Album Surfboards

[EastCoastBrah]

@EastCoastBrah seriously, Pyzel Gremlin is what you are describing. Crappy-average wave thruster but still very versatile.
Apparently White Tiger is even more of a graveler.

Save album for a twin/ quad

I'll take another look, it's just for the length I typically ride 5'10-6'0, it seems under-volumed. I'm 6'1 215, so the stock dims of ~36L are a little light. ...

Actually I see this gremlin XL now. That volume lines up.. hmm..

 

[oeste858]

I'll take another look, it's just for the length I typically ride 5'10-6'0, it seems under-volumed. I'm 6'1 215, so the stock dims of ~36L are a little light. ...

Actually I see this gremlin XL now. That volume lines up.. hmm..

Yup my 5’9 is XL dims to pack more foam in for weak conditions

 

[EastCoastBrah]

Yup my 5’9 is XL dims to pack more foam in for weak conditions

i think i might be sold on this

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

You are not going to see many west coast grovelers (east coast daily drivers) that are thrusters for a good reason..unless you are pretty lightfooted that center fin tends be a bit of an anchor imo...

I prefer thrusters or single fins for true grovlers.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

so if i strongly prefer thrusters i should just skip the album hype train??

There are better, more established and more proven makers of thrusters out there.

 

[MauiMax]

Last spring, I wanted to dial in my shortboard thruster. Like many of you, I wasn't considering Album for this type of board.

I interacted with Stamps, got a nice mini quiver. He was absolutely great to deal with. The Stamps Flare remains one of the best small wave shortboards (will never get rid of this board). The GrinderX - also good board, very similar to the CI Everyday. The Blindspot also very good board. The Stamps FX didn't care for. I also picked up a custom Arakawa Jackpot - again great experience. I also found deal on CC OP3. I got a local shaper custom - rockered pointy nose, kind of based on the CI Pro but for our waves. Along the way, I grabbed a Freewing and then VBSM.

Stamps board are solid workhorse boards that work - can't go wrong. The Flare is magic.

I would say the VBSM has similar magic to the Flare, especially for everyday waves. A lot volume is integrated into the VBSM, but it is balanced.

Freewing and VSBM, they surf a bit differently to a true standard shortboard, yet I feel they still have good performance, but are relatively easier. Especially for everyday conditions. I felt like these boards also carried more speed. I prefer to surf a shortboard, as love that feel. Many mornings I am first one in the water so I can get away with surfing a shortboard, but as the sun rises, most people are paddling out midlengths, so these type of shortboards allow me to compete easier when it gets crowded.

I believe there are simiarities between the pyzel red tiger and the Freewing, as well as differences. I haven't surfed a red tiger but I have looked at them closely.

Biases - yes, I am Album fanboi and enjoy my relationship with Matt. I think my biases developed from surfing his boards before going down the thruster rabbit hole, inherently enjoyed these boards more. If you like how the Album alternatives feel, you might be surprised by his thruster. While I really enjoy the 5' 10" Freewing, I don't care for the 5' 8" Freewing owing to the tail feeling blocky tail, it feels unbalanced.

For the true high-performance shortboard - it was between Arakawa, OP3 and local shaper. I preferred the local shaper, had the right elements for performance as well as ease that lets my surfing progress more. The OP3 was the most electric, but it needs a good wave, and the sizing was off for me. Arakawa was solid, high performance, but was missing that it factor.

For most days, the VBSM and Freewing work well, and they have been my go-to boards, until recently getting the Disorder. I surfed Freewing this morning and it was awesome.

So whats the plans for that 5'8" now?

 

[j_mac]

So whats the plans for that 5'8" now?

Paint it red and ship it to @ReForest - haha

 

[ReForest]

Paint it red and ship it to @ReForest - haha

Don't you dare! lol.

"I see a Red board anddd I want to paint it black"!!!

 

[MauiMax]

Paint it red and ship it to @ReForest - haha

You can paint it red and ship it to me if you want. Preferable throw it at me like a football nose first.

 

[oeste858]

I prefer thrusters or single fins for true grovlers.

interesting. so do you have a current fav thruster graveler for knee high crap (2 ft. Duffy Scale ™)?

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

interesting. so do you have a current fav thruster graveler for knee high crap (2 ft. Duffy Scale ™)?

Knee high?

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

interesting. so do you have a current fav thruster graveler for knee high crap (2 ft. Duffy Scale ™)?

If I had to use a thruster for knee high crap I’d probably get a Pod Mod or a HED from CI.

Or a Gremlin.

 

[frontsidegrab]

You are not going to see many west coast grovelers (east coast daily drivers) that are thrusters for a good reason..unless you are pretty lightfooted that center fin tends be a bit of an anchor imo...

I'll argue to the death that twins are better for ok to great waves than grovel waves. Unless we're getting into mid-length and beyond territory.

The school of thought from shapers and surfers regarding the east coast over the years has been that short period waves with quick transitions favor a thruster. The concave and plan shape can be adjusted for speed generating purposes.

 

[EastCoastBrah]

The school of thought from shapers and surfers regarding the east coast over the years has been that short period waves with quick transitions favor a thruster. The concave and plan shape can be adjusted for speed generating purposes.

this is what it feels like to me. ive only had a couple quads and twins but always felt like the thruster is better in basically any conditions over here. They feel more able to adapt to shitty unpredictable surf.

 

[tedshred5]

Whenever I’ve surfed twins in grovel waves I’ve found myself wishing I had a quad. YMMV

have had more fun on twins in punchy/bowly waves

 

[MauiMax]

If I had to use a thruster for knee high crap I’d probably get a Pod Mod or a HED from CI.

Or a Gremlin.

I was thinking gremlin or rocket wide

 

[jkb]

I'll argue to the death that twins are better for ok to great waves than grovel waves. Unless we're getting into mid-length and beyond territory.

The school of thought from shapers and surfers regarding the east coast over the years has been that short period waves with quick transitions favor a thruster. The concave and plan shape can be adjusted for speed generating purposes.

Exactly.

Thrusters are called thrusters for a reason.

Pure twins lack the instant get up and go type speed that is required in certain grovelly conditions.

 

[ReForest]

Exactly.

Thrusters are called thrusters for a reason.

Pure twins lack the instant get up and go type speed that is required in certain grovelly conditions.

Do you ride your GMM2 solely as a thruster?

 

[jkb]

Do you ride your GMM2 solely as a thruster?

Yes

 

[sdsrfr]

Exactly.

Thrusters are called thrusters for a reason.

Pure twins lack the instant get up and go type speed that is required in certain grovelly conditions.

nothing does that small wave pump at takeoff better than a thruster, imo.