internet or surf shop?

[dondiemand]

where do u guys buy your stuff? is it cheaper on the internet?

[gulfsurfer]

Ebays much cheaper, but most of the online surfshops are the same price as one in town, but then you have to pay for shipping. The only stuff i buy online is stuff i cant find at the local shop.

[surferdude_scarborough]

i buy online because my local shop isnt exactly local. not sure about differences in price.

[babyboarder89]

shops man! get your stuff and make a friend everytime! the people are genuinely interested in helping, its a great experience and next time tour surfing theres on emore person you can say hi to in the lineup!

[TokyotheKid]

what are you looking for man??????????? and we might help you decide where to get it

[Brent]

I guess we need to sort out what you mean by "surf shop" I define a surf shop as one that makes boards & sells them...it is after all a surf shop. If so I always support local, my shaper is primo, he listens to me & asks questions. He's never made me a dud yet.
But if you are talking abut a clothing & accessory shop that flicks afew boards in the back corner...then I don't give a toss...I always shop internet. Legropes, fins etc...for me here in NZ shopping via web is about 2/3 the price of retail here...and I have two extra benefits, 1) I get to choose exactly what I want and from anywhere in the globe it's in my mailbox 6 days later. and 2) I being a slightly older surfer get partonised & ignored by the bored 18 year old wanna-be Grommets who are working in the shops around here. I find it amazing a person will put their lifes savings into their business....then pay some bored kid $10 an hour to ruin it for them.....

[PapaW]

what are you looking for man??????????? and we might help you decide where to get it

Exactly!

[Guest]

as any beginner, im looking to get my first surfboard, im still a little confused on what to get and where to get it, im about 5'7", 155lbs if that helps, thanks!

[dondiemand]

as any beginner, im looking to get my first surfboard, im still a little confused on what to get and where to get it, im about 5'7", 155lbs if that helps, thanks!

this is my post, i dont know why it says "guest" lol

[surf patrol]

It depends where I am. At the mo I'll pop down to any number of surf shops and buy there - I'm fortunate to have a lot of choice. In the past I have not been so lucky.
I'd buy basic equipment off the net if I did not have ready access to a surf shop - leash, grip, clothing etc.
I'd never buy a board without seeing it or an off the rack wetsuit without trying it on.

[reef]

I always try and use Local surf shops when ever possable even if it is a little bit more expensive. If everyone uses the internet to buy cheap gear all the time, then small local surfshops could end up out of buisness. When you need those odd things here and there like wax, and for example I snaped my leash the other week @ woolly, and was able to run up to the shop and get a new one with in 20 mins. if those shops wern't there, then Things like this wouldn't be possable and you could be waiting days. I'm not saying all internet surf shops are bad, but I think its good to support your local shops where ever possable.

ste

[TokyotheKid]

welllllll if you wanna get into shortboarding, i'd recommend a 6'5 ! and mmmm or if you wanna longboard get something in like 9' range

[Brent]

Just revisting this thread & read Reef's comments. Felt I should qualify what I said earlier.
Here in NZ there are about 20 working surfboard shapers with "outlets" supplying a total market of 4 million people (the pop of this country). Almost every surfer I know fully supports these shapers. It is rare here to see I guy riding an "off the shelf" Rusty or similar import board here, Our shapers are world class and the guys here know it. We are blessed with high quality cheap boards.

But we do have a number of surfshops whose front is surfing...but really they're clothing stores exploiting surfing as their "wedge" into that lucrative market (under 25's). Of the 5 of these shops in this town all of them are owned by out-of-towners and/or large corporations who see owning a chain of surf shops as being similar to owning a chain of pubs. The actual owners have no real interest in surfing nor do they sponser local events or really put anything back into the sport. They are staffed by bored teenagers who wear all the stuff and have big attitudes as well. One shop in particular is nuts...the crew there are almost too cool to serve anybody. Amusing to watch.

I do buy off the web yes, a good example is fins & legropes, those items (including postage etc) are half the price of retail here. Specific example. FCS h2 fins, $180 dollars a set here....$70-90 dollars via the web. FCS 6'legrope $50 retail here - $23 dollars via the web. So at those differentials...I'd be stupid (or rich which I'm not) to willingly throw money away locally - just to cop bad attitude & poor customer service at our local retail stores.

If you are smart & plan ahead (I always have a spare legrope or two and plenty of wax) there is no need to want for anything.

I'd really love to have a shop that fits that romantic ideal of a surf shop...but they are a thing of the past in this country.

[babyboarder89]

im lucky i spose-for cheap stuff down in devon i head down to the tiki factory shop-stuff like a knee leash (later realised what a bad idea this was) for £10, if you dont mind wearing neon, factory shops and seconds are GREAT for bargains.

[reef]

I do buy off the web yes, a good example is fins & legropes, those items (including postage etc) are half the price of retail here. Specific example. FCS h2 fins, $180 dollars a set here....$70-90 dollars via the web. FCS 6'legrope $50 retail here - $23 dollars via the web. So at those differentials...I'd be stupid (or rich which I'm not) to willingly throw money away locally - just to cop bad attitude & poor customer service at our local retail stores.

Yes, should have mentioned that, if things were double the price here, then I would probably have to shop online but, I'm lucky to have some great surf shops here and the wetsuit I've just got was the same price online as it was in the shop.

ste