Classic Longboard by TDK
Surfboard Reviews
Overall Rating
Pros
Great for nose-riding
Good responsiveness
Nice padding power for size
Great for all skill levels
Cons
Not good in big or steep waves
Every surfer has it. It's a primal tendency rooted deep inside and it is always dying to release itself. The second you step on a surfboard it finds a place to escape. I am talking about style. No matter what board you are riding, style is involved. Style distinguishes every individual sitting in the line-up. Some would argue that particular boards lend themselves to particular styles. I would agree. When you grab a longboard the main focus of the rider and the wave is the exposition of style. Modern longboards tend to embody the evolving idea of what style is. Competition longboards strive to synthesize shortboard characteristics while retaining more traditional aspects of what longboarding used to be. Originally longboarding was centered on the idea of agility, balance, and grace. Smooth turns and controlled cross-stepping separated the chumps from the champs.Classic Longboard by TDK Surfboards enables the modern surfer to travel back to that time and experience the style when it was at its peak.
The Board
Dimensions & Material
The dimensions of this board are: 8'8" H, 22.25" W, and 2.18" T polyurethane foam. Super heavy glass with a nice gloss coat gives this board some durability and weight.Bottom
The bottom of the board reveals a nice spoon concave in the nose along with a double concave running from about the middle of the board funneling through the tail box.Tail
The tail is nice and fat. It's shaped like a squash with nice hard edges but it still retains some thickness. The squash tail enables the rider to turn on a dime. You find a bit of rocker in the tail too.Nose
The nose is pretty standard. It's thick, round and wide. On the flip side of the board you find the spoon concave which keeps the rider posted with toes over the nose for extended amounts of time. There is a bit of entry rocker in the nose it's slight but necessary.Rails
The rails on a longboard are not normally a big concern. As long as the rails near the tail are sharp enough to handle turns, there isn't much more a rider needs. This board has nice smooth rails throughout the board and they sharpen up about two-thirds down the board and into the tail.
Fins
This board comes with a single middle fin box and an optional tri-fin set up with FCS. Depending on what the rider is trying to accomplish the tri-fin set up isn't normally necessary. The middle fin placement within the box has a huge effect on the performance of the board. Riders wanting to rip should put in a tri-fin set up with a smaller middle fin set towards the front of the box. I put in a large middle fin and set it towards the back of the fin box and I left out the two side fins. The bigger the middle fin the more the board locks into the face of the wave. The farther back the fin is in the box the better results the rider gets when trying to nose ride. While the smaller the middle fin and the closer to the nose you put the fin in box the better results the rider will get for turning.The Test
Paddling
Compared to the shortboard the longboard paddles like a dream. This longboard is a very small version so it doesn't paddle as well as a 9'8" nose-rider but it still gets some good glide and momentum. I usually like to knee paddle but this board can't handle my weight and just bogs down. For its size it paddles well.Catching
The board has just a little rocker in the tail and a bit in the nose. Other than that, the board is relatively flat. It gets a real good glide while paddling and shoots you into the wave to give you plenty of starting speed. Like most longboards, the advantage with this longboard is catching the wave before the peak. However, at the peak or in steeper waves the board will pearl easily. This is after all, a Classic Longboard.
Board Info
Longboard
3 fin
Polyurethane
Ideal Use
Waves: All around
Skill: Novice
Editor:
Surfers:
Add the first review!Riding
This board has an amazing ride. The shape of this board has almost been perfected to allow for such a great experience. While on the wave the board retains its speed which helps in smaller or mushier conditions. The speed is also great for more aggressive carving in small to medium conditions. Because the board is a smaller version, it is also super light. This makes the board a lot easier and more fun to throw around. The Classic Longboard is super responsive and when you stall it will almost come to a stop which will allow the rider to cross step to the nose with ease. This smaller longboard works great for small to medium surfers. The concave in the nose and width still allows the rider to get some amazing nose-riding time. In small to head high conditions, the board is a dream to ride. Anything bigger or steeper and you've got to switch to something more serious.Conclusion
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