need some advice on buying a new longboard!

[mathilderooz]

Hi everyone!

I want to buy my first longboard!
But I just don't know what the best choice is for me... Hope you can help me!
I'm 5'8.5" and my weight is 55 kg. 29 years old
I would be my first longboard, i want to cruise and learn to noseride!
i've only been using softtops, but i do have quite some experience. I can walk the board, trim and make turns.
Oh i'm surfing mostly in Holland, so bit messy waves, sometimes clean! but also in France/ Spain


These are my options:

1. The modern retro 9'1

I'm a bit scared about the quality.. but the shape looks perfect to me.

2. gerry lopez long haul 9'0

better quality than the modern? but i'm not sure if it's the right shape for me, anyone experience with this board?

3. critical slide all rounder 9'0

same quality as modern?

4. Salt Gypsy Dusty 9'0

5. Walden magic model 9'0


Hopefully someone can help me!

thanks in advance,
Mathilde

[jaffa1949]

Hi Mathilde, welcome to the world of Long, good choice.

There have been mixed reviews about glassing quality of the Global Surf Industry boards across the range, they may have addressed that.

NSP boards have better reports of quality I would also consider looking at Torq.
But in all I would consider on PU boards and normal glass EPS would be a little too corky to engage the rails for noseriding, if you want to make noseriding your main aim then single fin option is best, but for more all round surfing I would consider 2 +1 fins.
Can you hold off buying until you get to France there is large collection of Surf shops near Hossegor to browse and hold the boards you might like.

The Global Surf Industry boards seem to mainly export to Australia or US not sure of what we are getting in Austria.
There are some shapers in Holland , have a browse there talk to them.
The Modern is a GSI model ,
The Gerry Lopez looks a good single fin model , what characteristic do you feel doesn’t suit in shape ( a square tail holds really well for noseriding)
Come back and talk a bit maybe we can get you a better fit!

[mathilderooz]

thank you for your answer!
I can order my board via my work (surfschool) so these are my only options...

Do you think the gerry lopez board is better quality? looks like it a PU as well.
And about the model, the modern is I think really classic and cruisy, the gerry lopez maybe a bit more performance? Or am I wrong?

I'm just not really sure if the quality of the gerry lopez board is better than the modern? Or is it just the GSI which has poorly glassing? i heard so many bad things about it, and some people are really happy with is, so confusing!

[jaffa1949]

OK take the Torq boards out of your list.
All the boards other than the Lopez, the Walden and NSP are GSI.
Talk to the guys in the surf school, PU is best for the weight factor for noseriding, if the modern is the shape you favour go with that!

[Geezer]

Buying used is another option and one that I favor.

[v4p0ry1]

Hi, I would strongly recommend that next time you are in France you take a trip to More and Less Longboard Shop in Biarritz. Really good selection and usually empty so the staff will help you out. The man who runs the shop is obsessed with Robert August boards and stocks some mint condition second hand boards at a great price.