Aviso Carbon Fibre... Opinions please

[esonscar]

I'd buy the carbon !

[Mirx]

Good responses since my last message guys. They are both appreciated and, most of them, expected.

Although, as mentioned earlier:

I look forward to seeing more posts from people who actually own or have used these boards, providing more credible info for the surfers genuinly interested in trying new technologies.

[Apebrains]

ALRIGHT. Time for a chime-in from a Newbie.

I have heard a LOT of xxxxx talking about these boards, plenty of which has been right here on this forum. Let me attempt to set the record straight for those who are considering one.

I'm a guy who believes in a hand made board. I believe in the soul of this sport. In fact I don't believe it's a sport, I'm of the alignment that this is a lifestyle. So please, no one question my integrity as a surfer, simply because I'm about to say the things that I'm about to say.

I BACK AVISO. Unless you like to do REALLY stupid things with your board, these guys not only put out an amazing product, but they back it up as well. Their warranty is second to none in the surfing business, and the likelihood you'll even have to use it is incredibly small. Now, for everyone who is chomping at the bit to naysay :

I own two Aviso boards. Yes, they're expensive, but keep your eyes open, and you can get some good deals on them. For what I paid, you could NOT get 2 or 3 custom boards, you could probably get one new Merrick, which would end up useless in a year or two, and I promise you that if you snap it in half, Merrick is gonna say "tough xxxxx." Aviso, on the other hand, has your back, and not only do they care about your satisfaction, but they make a board that will last YEARS, as its construction, though hollow, is remarkably strong. Allow me to present an example.

I was surfing here in sunny Florida, at Sebastian Inlet (Spanish House to be exact), on my ...Lost 6'1" squashtail, on an overhead day that wasn't exactly clean, but was pretty rideable. The drift was pretty obscene, so in about 30 minutes I had drifted pretty close to the pier. I figured, aah, whatever, I'll get one more ride and go in. Underestimation . Anyhew, I suddenly realized that pier was a hell of a lot closer than I was comfortable with, and the waves were not interested in taking me inland. So I got swept into those gigantic, barnacle covered pylons, and had only my back to use as an impact absorber. So bam, one hit, yup, that sucked. BAM, two hits, yup, that sucked too. I'm doing everything I can to get out of there and it ain't workin. Then suddenly, I'm headed toward them again, and I go through, in between two pylons and right toward the rocks in between the two rows that support the pier. In an oh xxxxx moment of desperation, I throw my Aviso out in front of me, sideways, in hopes that it'll stop me from getting sucked into some barnacle covered rock cave of hell, and low and behold, with a loud clunk, it stops me dead, and the wave passes over me, and flows back out, taking me and the board with it. I now start using my feet to kick off of the pylons as smaller breakers push me into them repeatedly (thank god for a wetsuit saving my back, but now my feet are turning into ribbons), so counterintuitively, I paddle out to sea, and I start making headway. Damn, wish I would have known that to begin with. I get all the way out and around the pier, with god knows how many sharkies around me (Monster Hole was a full 30 feet from me, and anybody who knows that place knows what that means), as I'm dripping blood from my hands and feet. I paddle into the inlet, stopping regularly from pure exhaustion, and up to the Jetties on the opposite side of the pier (where I wouldn't get violently bashed into them), and climb out, rattled and exhausted, evaluating the damage. Amazingly, I'm not too beat up, and so I move my attention toward that poor board that was used as a life preserver. Deck...Rails....underside......NOTHING. Not buckled. Not dinged. Not SCRATCHED. I xxxxx you not. I heard how loud that hollow board was when it hit, and I know that any of my poly boards would have turned into tacos from that amount of force.

Since that day, (well over a year ago) I will back Aviso wholeheartedly. So for everyone who questions how strong they are, believe me, that story aside, mine have been through enough shore pound and big swell (Hurricane Bill) to have had plently of opportunity to get fleshin' up, and have not suffered a scratch. These things are tanks.

Now, as for the commentary on "Support your local shaper, no imports, " these are 100% MADE IN THE US. That's better than I can say for the materials in many other boards. I love my local Shapers. Tom Neilson, you are my hero! But between my very first board (a Nielson 6'6"), or any of my current boards:

Aviso 6'1" lifesaver squashtail
Aviso 5'6" ...Lost RNF
5'6" Natural Art old school twin fishy
Firewire twin fin new school fishy
Quiet Flight 5'10" Flyer

: if I were to take any of them traveling, or into a dodgy ass wave, no doubt, it'd be one of the Avisos. I know they can take whatever the hell I dish out, and I know if anything happens, the boys at HQ will have my back.

For all of those out there commenting on the way these boards ride, yes, they are a bit differenty. I will say that you can ride a shorter board than you'd be accustomed to in poly, since they float unbelievably well, but contrary to expectations, they're nothing like those damn TufLite boards that feel like a friggin life raft under your feet instead of a performance board. These ARE NOT corky. In addition, the separation of belly and deck results in AWESOME spring out of hard turns, better in fact, than a Firewire, but with the added perk of being bomb proof. They have great flex on all axes, and are very responsive under your feet, giving you as much control as you'd expect from one of your old school favorites.

Finally, the whole fleshin' about being tough to repair. I admit one thing, SHOULD YOU MANAGE to hurt it, if you wanna get it repaired professionally, unless you're in Cali, there's a good chance you're gonna have to send it through mail back to Aviso to get it fixed up. That aside, if you've ever repaired your own board and are even somewhat competent, these are actually easier than a poly or epoxy board to repair. Why? They're hollow. There's no filler or foam or Qcell to load into it, and unless your board is painted, no color matching to do either. You get one of the repair kits sent your way from Aviso, and proceed much as you would with fiberglass. You'll need less to achieve the same strength, since carbon fiber puts fiberglass to shame, and otherwise, the process is quite similar. YouTube and Aviso's website have videos that demonstrate repairs, and they are anything but difficult by surfboard repair standards.

Are these boards going to replace conventional board construction? Not any time soon. Are they the bring all end all of surfboard technology? Maybe not, though I often wonder... Are they kick ass, fun to ride, and ridiculously durable? You betcha. Are they worth the dinero you gotta drop into 'em? Well, that I leave up to the individual rider, but if you were ever to take my advice, I'd say try one, or at least find a friend who has one that you can give a test ride. I think you'll be VERY pleasantly surprised.

Need to know anything else about 'em? Just ask. If I know, I'll tell ya. No, I don't work for Aviso, sell them, or advertise for them, or support them with anything but my business, but I do have a couple, and I've put them through their paces, as have many of my friends. So at least there's experience to talk to.

Hola, Surfing Waves forum! Como estas? I'm Andy. Come down to FL, and I'll see ya in the lineup.

-ME

[surfordie77]

"Support your local shaper, blah"! I LIVE IN THE UK!! What use is a "100% made in the US" board to me???? I'm advocating the support of UK and Ireland shaper's and products. Aviso's are nothing but expensive POPOUTS for people with more money than sense. If they're so good how come all the pro's aren't on them? After all they know better than us all! Stop boring me with your incessant ranting!

[Apebrains]

LOLOL, okay, I had a feeling I would be attacked by someone out of country, ha. Understand of course, I am NOT rah rah America. I most CERTAINLY have my disagreements with this country, so don't take my "made in the US" comment as misplaced patriotism, as it assuredly is not. All I meant was simply, for those of us on this site that currently reside here, I'm just saying that by purchasing Aviso, you're not selling out and supporting made-in-China crap. I get that they're probably not sensible for you guys across the pond, seeing as how they're probably even more inordinately expensive after import duties. Understand also, that I'm not saying they're the best boards ever made, and that the pros just don't get what I know. Not at all. I'm not an amazing surfer. I can't do a Rodeo Flip, or charge Teahupo'o. Rather, I'm just saying that if you want a damn fun ride on a damn tough board which, as an investment, will usually equal out to poly or epoxy or whatever in a cost to longevity ratio, it's not a bad way to go, and they've got my vote.

Some get they're jollies off supporting they're local "little guy," some want what the pros are riding (Merrick, Rusty, ...Lost, whatever). I find myself somewhere in between. I love Kechele, Neilson, my local Quiet Flight boys, and others, and I know firsthand what it feels like to be the little guy (not that these specific examples necessarily are anymore...). But at the same time, I like to play with designs by the big guys who are household names to most of us. No discrimination of either side.

But in my purchases, I like stuff I can't hurt, so I don't have to buy stuff that often. I back Jeeps (or Rover Defenders, if I could afford one...), Strider knives, Arc'teryx, stuff made by the military (of WHATEVER country), stuff I just can't hurt. And in that department, in my opinion, Aviso reigns solemn King of the Monarchy.

Like religion, like politics, like sexual preferences, what's good for some ain't good for all, but these guys were asking opinions from those with experience, and, considering I have experience, I just felt compelled to verbal vomit . Excessively. Sorry for all my .



On a side not (moderators, spare me the noose!), anybody surfed Liberia and have insight they'd care to share? I suppose I should take this question elsewhere....forgive the noob....

[summersurf07]

I had a question. I'm considering buying a used Aviso but it's a bit bigger than whats ideal. I'm 5'11 and 170 lb's and want to purchase a 6'0 RNF in Aviso. I'm super excited about the technology and performance of Aviso's but wonder if this 6'0 is just too big because of the extra float?

[surfing strawman]

I'm with Surfordie77. Buy from your local shaper, who probably knows more about what you should be surfing than you do. People are easily impressed by technology and big price tags, ie more cost=better surf, and concvince themselves that they can actually feel what the salesman tells them to feel. I've been riding for well over 10 years now and, having ridden carbon, epoxy and traditional, I couldn't tell you the difference in flex or most other aspects. All I will say is that the boards I bought from a local shaper, made for me to ride on my local breaks, go WAY better in the average UK conditions than all the other 'advanced' technologies designed and tested at world class breaks. As for carbon... Tombstone were doing this 10 years ago, at half the price. They are indeed bombproof, but I never really got on with them. My advice? Don't believe the hype, be honest about the sort of conditions you ride, and support your local shaper. Nuff said.

[ktlin]

It sounds like carbon fiber technology in surfboards is still in its infancy r R&D stage.