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Skimboards What board should I buy? This is a very difficult question to answer. If you are new to skimboarding or don't know much about skimboard design, you may find it helpful to visit the board design section before reading this one. You also may want to check out the board size section and the choosing a board section. In this section I will try to explain the pros and cons of different skimboard manufacturers in as unbiased a manner as possible. Exile Skimboards Exile Skimboards is the new kid on the block. Created by Aaron Peluso (webmaster of Skim Online) and Andy Chiavetta in 2002, this company has been a decade in the making. Andy Chiavetta has been making boards for himself and friends under the name ChiaSkim since 1991. People were always asking for boards but Andy never had time to make them. So Aaron and Chia got together and turned it into a commercial enterprise. The result is Exile Skimboards. They offer ultra high quality boards in two distinct shape variations, Traditional Rocker & Constant Rocker. Traditional Rocker boards are pretty much flat all the way up to the nose where all the rocker is. This is the way skimboards have traditionally been made. These boards ride similarly to offerings by other the major manufacturers. The other variation is Constant Rocker skimboards. These boards have almost no flat spot at all. The rocker is continuous over the length of the board. These boards are stable and turn on a dime but lose some distance in weak conditions. They are ideal for powerful shorebreak. Check them out. Victoria has long been known for making the best skimboards. Recently that perception has begun to change however as many tout other brands. They are a large company based in Laguna Beach CA. Victoria's boards are all made by hand using a vacuum table technique that was first adapted to skimboards (in large numbers anyway...) by Victoria. Victoria's boards tend to be of good quality with medium weight and strength. They tend to be good all around boards with a medium amount of rocker well balanced for all kinds of riding. You can get them in custom shapes but you are probably better off sticking with their proven designs. You can also get whatever artwork you like for an extra charge. Their cheapest foam boards start at around $180 and go up past $320+ for a polyvac carbon board with no art (prices are approximate, see their website for details). These prices may seem high, but I know from experience that it takes a good deal of work to make a skimboard, and materials are not cheap. Needless to say, Tex Haines will not be hanging out with Bill Gates on your money anytime soon. Victoria sponsors the most skimboarders of any company. Victoria is also known for sponsoring the unofficial world championships of skimboarding at Aliso every year. All things considered, a Victoria skimboard is a very good purchase. They are time proven shapes built by people who have been dealing directly with the worlds top riders since the 70's. Slotstik Skimboards. The main thing that sets Slotstiks apart from the pack is the large flat spot on the bottom of the board. Needless to say, they are great boards and are worth checking out. Slotstik holds a skimboarding contest in LA county every summer. Zap Skimboards is probably the biggest skimboard manufacturer by volume in the world. Many of their boards are made by machines using a process similar to snowboard construction. Most of their board models are seen as more of an entry level products. In early 2001 they came out with a new model, the Carbon Chronic. This board which retails for $350.00 is clearly aimed at the top of the market and is a departure from Zap's roots. I have yet to see one that was not a blem but I expect they are nice boards. The blems seemed very nice. Zaps are wildly popular on the east coast, however it would be hard to find one on the west coast. Most of their boards are very cheap and aimed at the entry level market! I would consider buying one if I knew I wasn't looking for a top of the line board and I was very tight with my money (buy one of their better ones though, No "Bats" or "Bullets" please!) (Or inversely with the Carbon Chronic I would buy one if I simply loved the board and didn't care about money!). Zap skimboards sponsors several large east coast contests every summer. Maui Skimmers are the most unique skimboards around. Their theory is to make boards that are shaped more like surfboards. The result is a longer thicker board with a drawn out nose. The boards tend to turn on a dime and you can throw huge sprays with them. When you are riding one you really feel like your in control. There are drawbacks however. The boards tend to be a little bit slower than most and the longer nose can get in the way on smaller waves. For this reason they are best in big waves breaking right on shore (like in Maui!). Their boards cost $250 each, before art. Not Listed? - If your skimboard company is not listed here it is nothing personal. I would like to list all worthwhile skimboard manufacturers out there (and I know there are a few more of you). Unfortunately I do not have first hand experience of every skimboard brand on the planet and I cant describe the pros and cons of the boards without first riding one. If your company would like to be listed here and is not, please contact me and perhaps we can work something out. |
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