Originally posted by: notfred
Brand name doesn't mean much with surfboards, really. In most areas there are a bunch of respected local shapers who can put out boards that are jsut as good as HIC or Rusty or Al Merrick or any other of the big brand names. Actually, often you end up with better boards from the local guys, since surfboards are still msotly shaped by hand, and believe me, Al Merrick doesn't shape every board with his name on it. Most are shaped by other guys that no one's ever heard of. If they were really that great, they'd be putting thier own names on the boards.
Anyway though, not to be rude or anything, but you're not going to notice the sublte differences in bottom contour and fin placement till you've got a year or so of experience under your belt, anyway. I say you should start off by buying a used board in good shape and pretty close dimensions to what you want (I was surfing on longboards at 9'0"x21"x3", which is really pretty much ahigh performance design. you would be fine with a bit more width or thinkness) from any shaper with a good reputation. You'll also save $200-300 by buying used, and you'll learn how to avoid the rocks while using a cheap used board, instead of a $500 custom shaped board
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