SURFBOARDS
The Selection at 2 Mile
2 Mile Surf Shop carries a wide range of surfboards in different sizes and materials. Shapers include Mystic, Junod,
Vernor, Walden, Juicebox, Torq, Boardworks and Catch Surf. Custom-made surfboards are also available from any of our
hand shapers, most of which are located in Santa Cruz, CA.
Most of the boards we carry are longboards, which are great for the small waves and long rides you get in Bolinas. We also have a small selection of short boards, fish, retro shapes and hybrids. Fish and retro boards have become popular for short boarders who don't want to longboard when the waves are small and longboarders who don't want to take out a big longboard when the swell picks up.
About Surfboards
Surfboards can be made from a variety of materials. Some are made in the US and hand-shaped and some are mass-produced overseas.
The majority of surfboards you see in the water are hand-shaped by surfers in the US. They're made out of polyurethane foam blanks. The foam blanks are made from a mix of chemicals that are poured into concrete molds that resemble surfboards. Shapers can order the blanks in hundreds of different lengths, thickness, and widths depending on the type and size of surfboard they want to shape. After the board is shaped, it's sent out to be glassed. The glassers wrap the board with fiberglass cloth and laminate the cloth with polyester resin. When the resin cures, the board is sanded. The board is then ready to be taken out in the water.
Polyurethane foam has been a favorite with surfers and shapers for years. Shapers can choose from a variety of blank sizes and surfers like the way the board feels and responds in the water. But there are some drawbacks. Some of the raw materials used to make polyurethane are toxic and need to be handled carefully by the manufacturer. Also, polyester resin can be hazardous for the glasser who works with it. (Finished boards are not toxic.)
A few years ago, the biggest manufacture of polyurethane foam blanks closed down. This has prompted surfboard shapers to start using new and innovative materials for the foam blanks. EPS / Styrene emerged and has become a favorite blank for many shapers. EPS blanks are made from small foam balls that are heated and blown into block-like molds. It's from this rough block that shapers produce boards. The finished board is fiberglassed but with an epoxy, rather than polyester, resin.
The epoxy boards have some advantages. The styrene foam has a uniform density
and is lighter and stronger. The foam can be recycled, and the epoxy resin is less
toxic than polyester resin. On the other hand, it takes more time to shape an epoxy
board, and it therefore costs a little more.
In the past few years, some surfboard factories have moved overseas to take advantage of low cost labor and lax environmental regulations. Some of the mass-produced boards are made out polyurethane foam and fibreglassed with polyester resin. But they're cut and shaped by a computer router, which helps to make them a consistent and dependable product.
Most of the boards made overseas are made of styrene foam and glassed with epoxy. But these boards undergo one more process. They're wrapped in a layer of hi-density foam, or PVC skin, and covered with another layer of fiberglass and epoxy resin. Then they're put in a mold and pressed together. When the resin cures, the board is sanded and painted. These boards are very strong and light, but they're also the most expensive boards on the market. Also, they only come in a limited range of shapes and sizes. The flex pattern and buoyancy is also different.
The right board for you
Whatever type board you want to ride, we have some great choices for you check out. The 2 Mile sales staff has years of surfing experience and has tried many types of boards. We're happy to help you make the right decision. And don't forget, we rent many different types of boards. This is a safe way to try something new.