Album Surfboards

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
I’d have ordered it direct via varial - have not had to deal with any smoke and mirrors when working with them.
He did suggest Varial if I wanted something alternative. Maybe I could get better pricing doing the order direct through Varial vs ordering with the Varial option through his site?

Something to consider, but I'm not too sure I actually want a board from him at this point. The idea of the step-down Townsend was sounding really sick to me and I already have the asym goofy fins for the board lmao

Edit: still +100 for the Townsend through varial though which just seems silly for a 6'0-6'2 board.
 
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ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
if he is ghosting you before you give him the deposit, if things go further 'off-menu,' don't be surprised when the last thing you hear from him is "take it or leave it'.:oops:
Not ghosting me at all! To be clear, he is very responsive. Just selectively so... lol

Havoc said:
btw small wave townsend sounds pretty sick!
Yeah... it really does. Still considering it but I do want to keep the pricing somewhat reasonable (unlike most of y'all!! :p )
 

trifish

Billy Hamilton status
Sep 23, 2009
1,554
4,328
113
Shred City
I enjoyed my wider diamond tail townsend. It had more lowend than my rounded pin and more snap. Not to the point I would use it for groveling duties, but it had a little better lower range. Kind of like a 1 board quiver. Could be cool if he reduced the rocker in that version. I have better boards for generating speed in that space though, especially for that premium price.
 
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ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
I enjoyed my wider diamond tail townsend. It had more lowend than my rounded pin and more snap. Not to the point I would use it for groveling duties, but it had a little better lower range. Kind of like a 1 board quiver. Could be cool if he reduced the rocker in that version. I have better boards for generating speed in that space though, especially for that premium price.
Yeah I did ask about the diamond tail version and he said the dedicated step-down would be better which makes sense. It sounds like a pretty cool option.

I've got a thread going with Shey as well and I'm still considering a plasmid through XTR. However at this point I don't think I'm getting any more sizing advice from Matt about an XTR order so I'm flying blind lmao.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
6,400
12,249
113
San Diego
He did suggest Varial if I wanted something alternative. Maybe I could get better pricing doing the order direct through Varial vs ordering with the Varial option through his site?
yep, use this link:

 

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
yep, use this link:

Yeah it does come out slightly cheaper. They still charge +$100 for townsend, and they tack on an extra $20 for lengths 5'11-6"3, but they only charge $79 for shipping so it ends up about $60 less :shrug:
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
6,400
12,249
113
San Diego
Yeah it does come out slightly cheaper. They still charge +$100 for townsend, and they tack on an extra $20 for lengths 5'11-6"3, but they only charge $79 for shipping so it ends up about $60 less :shrug:
It’s also a superior build. Varial has various deals though out the year. You could always wait for them.

i suspect the license deal with xtr is very specific in scope. enough in it for both sides but nothing more - album gains new customers but not enough in it to be willing to steer existing customers to them.
 

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
It’s also a superior build.
Because its ~infused~? Fair enough.

I have wanted to try Varial for a while and this is a decent time to invest in a larger-volume alt board for me personally. I need basically a whole new quiver for my new juicy self and I'm not trying to drop major money on super volume sensitive performance boards in case I drop some pounds in the next half a year or so and get back closer to my old volume.

I don't know why I posted here y'all are the worst enablers on the planet...

the extra charge going direct is justified in order to get the signature pizza stains.
I think you gotta get the +$250 resin tint option to get that!
 

ehiunno

OTF status
Dec 27, 2019
341
643
93
spaceman foam that is closed cell and not sensitive to heat delam or outgassing.

better damping mo like Pu/Pe, too.

all around a superior build.
Oh no I mean Varial through Varial vs Varial through Album saves you $60 on shipping

It's still cheaper to get PU/poly through Album than Varial through Varial, I just can't justify paying that much for PU/poly
 

Havoc

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
May 23, 2016
8,317
13,465
113
in da hood next to paradise
Because its ~infused~? Fair enough.

I have wanted to try Varial for a while and this is a decent time to invest in a larger-volume alt board for me personally. I need basically a whole new quiver for my new juicy self and I'm not trying to drop major money on super volume sensitive performance boards in case I drop some pounds in the next half a year or so and get back closer to my old volume.

I don't know why I posted here y'all are the worst enablers on the planet...


I think you gotta get the +$250 resin tint option to get that!
this is the wrong place to come to if you want to be talked out of a boar! we always find you a way to get what u want!
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
6,400
12,249
113
San Diego
I just can't justify paying that much for PU/poly
exactly. $500 pu/pe, sure sign me up.

$900 pu/pe, it better be from somewhere like waterman’s guild.

you should troll Matt and see if you can call out the glassing shop for “in house”
 

HSY

OTF status
Aug 15, 2011
211
189
43
Freewing (5'10"x19.25"x2.38") - this is a fun DD that catches wave easily and has unique style to it. I am still figuring it out, but I like it a lot.

As there is not much out there on this board, here are some initial thoughts on it. The entry rocker is on the lower end of moderate. It has a deep single that goes into relatively deep double with a spiral vee. Volume distribution is very good, it doesn't have beak, nor the flat deck, but it does carry volume out to the rails but in a more performance manner, different than most Albums. The volume is also centered around the middle, and it is definitely a front footed board. The volume distribution is why you can surf this a few inches shorter than your standard shortboard length. Being this similar to my shortboard length is one of the reasons that makes it easy to surf. This is one of the easier boards to catch waves, while still having good performance. It took a little bit to figure out the fins, and it is opposite of what I expected based on the tail, in the end I found upright thruster fins are best. I have set of mediums uprights, and just bought a set of larges as I think this will go better. I think it will be pretty good as a twin plus trailer. I focusing on the thruster set-up for it now. I have gotten some of best backhand turns/snaps with the Freewing.

I wouldn't say it is a fast board, though it is easy to put on rail. It doesn't have that shortboard drive/rocker that tends to invoke more aggressive movements. The Freewing maneuvers with a bit more grace, and it smoothes out your surfing, which I think it associated with the tail. It has a certain glide to it that is uniquely different, and this is the enjoyable element of the board. Once you start turning it, it just starts flowing.

I have mostly surfed it in the waist to shoulder. I think it will go well in bigger waves.
Nice review! I've always thought the footage of it looked great but there isn't a ton of it and not a lot of non-pro reviews. Looks like it really accelerates out of the bottom and then is loose off the top. Jack Freestone at least rides it really well in bigger waves.
 
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