Did you ever spend a fair amount of money on a new pair or shoes and find when you start wearing them they are uncomfortable? 

Did you ever order a custom surfboard, for no small amount, and find when you first start riding it the thing doesn’t respond as well as you expect?

Maybe new surfboards are like new shoes... sometimes you get new shoes and they are great, comfortable, easy on your feet, soft with a nice spring to them. But, maybe more times than not new shoes take time to break in.

I saw my friend George at one of my favorite clothing stores some months ago.  He was walking rather tentative, so I asked if he was OK… he said “yes, I’m just breaking in a new pair of work boots”.    

When I paddled out on my first ever perimeter stringer quad long board I was rather tentative.  I’d never ridden a board with 4 fins.  So when I turned around to catch that first wave I took it slow.  Got to my feet, did a casual turn, stepped into trim… slowly feeling how the board felt and would respond.  And each wave after the first I’d test how the board would react through different maneuvers.

I’ve had new shoes that gave me blisters!  Like, ‘I can’t wait to get these things off my feet’ kind.  The next day or two I put them on again. Over time they get worked in and become the best every day shoe in the closet.

After a few go outs I learned how responsive my quad long board was.  How much speed and drive I could get when I set it up, where I could place it on the wave face.  How nice it was for big cut backs and redirects. 

I hadn’t ridden that quad long board for a long time, But I’ve been using it again and just like before the board is responsive,  works just like I remembered… kind of like putting on a nice pair of comfortable shoes.

D.R.   

This new board went to the customer in a box. New shoes come in boxes too.