thinking about going epoxy for next board.

[Huntingtonsurf80]

What do you guys think about epoxy?( not tuflite). I love glass and that's the only thing I ride but to fragile. I've ridden my friend's 6'3'' epoxy short and seems faster down the line. What thoughts do you guys have on your epoxy boards compared to glass? U guys have the same durability problems with glass? Seems like almost every other time I go out for a sessions, I seem to ding, or pressure mark my boards, but then again... I guess that's surfing. How's the durability of epoxy?

[dougirwin13]

Epoxy boards are great!

But it's the same story as poly boards - if you buy a cheap popout it'll suck. If you get a good handshaped custom from someone who really knows what they are doing with that tech it'll rock!

Personally I prefer custom epoxy composites because they are many times tougher/durable and have fantastic flex characteristics.

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[drowningbitbybit]

Can someone (knowledgeable) PLEASE write a sticky for epoxy vs poly!

[dougirwin13]

Yeah, good idea.

I'll happily collaborate but I'm not willing to take all of the blame... I mean responsibility... On my own.

-doug
Compsand.com - The Composite Surfboard Cooperative!

[crepuscular]

What do you guys think about epoxy?( not tuflite). I love glass and that's the only thing I ride but to fragile. I've ridden my friend's 6'3'' epoxy short and seems faster down the line. What thoughts do you guys have on your epoxy boards compared to glass? U guys have the same durability problems with glass? Seems like almost every other time I go out for a sessions, I seem to ding, or pressure mark my boards, but then again... I guess that's surfing. How's the durability of epoxy?

it seems faster probably because there's less rocker. When buying an epoxy board, you gotta count in the extra buoyancy... I got a Surftech 6'4" UFO 3 weeks ago, and I weight 66kg, couldn't duck dive because it's too buoyant... so far no pressure mark, but there are cracks from collision with other surfboards... (damn i hate those new surfers that doesn't know the surfing etiquettes) So maybe not tuflite, but TL2 are pretty good, got the durability of tuflite, but also quite flexible still, not as stiff as tuflite.

For good epoxy boards, check out firewire, XTR, and the TL2 range from Surftech

[crepuscular]

Can someone (knowledgeable) PLEASE write a sticky for epoxy vs poly!

http://www.epoxysurfboards.com/epoxy101.html

[smallwavegrovellerchick]

What do you guys think about epoxy?( not tuflite). I love glass and that's the only thing I ride but to fragile. I've ridden my friend's 6'3'' epoxy short and seems faster down the line. What thoughts do you guys have on your epoxy boards compared to glass? U guys have the same durability problems with glass? Seems like almost every other time I go out for a sessions, I seem to ding, or pressure mark my boards, but then again... I guess that's surfing. How's the durability of epoxy?

I've been riding a hand shaped Marko EPS board in the same dimensions and shape as my fiberglass boards. The epoxy board is lighter, more buoyant thus easier to paddle, more durable (although the deck still pressures but not as bad as the fiberglass), and from my understanding it retains it's whiteness longer but I wouldn't know since it's airbrushed. I feel like custom shaped, Marko EPS provides the best of both epoxy and handshaped/custom. One thing I noticed is that the stringer on one of the boards looks a little rough like it was difficult to shape. Not aesthetically pleasing but it hasn't affected the way the board surfs. Also, I think that the EPS really soaks up water if you ding it, although fortunately I haven't found this out first hand.