn't someone saying that the Album built rails were coming out a little different than the other builds?
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,854
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Varial infused glass - it can chip but doesn’t seem to crack. It’s kinda weird, in a good way. I think a crack implies a fault line of delaminating where Varial just chips where the impact was and nowhere else.

Also closed cell like XTR so no need to repair.

twin fin boxes seem to be happier in Varial foam.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
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I just read this little 2021 post-EAST Q&A with Matt Parker.
As a lifelong intermediate surfer riding average waves, a couple quotes below stood out to me that nail why I have so much fun experimenting with alt designs, ride mostly twins, etc. He also recalls the 90's glass slippers and the frustration of trying to get that to work in all conditions. I'm sure some of my desire to experiment and make things easier for myself is a reaction to that too. Man, those boars were so limited!

"With alternative shapes, I want people to be able to create speed without having to do so much work. That allows you to get into waves earlier, have better timing, and turn with more power and flow. And I find that those things translate to both average surfers and pros."

"Fin placement on twin fins is one of the things I’ve focused on in the last three or four years, and I feel really good about where we’re at now. Josh has been surfing a twin fin 90% of the time, and that’s in all conditions. The twins he’s been riding translate so well to a shortboard approach. You don’t have to surf it like a fish. You can just surf it like your normal board but you’re like, woah, this feels easy. [laughs] "
 
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trifish

Gerry Lopez status
Sep 23, 2009
1,337
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Shred City
Love it! Is that a Townsend?
I'm digging how it turned out. Feels good. Its a Townsend 6'8" x 20 x 2 9/16 but switched the pin tail to a diamond to keep a little more width in the tail and a slightly shorter rail. Feels like a paddle beast under arm, should be fun to test and see how it compares to my shorter pin tail one. Some reason I was expecting it to be noticeably more heavier being longer than my other one but the weight feels really good for a board this size to me.