Standard Shortboard by TDK Surfboards

The Board

Dimensions & Material

The dimensions of the board I tested was: 5'11"H, 18 3/4"W, and 2 1/2"T. Made with polyurethane foam. This board is a little bit wider and thicker than standard high performance thrusters.

Bottom

The bottom of the board has a slight double concave moving through the tail block.

Tail

The board I tested has a round tail but can also come in a squash. The round tail is nice for fluid turns. You will find a little rocker in the tail here too.

Nose

The nose on this board does not deviate from the standard thruster: super thin, lots of rocker.

Rails

Here is where we enter into probably the most difficult aspect of shaping. This board has nice rails, the transition from round to the sharp edges towards the tail is more than adequate. But this begs the question, can the rails be any sharper to add more grip to the turns? The rails on this board are arguably as sharp as they can get from being hand shaped. Although, these aren't the sharpest rails out there.

Fins

You will be hard pressed to find a TDK with any set up other than glass on or FCS fins. I have yet to see a TDK with future fins. Why? Even Slater loves FCS, cant argue with the that. The set up here is standard tri-fin.

Paddling

This board has a bit more girth to it than you standard high performance thruster. The added width and thickness with a more relaxed rocker helps the paddling aspect of this board substantially for a shortboard. Don't get me wrong this thing does not paddle itself, you will still feel the burn at long paddle outs.

Catching

This board produces no real qualms when catching waves. The added cushion when it comes to paddling allow for more momentum when paddling into waves as well. The shape and rocker also allows you to handle the steepest of take offs.

Riding

Love it. This board rides like a dream. The round tail allows for really nice carves and holds turns better in bigger waves. The added width and thickness doesn't seem to be a detriment to the way this board rides. You can do nice top to bottom turns with smooth cut backs. The maneuverability of this board is amazing. There is nothing a surfer with a high capacity for big turns or boosting airs can't do on this board. The waves best suited for this board are swells ranging from waste to about head high. Anything smaller might cause the board to bog down, while anything bigger will thrash this board around.

Conclusion

What we have here is a nice twist on the standard high performance model. The twist is added width and thickness, along with a mellow rocker, and topped off with a round tail. These modifications will allow surfers who aren't magazine cover, ASP qualifiers to still have the opportunity to rip without having to ride such a difficult board. This board lowers the difficulty of riding but still allows for good ripping. The paddle is easier which makes getting into position for actually catching the wave easier as well. On the downside, the rails could be sharper for improved turning and the glass is a little light. But then again, glassing is always a sticky issue because some surfers are willing sacrifice durability for a higher level of performance. Regardless, TDK has opened up the opportunity for ripping to a larger audience, with the Standard. This board is a great addition to most any surfer's quiver.