The One Board Quiver
We talk often about building a thoughtful Three Board Quiver—three surfboards that will cover nearly every need you will encounter, as a year-round surfer.
A well-planned out quiver that has 3 boards, each with their own unique purpose and specialty can take your surfing far. Oftentimes that includes one Small Board, one Mid-Length, and one Longboard. Your personal quiver will be a reflection of your personal preferences and goals in the surf lineup.
You may be saying to yourself "Three boards!? Maybe someday... right now I just need one reliable board that can cover 90% of the days I am going to paddle out."
So today, we're talking about the One Board Quiver.
You may prefer longboarding, so you should find one reliable longboard that you can master—even if that means sitting out on the occasional day when the conditions don't match up with your preferred equipment.
But for the well-rounded surfer who wants to keep a well-rounded quiver someday, the One Board Quiver should prioritize versatility. And nothing brings versatility to your surfing better than a Mid-Length.
Because everything in surfboard design is give-and-take (you might gain paddle speed by going longer, but you give up some maneuverability in the process), the boards in the middle of our range carry elements and advantages of both longer and shorter boards.
If you want to cover a wide range of needs, with only one board, look first at our Joy Model.
It's a time-tested favorite that will be incredibly fun in a broad range of surf conditions. It carries some of the glide that you may be accustomed to from riding longboards, but will excel when the waves get a little bigger. (Days when riding a longboard might feel cumbersome).
If you prefer a slightly more proactive approach to surfing, i.e. you want to do more turns, explore more parts of the wave face, and fly through oncoming sections, the Pleasant Pheasant puts you in the driver's seat.
It's a favorite around here, and Griffin recently called it his "favorite board to shape".
The Pleasant Pheasant might not have quite the same effortless glide as the Joy, but with a little paddle-effort, you can achieve every surfer's dream of high-wave-counts and lots of maneuverability.
If your hope is to work your way down from a longboard to a fish or shortboard, the Pleasant Pheasant is a great way to work on the mechanics of speed-generating, rail-initiated turning, and drawing a line that harnesses the most speed from a wave.
Closing Thoughts:
Whenever making decisions about your surf equipment, keep in mind both where you are currently, and where you are hoping to go with your surfing. The where you're going is every bit as important as the where you've been. Read reviews, mind-surf, and ask us questions... we're here for your prolonged success.
