Surfing Waves

I've been wanting to buy my first board as I've rented for a while and its getting way too damn expensive long term. I've been riding foamies my whole life and can get on pretty much any wave. I started to rent a 7"2' funboard from Torq and am starting to get the hang of it. Again, renting is proving to run up my wallet so I need something I can get some good use with and improve on. The shop sells this board brand new for 400 and I'm debating getting it but have heard so many mixed things about Torq that I now cant make my mind up. Definitely confident I can move to a hard top but honestly don't know what to get. Is this a good buy? If not do you guys have any recs of what I can do?

Note: I'm living in an area in Europe with great waves for all levels where I can go out like 3 times a week, but only for 2 more months until I return to the US. Is it even worth it to buy here or just keep renting until I leave? Or should I just get something better back home as the hope is to improve a little bit while I'm here.

Ok Dawg, welcome, a lot of the guys are Torq users and are happy with them.
If you are balancing cost of renting versus cost of buy and transporting back to the US that is fairly easy balance.
Just flying it back could be the make or break.
I think Torqs are available in the US
So cost there……..=

Mixed things about Torq, well how knowledgeable are the mixed talkers?
A lot of it is depth of pocket and that is your call.

Important thing to do …… rack up as much surf time as you can, knowledge of your skills will help you choose, I would save the freight and put the money to a good board state side.
The Torq distributor is in Florida

Some thoughts:
I'm not sure what it costs to rent where you are, but in Hawaii:
3x/week for 2 months = 24 days
$20/rental x 24 days = $480

$400 to buy - does that include fins and leash? The 7'4" Torq Fun board is $470 here. You would get something like a free leash, and/or 20% off fins/leash if you bought it here as well.

You could sell the Torq before you leave and get back some of your money.

Forget what people say about Torq or any other brand - you've used the board, if you like it that's all that matters. I'd rather have a $400 board that fits me and my style versus a $1500 board that I don't get along with.

If the price is a wash, one thing to consider is that owning your board means it's always 'in stock' and the 'shop is open' whenever you're ready to surf or return the board. I like surfing before or after work, so my surfing would be limited if I had to wait for the shop to open or return before it closes.

Owning means you also can get really dialed in on your board. It took me a few days with my newest board to find the sweet spot for paddling, then another few days to figure out how to shift my body to be in the sweet spot paddling then the sweet spot for pop ups. You can also make small fin adjustments and know nothing else has changed since last time you surfed the board.

Using a rental means you don't have to store it, you won't feel as bad if you ding it, you can move to a different board if you decide to.

If I absolutely knew I was going to spend $480 on rentals and could own the board for roughly the same price, I'd buy the board. I wouldn't plan on shipping it back though.

Buy the board or a used board similar to it and go surf more than 3x a week! Sell before you leave but enjoy yourself now!