Surfing, at it’s core, is about one thing and one thing only: fun. Sure, there are a whole lot of different branches that have sprung from those roots. But basically, it’s all about fun. It can be easy to see a pro in a video doing something on a surfboard that you would love to do — a huge turn at Haleiwa, a super deep barrel at Pipe, hell, even a big ol’ floater — and look at the surfboard that pro is riding. You might think to yourself that the surfboard is how they’re able to do it, but more than what’s under their feet is the level of skill they have. A pro’s surfboard will likely not be the board for an average Joe.
“The surfboard is a constant blending of curves and how they interact with the water,” says Album shaper Matt Parker. “Making those curves feel comfortable, like an extension of your feet and your mind, is so interesting…There shouldn’t be any rules about what a surfboard looks like.”
In the ten-minute short you see above, Asher Pacey and Josh Kerr ride a handful of Album surfboards that aren’t the average board you’ll find on a rack. And although both are exceedingly good at riding a surfboard, their choices are food for thought. Everyone has a different approach to surfing. It stands to reason, then, that everyone could benefit from a board that’s maybe a little different than the standard pop-out thruster.
