Skip to main content
  • Afghanistan

    Afghanistan

    (USD $)

  • Åland Islands

    Åland Islands

    (USD $)

  • Albania

    Albania

    (USD $)

  • Algeria

    Algeria

    (USD $)

  • Andorra

    Andorra

    (USD $)

  • Angola

    Angola

    (USD $)

  • Anguilla

    Anguilla

    (USD $)

  • Antigua & Barbuda

    Antigua & Barbuda

    (USD $)

  • Argentina

    Argentina

    (USD $)

  • Armenia

    Armenia

    (USD $)

  • Aruba

    Aruba

    (USD $)

  • Ascension Island

    Ascension Island

    (USD $)

  • Australia

    Australia

    (AUD $)

  • Austria

    Austria

    (USD $)

  • Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan

    (USD $)

  • Bahamas

    Bahamas

    (USD $)

  • Bahrain

    Bahrain

    (USD $)

  • Bangladesh

    Bangladesh

    (USD $)

  • Barbados

    Barbados

    (USD $)

  • Belarus

    Belarus

    (USD $)

  • Belgium

    Belgium

    (USD $)

  • Belize

    Belize

    (USD $)

  • Benin

    Benin

    (USD $)

  • Bermuda

    Bermuda

    (USD $)

  • Bhutan

    Bhutan

    (USD $)

  • Bolivia

    Bolivia

    (USD $)

  • Bosnia & Herzegovina

    Bosnia & Herzegovina

    (USD $)

  • Botswana

    Botswana

    (USD $)

  • Brazil

    Brazil

    (USD $)

  • British Indian Ocean Territory

    British Indian Ocean Territory

    (USD $)

  • British Virgin Islands

    British Virgin Islands

    (USD $)

  • Brunei

    Brunei

    (USD $)

  • Bulgaria

    Bulgaria

    (USD $)

  • Burkina Faso

    Burkina Faso

    (USD $)

  • Burundi

    Burundi

    (USD $)

  • Cambodia

    Cambodia

    (USD $)

  • Cameroon

    Cameroon

    (USD $)

  • Canada

    Canada

    (USD $)

  • Cape Verde

    Cape Verde

    (USD $)

  • Caribbean Netherlands

    Caribbean Netherlands

    (USD $)

  • Cayman Islands

    Cayman Islands

    (USD $)

  • Central African Republic

    Central African Republic

    (USD $)

  • Chad

    Chad

    (USD $)

  • Chile

    Chile

    (USD $)

  • China

    China

    (USD $)

  • Christmas Island

    Christmas Island

    (USD $)

  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    (USD $)

  • Colombia

    Colombia

    (USD $)

  • Comoros

    Comoros

    (USD $)

  • Congo - Brazzaville

    Congo - Brazzaville

    (USD $)

  • Congo - Kinshasa

    Congo - Kinshasa

    (USD $)

  • Cook Islands

    Cook Islands

    (USD $)

  • Costa Rica

    Costa Rica

    (USD $)

  • Côte d’Ivoire

    Côte d’Ivoire

    (USD $)

  • Croatia

    Croatia

    (USD $)

  • Curaçao

    Curaçao

    (USD $)

  • Cyprus

    Cyprus

    (USD $)

  • Czechia

    Czechia

    (USD $)

  • Denmark

    Denmark

    (USD $)

  • Djibouti

    Djibouti

    (USD $)

  • Dominica

    Dominica

    (USD $)

  • Dominican Republic

    Dominican Republic

    (USD $)

  • Ecuador

    Ecuador

    (USD $)

  • Egypt

    Egypt

    (USD $)

  • El Salvador

    El Salvador

    (USD $)

  • Equatorial Guinea

    Equatorial Guinea

    (USD $)

  • Eritrea

    Eritrea

    (USD $)

  • Estonia

    Estonia

    (USD $)

  • Eswatini

    Eswatini

    (USD $)

  • Ethiopia

    Ethiopia

    (USD $)

  • Falkland Islands

    Falkland Islands

    (USD $)

  • Faroe Islands

    Faroe Islands

    (USD $)

  • Fiji

    Fiji

    (USD $)

  • Finland

    Finland

    (USD $)

  • France

    France

    (EUR €)

  • French Guiana

    French Guiana

    (USD $)

  • French Polynesia

    French Polynesia

    (USD $)

  • French Southern Territories

    French Southern Territories

    (USD $)

  • Gabon

    Gabon

    (USD $)

  • Gambia

    Gambia

    (USD $)

  • Georgia

    Georgia

    (USD $)

  • Germany

    Germany

    (USD $)

  • Ghana

    Ghana

    (USD $)

  • Gibraltar

    Gibraltar

    (USD $)

  • Greece

    Greece

    (USD $)

  • Greenland

    Greenland

    (USD $)

  • Grenada

    Grenada

    (USD $)

  • Guadeloupe

    Guadeloupe

    (USD $)

  • Guatemala

    Guatemala

    (USD $)

  • Guernsey

    Guernsey

    (USD $)

  • Guinea

    Guinea

    (USD $)

  • Guinea-Bissau

    Guinea-Bissau

    (USD $)

  • Guyana

    Guyana

    (USD $)

  • Haiti

    Haiti

    (USD $)

  • Honduras

    Honduras

    (USD $)

  • Hong Kong SAR

    Hong Kong SAR

    (USD $)

  • Hungary

    Hungary

    (USD $)

  • Iceland

    Iceland

    (USD $)

  • India

    India

    (USD $)

  • Indonesia

    Indonesia

    (USD $)

  • Iraq

    Iraq

    (USD $)

  • Ireland

    Ireland

    (USD $)

  • Isle of Man

    Isle of Man

    (USD $)

  • Israel

    Israel

    (USD $)

  • Italy

    Italy

    (USD $)

  • Jamaica

    Jamaica

    (USD $)

  • Japan

    Japan

    (JPY ¥)

  • Jersey

    Jersey

    (USD $)

  • Jordan

    Jordan

    (USD $)

  • Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan

    (USD $)

  • Kenya

    Kenya

    (USD $)

  • Kiribati

    Kiribati

    (USD $)

  • Kosovo

    Kosovo

    (USD $)

  • Kuwait

    Kuwait

    (USD $)

  • Kyrgyzstan

    Kyrgyzstan

    (USD $)

  • Laos

    Laos

    (USD $)

  • Latvia

    Latvia

    (USD $)

  • Lebanon

    Lebanon

    (USD $)

  • Lesotho

    Lesotho

    (USD $)

  • Liberia

    Liberia

    (USD $)

  • Libya

    Libya

    (USD $)

  • Liechtenstein

    Liechtenstein

    (USD $)

  • Lithuania

    Lithuania

    (USD $)

  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourg

    (USD $)

  • Macao SAR

    Macao SAR

    (USD $)

  • Madagascar

    Madagascar

    (USD $)

  • Malawi

    Malawi

    (USD $)

  • Malaysia

    Malaysia

    (USD $)

  • Maldives

    Maldives

    (USD $)

  • Mali

    Mali

    (USD $)

  • Malta

    Malta

    (USD $)

  • Martinique

    Martinique

    (USD $)

  • Mauritania

    Mauritania

    (USD $)

  • Mauritius

    Mauritius

    (USD $)

  • Mayotte

    Mayotte

    (USD $)

  • Mexico

    Mexico

    (USD $)

  • Moldova

    Moldova

    (USD $)

  • Monaco

    Monaco

    (USD $)

  • Mongolia

    Mongolia

    (USD $)

  • Montenegro

    Montenegro

    (USD $)

  • Montserrat

    Montserrat

    (USD $)

  • Morocco

    Morocco

    (USD $)

  • Mozambique

    Mozambique

    (USD $)

  • Myanmar (Burma)

    Myanmar (Burma)

    (USD $)

  • Namibia

    Namibia

    (USD $)

  • Nauru

    Nauru

    (USD $)

  • Nepal

    Nepal

    (USD $)

  • Netherlands

    Netherlands

    (USD $)

  • New Caledonia

    New Caledonia

    (USD $)

  • New Zealand

    New Zealand

    (USD $)

  • Nicaragua

    Nicaragua

    (USD $)

  • Niger

    Niger

    (USD $)

  • Nigeria

    Nigeria

    (USD $)

  • Niue

    Niue

    (USD $)

  • Norfolk Island

    Norfolk Island

    (USD $)

  • North Macedonia

    North Macedonia

    (USD $)

  • Norway

    Norway

    (USD $)

  • Oman

    Oman

    (USD $)

  • Pakistan

    Pakistan

    (USD $)

  • Palestinian Territories

    Palestinian Territories

    (USD $)

  • Panama

    Panama

    (USD $)

  • Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea

    (USD $)

  • Paraguay

    Paraguay

    (USD $)

  • Peru

    Peru

    (USD $)

  • Philippines

    Philippines

    (USD $)

  • Pitcairn Islands

    Pitcairn Islands

    (USD $)

  • Poland

    Poland

    (USD $)

  • Portugal

    Portugal

    (USD $)

  • Qatar

    Qatar

    (USD $)

  • Réunion

    Réunion

    (USD $)

  • Romania

    Romania

    (USD $)

  • Russia

    Russia

    (USD $)

  • Rwanda

    Rwanda

    (USD $)

  • Samoa

    Samoa

    (USD $)

  • San Marino

    San Marino

    (USD $)

  • São Tomé & Príncipe

    São Tomé & Príncipe

    (USD $)

  • Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia

    (USD $)

  • Senegal

    Senegal

    (USD $)

  • Serbia

    Serbia

    (USD $)

  • Seychelles

    Seychelles

    (USD $)

  • Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone

    (USD $)

  • Singapore

    Singapore

    (USD $)

  • Sint Maarten

    Sint Maarten

    (USD $)

  • Slovakia

    Slovakia

    (USD $)

  • Slovenia

    Slovenia

    (USD $)

  • Solomon Islands

    Solomon Islands

    (USD $)

  • Somalia

    Somalia

    (USD $)

  • South Africa

    South Africa

    (USD $)

  • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    (USD $)

  • South Korea

    South Korea

    (USD $)

  • South Sudan

    South Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Spain

    Spain

    (USD $)

  • Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka

    (USD $)

  • St. Barthélemy

    St. Barthélemy

    (USD $)

  • St. Helena

    St. Helena

    (USD $)

  • St. Kitts & Nevis

    St. Kitts & Nevis

    (USD $)

  • St. Lucia

    St. Lucia

    (USD $)

  • St. Martin

    St. Martin

    (USD $)

  • St. Pierre & Miquelon

    St. Pierre & Miquelon

    (USD $)

  • St. Vincent & Grenadines

    St. Vincent & Grenadines

    (USD $)

  • Sudan

    Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Suriname

    Suriname

    (USD $)

  • Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    (USD $)

  • Sweden

    Sweden

    (USD $)

  • Switzerland

    Switzerland

    (USD $)

  • Taiwan

    Taiwan

    (USD $)

  • Tajikistan

    Tajikistan

    (USD $)

  • Tanzania

    Tanzania

    (USD $)

  • Thailand

    Thailand

    (USD $)

  • Timor-Leste

    Timor-Leste

    (USD $)

  • Togo

    Togo

    (USD $)

  • Tokelau

    Tokelau

    (USD $)

  • Tonga

    Tonga

    (USD $)

  • Trinidad & Tobago

    Trinidad & Tobago

    (USD $)

  • Tristan da Cunha

    Tristan da Cunha

    (USD $)

  • Tunisia

    Tunisia

    (USD $)

  • Turkey

    Turkey

    (USD $)

  • Turkmenistan

    Turkmenistan

    (USD $)

  • Turks & Caicos Islands

    Turks & Caicos Islands

    (USD $)

  • Tuvalu

    Tuvalu

    (USD $)

  • U.S. Outlying Islands

    U.S. Outlying Islands

    (USD $)

  • Uganda

    Uganda

    (USD $)

  • Ukraine

    Ukraine

    (USD $)

  • United Arab Emirates

    United Arab Emirates

    (USD $)

  • United Kingdom

    United Kingdom

    (USD $)

  • United States

    United States

    (USD $)

  • Uruguay

    Uruguay

    (USD $)

  • Uzbekistan

    Uzbekistan

    (USD $)

  • Vanuatu

    Vanuatu

    (USD $)

  • Vatican City

    Vatican City

    (USD $)

  • Venezuela

    Venezuela

    (USD $)

  • Vietnam

    Vietnam

    (USD $)

  • Wallis & Futuna

    Wallis & Futuna

    (USD $)

  • Western Sahara

    Western Sahara

    (USD $)

  • Yemen

    Yemen

    (USD $)

  • Zambia

    Zambia

    (USD $)

  • Zimbabwe

    Zimbabwe

    (USD $)

Surfboard Care & Repair Guide

Surfboard Care & Repair Guide

Caring for and repairing your surfboards—all surfboards—is key to ensuring their longevity, and the longevity of the joy they bring you as a result.

We put together this care & repair guide to ensure your custom Almond Surfboard stays an active part of your quiver for many years to come.

You can find the R-Series Care & Repair Guide here.

Elements of Your Surfboard

Fiberglass:

First off, let's talk a little bit about fiberglass, which makes up the hard exterior shell of your surfboard.  Fiberglass is a common material in boat, car, airplane, and surfboard construction.  

The strong fiberglass shell that you see on the outside of your surfboard was achieved through a chemical reaction between layers of fiberglass cloth and catalyzed resin.

Laminating a surfboard is an art form, requiring years of experience to do correctly—particularly when colored tints are added to the resin. You can read more about what makes resin tints unique.

 Foam Core:

The body of your custom Almond surfboard is made of Polyurethane Foam, or PU Foam for short.  PU foam is a preferred medium for surfboard shaping because of its smooth cutting and finishing properties, it's strength-to-weight ratio, and its lively feel under-foot as a finished product.

The downside to PU Foam, is that it does not like exposure to water.  So any ding or crack in your surfboard's fiberglass shell that allows water to enter the board and get to the foam needs to be addressed.

If you notice areas where your foam is turning brown, that's because water is getting in and the integrity of the foam is being degraded.

PU also does not do well with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.  

Stringer(s): 

There is likely one (or more) wood stringers running the length of your surfboard. 

The same way concrete needs rebar to give it strength, foam needs a stringer to give a surfboard it's structure.  The stringer also plays a critical role in defining the surfboard's rocker profile.

You can read more about stringers here.

Fin Box(es):

Your custom Almond Surfboard features some combination of a universal longboard center box and/or Futures fin boxes.

Both boxes are incredibly common and popular due to their reliability and versatility.  If you have a single fin box, nearly any single fin you can find on the open market will fit in your surfboard.  However, consideration should be taken when finding the right fin to match the tail shape of your surfboard.

Things That Damage Your Surfboard

General Dings:

Although fiberglass is strong and durable, abuse to your surfboard will cause dings, dents, and cracks.  These can be caused by: rocks, other surfboards, falling to the ground, careless maneuvering (in and out of the water), and poor storage at home.

I have a theory that more than 70% of dings occur out of the water.  Treat your surfboards with care, especially when you're not using them. Wall racks, board bags, and moving slowly all help avoid dings out of the water.  

 

De-lamination Caused by Heat:

The fiberglass shell that covers your surfboard does a great job of making it waterproof, but it also blocks the flow of air from inside your board to outside.  This is only really a problem if your surfboard gets really, really hot.

Exposure to heat can actually cause the fiberglass on your surfboard to bubble up.  This generally referred to as a "delam" and its honestly one of the worst damages that can befall your surfboard.  Delams are hard to repair, and can oftentimes return—even after the repair has been completed.

If you do get a bad delam, the entire area needs to be cut out and patched with new fiberglass. 

Ugly.

It's best to keep your surfboard out of direct sunlight when not in use, and away from anything that may cause extreme heat (motorcycle tail pipes, heaters, afternoon light through windows at home)

A good surfboard bag will generally be light in color (or even reflective) to help protect your board from over-heating in the sun.

Stress Cracks

Stress cracks occur when the board undergoes extreme flexing, to the point where the fiberglass cannot withstand the flex and begins to crack.

This usually occurs when you fall off a wave, and the wave drives your board nose-first into the sand.  Stress cracks will generally worsen over time, and eventually water will start to creep its way in to the foam below.  If your board experiences stress cracks that seem light or minimal, just keep an eye on the foam below to ensure it isn't discoloring.

Repairing stress cracks varies from case to case.  Sometimes you can simply sand and refinish the hot coat or gloss coat—other times it requires more invasive efforts to remedy the problem. 

Pressure Dings

Pressure dings are common and vary from barely noticeable to knee-sized craters.  Pressure dings can be the result of repeating pounding of your heels or falling knee / elbow first into a flat area of your surfboard.

Surfboards get two layers of cloth on top, and one on the bottom—meaning the deck is twice as resilient to pressure dings than the bottom is.  

A small pressure dent typically is just a minor cosmetic addition to your board, and needs no additional attention.  

How do you know if a ding needs repair?

The rule of thumb is: any ding or crack that you can feel with your thumbnail, probably need immediate attention.

That's because you do not want water getting in to the foam (see foam section above).

Repairing Your Surfboard

The first rule of surfboard ding repair is: fix your dings early, before small issues turn into bigger ones.

There are loads of resources on how to do ding repair, and there are kits you can purchase that provide all the materials required. 

 Because a surfboard is comprised of a foam core with a thin, color-tinted fiberglass shell, color matching for ding repairs is.... very tricky.  Matching colors when repairing a ding is a mix of skill, patience, and luck.  Just be prepared for visual reminders of a ding, even if it has been professionally repaired.

The best way to keep your surfboard in mint condition is to take really great care of it.  Store it in a bag, or in a rack.  Avoid situations that are likely to result in collisions in the surf lineup.  Don't leave your board baking in the mid-day sun, and most of all, remember that surfboards are meant to be surfed

Bumps happen. 

Scratches and imperfections are just marks to remind you to hold things loosely, and are signs that you're actually using your surfboard for its intended purpose.