Eradicating Disposable Surfboards

Almond Surfboards: Eradicating disposable surfboards from lineups everywhere.  Make less trash and catch more waves in the process.

We make two classes of surfboards, and neither one should ever see the inside of a landfill.

A well-built fiberglass surfboard, when properly cared for and repaired, should out-last its first owner.  There are still surfboards from the 1950’s and 1960’s in circulation, and I see them in the water from time to time.  Over the last 14+ years, we have built several thousand custom surfboards, and I’m certain that less than 1% of them have been so mistreated that they are no longer in use.  That means over 99% of the boards we have built to date are still fulfilling their intended purpose: catching waves and bringing enjoyment.

When we introduced the R-Series line in 2018, the aim was not to make another soft top, but to build our favorite surfboards in a new way that was fun, functional, reduced manufacturing waste, and created a finished product that was entirely recyclable.  You can see that process here.

R-Series boards can take a level of abuse (in and out of the water) that would be unthinkable for a fiberglass board.  

Toss them in the bed of the truck, surf them year-round, lend them to the kids, and know that your R-Series surfboard is designed to be the workhorse of your quiver.  It can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’, because it doesn’t take on water like a fiberglass board would, and it’s not going to burst apart at the seams like a soft top inevitably will.  

Soft tops all fail in the same place—the glued seams that hold the plastic bottom sheet to the core, and the core to the foamie deck material.  Most commonly, you will see these boards fail in the nose, where all three main components meet, which is why you will often see these boards duct-taped back together in the nose.

We eliminated this problem altogether by eliminating the sandwich construction of deck material, core and plastic bottom sheet.  

Instead, an R-Series board is mold-injected using a solid, rugged foam and features two carefully-tuned wood stringers for strength.  The recessed deck pad is affixed after the board is made, so it is in no way structural to the integrity of the board.  All of this was done to ensure the longevity and durability of every R-Series board.  We have a Care & Repair Guide on our website, to give you all the information on getting the most years of enjoyment out of your surfboard.  But if the day comes when you have gotten all of the useful fun out of your board, we will take it back and recycle it—and give you a discount on a new one.

We believe this is the right way to build surfboards.  With the enjoyment of our customers and the longevity of our equipment in mind. Catch waves early, catch waves often, care for your surfboard, and never let it see the inside of a landfill.

Choose which construction best suits your needs.