Modernized 80s Shortboards

spjones123

Legend (inyourownmind)
Oct 24, 2005
538
1,343
93
I grabbed one last summer and it's so fun. I've had two new boards since then and I don't even ride them. Honestly ruined all my other boards. So fun even if I've been out of the water for a bit.
Was there ever a final consensus on the rad ripper. Love the way is looks in person, but I feel like more than any recent big brand model, for every two people who love it one really didn’t like it. Noel seemed meh and so did the stabmag dude. I keep hoping for a Clist score but to no avail
 

tedshred

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 15, 2008
1,033
682
113
Was there ever a final consensus on the rad ripper. Love the way is looks in person, but I feel like more than any recent big brand model, for every two people who love it one really didn’t like it. Noel seemed meh and so did the stabmag dude. I keep hoping for a Clist score but to no avail
I love mine, very easy to surf and really fast. Mostly use mine as a groveler/daily driver for knee to chest stuff. Occasionally the low nose rocker can catch when I try to bottom turn too hard on a steep section but thats not too common in the bad waves I use it on. I also have the T. Patterson Synthetic 84 a inch longer and a touch narrower. Works equally well. Both are a good alternative to Weirdo Ripper type grovelers that always feel too short and lack drive for me.

I learned to surf in the mid 90's on a 6'3 Nev at a predominantly longboard spot. Spent like 2 years struggling to do anything on that board but felt really cool walking up the beach with it. One day I wanted to surf but the Nev was dinged so I borrowed a old 80's Rusty that was under a buddies house. Thing felt and looked ridiculous compared to what I saw in the Poor Specimen videos I watched religously. Regardless I paddled out on it and it was a revelation. I was gliding across sections, linking turns and surfing 10x better. Surfed that board from 12-14 until the board was so delammed that the blank was only connected to the glass on the rails. I'm convinced if I had stuck on the Nev I would be a way inferior surfer today.
 

emmohl80

Nep status
Oct 17, 2010
677
495
63
Was there ever a final consensus on the rad ripper. Love the way is looks in person, but I feel like more than any recent big brand model, for every two people who love it one really didn’t like it. Noel seemed meh and so did the stabmag dude. I keep hoping for a Clist score but to no avail
Don't really watch Salad days vids. Prefer Aussie Craig or NJ Mikey. I do believe they both had poly versions though? Might be part of it. Mines a carbon wrap. Feels light and lively. Perfect board for wiggling about.
Pondering ordering a longer thinner/narrower version.
 
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000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
many of u folks who surfed in the 80s know this song