Tag Archives: The Surfboard Warehouse

Surf Expo. Sept. 2014 Top Picks

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First, my apologizes for being gone so long. I’ll do better to keep the posts coming from here on out. To get back into gear I wanted to review my top pics. from Surf Expo. Sept. 2014.

There was TONS going on, with the industry party at Typhoon Lagoon Friday night being at the forefront of the excitement. However the free massage(s) for myself and The Surfboard Warehouse crew in the Surf Expo PBC lounge on Sat. afternoon were a very close 2nd. While for us Surf Expo is completely about surf, we did cruse through the wake section for a bit to check out the Wake Board Boats and I have to give crossover company Body Glove props. for their Wake Board Boat, it was epic for sure.

Something a bit different this year was the number of dogs on the floor. Next year we’re bringing our warehouse pup Cookie for sure. Must have seen at least a dozen dogs in various booths and cruising the floor, it’s pretty epic to have the K-9 interaction. Props to Surf Expo, we hope it continues next year.

We viewed a lot of new products, from companies like Dakine, Billabong, Rainbow Fins and more who all had a strong presence at Expo and while we love all of our vendors, Body Glove gets some more love as their board short line for 2015 is going to be sick. I managed to get a pic. with my favorite pair of board shorts, in two different colors which land is stores next year.

(the body Glove Girls did not sway my decision what so ever.) Anyway, here at The Surfboard Warehouse we’ve decided to get into soft goods next year and we’ll be starting with both Dakine and Body Glove Board Shorts. Thanks for checking out the blog as always feel free to leave your comments and We’ll See you in the Water! Peace.

FCS MF-1 Fins - What’s HOT Part 1

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The FCS MF-1 Fins (Mick Fanning’s signature fins) haven’t been on the market long, but they’ve made a HUGE impact. As I am sure you’re aware Mick Fanning is one of the most popular surfers on the Wold Tour right now, some tout him as being the worlds fastest surfer, making sections that will blow your mind. So, when we found out that Mick was going to become part of the FCS family we were stoked! As anticipation built around what his FCS signature MF-1 Fins would look like and how they would ride we began to wonder how popular they would be. Well now that we’ve had time to look back at our sales we can say that the FCS MF-1 Fins are one of our most popular fins right now! With their cool blue ascetic and larger size for both bigger surfers and/or bigger waves, the FCS MF-1′s are definitely a fin that you should add to your quiver for the bigger days. With Hurricane season upon us you better believe I got the MF-1 Fins in the back of my mind!

*Congratulations to Mick for winning the 2012 Tahiti Pro!

What does The Surfboard Warehouse Stock?

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Hey Guys, we get a lot of questions about what our stock levels are and what exactly we have in stock, so I figured I would answer them. We stock as much as possible and within the next week or so we’re going to be closing on our NEW 4,100 sq. warehouse! Once that’s done we have plans to triple our inventory within the next 2 months and get actual video of the place up on the web so you can see for yourself! That being said we have TONS in stock now, from Travel Surfboard Bags to Surfboard Day Bags to FCS, Future Fins and Kinetik Racing Fins! We try to keep everything in stock at all times, (example we just had a 110+ piece fin shipment come in from Kinetik) but with manufacturers currently running lean and mean, managing our own inventory becomes tricky. However, our volume is SO good that we have about two shipments a week coming in from various manufactures including FCS, Futures, Dakine, Creatures, Billabong and most of the rest of the manufacturers we carry. So, if we don’t have “it” you can be sure we’ll be getting “it” back in within a day or two. That’s just how we roll! Peace.

Become a Fan on Face Book and WIN!

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Hey Guys! Just wanted to throw this out there, all you have to do to WIN BIG is become a fan of ours on Facebook. (http://www.facebook.com/pages/TheSurfboardWarehousecom/92766694066) Just ask Victor Rodriguez who just won our Destination Surf GRAND PRIZE! Victor won his choice of ANY Destination Surf Travel Bag, Destination Surf Traction and Destination Surf Leash! All in all worth well over $200.00 and all he had to do was become a fan of us on Facebook! It’s easy, so get in NOW before we start our 4th. of July Swell Shell contest. We don’t have the specifics nailed down quite yet, but it looks like we’ll be GIVING AWAY a Swell Shell! If you’re unfamiliar with Swell Shell, they’re only the COOLEST Surfboard Hard Cases on the market! Check our site for more details and friend us on facebook for your chance to win!

FCS Fins, Original Art, Original Pics.

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Hey Guys! You’ll be soon seeing MANY more changes, (some of which are taking place now) with our site and its ORIGINAL content. We’ve started with our FCS Fin section. There you’ll notice that things are looking a bit different than what you’re used to seeing. Why is that you ask? Well, because we have begun taking our own FCS Fin images as well as making enhancements to our current FCS Fin images so that you the customer get a better feel for what you’re looking at. With online businesses, the manufacturer will often supply photos of their products that a shop can use on their web site. That’s GREAT! However what happens is that online shops tend to take advantage of this and what you end up with is a world where everyone on the Net is using the SAME product images… BORING! Well, you know that we at The Surfboard Warehouse INNOVATE! In this case that means bringing you better, crisper, original, different, FCS Fin product photos! You’ll also begin to notice our site using MORE of our UNIQUE watermarks as the process continues. This is because we don’t want any one imitating us! Yes, it’s harder doing things with originality, but we won’t stand for the status quo. Please let me know what you think! Below is a link to our FCS Fin section that’s being revamped as we speak! Thanks again!

http://www.thesurfboardwarehouse.com/c-8-fins.aspx

Surf Mag. article in the cards?

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Check it out! I won’t say who, but I have been talking with the editor of a MAJOR surf Mag. and I MIGHT (key word MIGHT, nothing’s set in stone yet) have a monthly article appearing about surfboard fins! I appreciate ALL of your support with my writing in the past, hopefully I have refined it enough that my writing can make the cut! Here’s a sample piece that I wrote for the Mag. Let me know what you think!

Words from a Finatic™

Are fins important? ABSOLUTELY. Should you change them based on real time conditions? ABSOLUTELY. If you want to take your surfing to the NEXT level, fins are the key. Fins allow YOU to use one board across multiple conditions. Do I work for a fin company? lol NO. Do I surf, do I experiment with my fins more that anyone you’ve ever met? YES. Do I catch more waves? Do I push my own limits? YES. We won’t get into the “how” I have access to ALL of FCS’s, Future’s and Kinetik’s fins, just know that I do. Google “Finatic”™ if you like, otherwise take my word for it.

Now, let’s get the OBVIOUS out of the way, “Is it just hype, GREAT marketing by the fin companies in order to get YOU the consumer to buy Fins?” NO and YES. It is HYPE and it is GREAT marketing; but will fins change your surfing? ABSOLUTELY, the HYPE is for real. FCS, Futures and Kinetik Racing Co. all have signature fins. Why? To sell more fins?!? YES. But, it’s also because the BEST surfers in the world can tell the difference a few millimeters can make. They can tell the difference in a fins’ template, in a fins’ size, in more rake, less rake, more cant, less cant, more flex, less flex, more sweep, less sweep. Their feet feel it and if you pay close attention yours can too. (Tip of the day: A THIN traction pad will also help you “feel” your fins.)

First and foremost let’s not buy into a “Magic Fin”. Kelly is amazing, I mean my God did you see the MASSIVE no handed 360° air he pulled at the Quicksilver Pro. New York? I watched it over and over again and it was done on the FCS K-2.1 PC Quad. MAYBE even with the new Knubster as a 5th trailer fin. I’m certainly not the first one to call him a FREAK, but he is. Are his fins the key? Simple answer, for HIM, YES, for you, maybe not. I have been told that most professional surfers refine their fin templates over the course of 6 months to a year!! That means those fins are DEFINITELY dialed in for them, for you however, maybe not.

So, what’s the BEST approach to fin experimentation? How can you get pointed in the right direction, trying fins that are the best for YOU? First, identify your “problems”. Maybe you’re a pro. and you don’t “think” you have any problems… FINE. lol Then what are your weak areas? What do you want to do better? Start there, identify what you need from your board, chances are you can get “it” by changing up your fins. Next, look in the mirror. lol Seriously though! Look at your body type; are you a grom, or light weight? Are you a middle weight? Or are you a HEAVYWEIGHT? Use the guides that FCS, Futures and Kinetik give you. The FCS JW-1’s are AWESOME. I love them in a bit smaller surf, but if you’re a “Grom” or a “Big Guy” steer clear, they’ll be too stiff or too loose as the case maybe. The JW-1’s are a mid ranged fin! You like Jullian Willson, (who doesn’t right now) YOU like the pop of the orange and black ascetic, GREAT, but if you’re a grom or a Heavy Weight they’re NOT for you. I am 6’2”, 170 lbs. I am border line a LARGE surfer; I would only even consider these fins in smaller surf where I need my board to be a bit loose.

SO, what’s the take away? Do you have more questions now than you did at the beginning of this article?!? GOOD, YOU SHOULD! That means you’re thinking about your surfing… That means you’re thinking about your fins, which are quite possibly the most important finishing touch to a good board. TRUST ME, a fin change can make a good board GREAT, or a GREAT board terrible. (If you’re not choosing wisely) A fin change can allow you to make the section you’ve been having problems making. A fin change can add drive or loosen things up. The RIGHT fin change can change your surfing.

Chris Hough Founder & CEO of www.TheSurfboardWarehouse.com

The Home of Finatic™

Thoughts?!? Feedback?!? You know it’s always welcome… Thanks again!

Feast Day and SALE Fins.

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What is Feast Day? Well, Feast Day was born today 3/1/2024 at The Surfboard Warehouse! We decided that since pay day is the 1st., since we’re all trying to eat a bit more healthy (I personally am in the middle of P90-X) and because we just wanted to have steaks today, we declared the 1st. day of EVERY month FEAST DAY! (Once again proving I am the best boss ever, as the company paid for all the food. lol) So, if you would like to celebrate with us it’s pretty simple. On the first of every month make an ENORMOUS (and at least attempt to make it healthy) lunch. Then, email us or post on my blog, how you celebrated. (What you had to eat) It’s that simple! Today we fired up the grill out back and all had Steaks, Chicken, Baked Potatoes, Kiwi, Peaches, Strawberries and Carrots and let me tell you Feast Day was celebrated in all it’s glory! Chalk up one for The Surfboard Warehouse, once again innovation NOT imitation! Between that and the fins we currently have on SALE we’re simply the best company EVER! (You know I had to throw a product plug in there some where)

Changes to www.TheSurfboardWarehouse.com!

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Hey everyone! Just wanted to drop you a line and talk about some MASSIVE design changes that we’re making to www.TheSurfboardWarehouse.com. First, we have removed the flash from the header entirely so that we can more easily change the graphics at the top to highlight new products, sales, and special features. With the flash gone our website will run smoother AND you can see EVERYTHING on your i-Pad! Other design changes will include things YOU have asked for! Such as, more contests, a search feature, pricing on EVERY page, some minor shopping cart changes, and Finatic adjustments. Currently, you will see some new graphics at the top highlighting Finatic, our hats, AND fins that we currently have on sale! So keep it here at The Surfboard Warehouse; we LISTEN to you, make changes, and then do it all over again. WE EVOLVE, if you’ve read my posts before you know I’m about innovation NOT imitation and that’s what we’re doing, innovating. If there’s any other functionality YOU think our site should have PLEASE drop me a line, (my PERSONAL email is below) without “you” there would be no “us”, so thank you! Your questions, comments, praises, and concerns are always welcome.

Chris@TheSurfboardWarehouse.com

Surfing Gulf Side!

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Hey Guys! You may or may not know that The Surfboard Warehouse is located (well we’re EVERYWHERE, but our actual warehouse) is on the gulf coast of F.L. So, when the deep Gulf buoys hit 8ft. at 8 sec. two nights ago and the forecasts called for offshore winds here locally, you know we were on it. We hit up an island around here known for good shallow sandbars and BELIEVE me, it barrels on the Gulf coast. So, rewind to 7:00 am yesterday morning and myself and an employee of mine (I’m a great boss!) were paddling out all alone into nearly perfect 3ft. to 5ft. surf; I used my trusted old Dakine Daylight Deluxe Day Bag that I have for getting my board to the beach, while Cody used a Creatures Day Bag. I tried one of FCS’s new Leashes and Cody went with a Dakine Team Kainui Leash. We BOTH used some fins from Finatic to see what we thought about them. Cody went with the Futures F4 Black Stix, while I choose to try the H3 Nexus Large Fins. FINATIC IS AWESOME!! As I expected NONE of our equipment let us down and I can still personally vouch for anything we sell that I’ve tried. Oh yea! We used Famous (Cool Water) Wax along with a West Lotus 3/2 and I pulled a brand new Billabong SGX Zero 403 for myself. (What can I say I get cold easy…lol) It was 55 +/- in the morning with 65 +/- water temp and we were both pleasantly warm. In retrospect, I am the best boss, I have the best job EVER, AND we have the BEST surf products on the market. Hey, someone has to do some product testing around here. ;) We (at The Surfboard Warehouse) refuse to sell junk, so I gotta personally try it, that way my company can stand behind it. Take it from me, if we sell it, it won’t disappoint!!

Quiksilver & Matuse are HERE!

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Check it out! We now offer Matuse and Quiksilver Wetsuits! Matuse jumped on board about a week ago. While it took Quiksilver a bit longer to come around, on Fri. they did! (You might remember Quiksilver approved us a while back. Well, due to some red tape it took a while for the official word to come down, but now it has!) Our Matuse Wetsuits are up and ready to go. Our web guys are feverishly working on getting our Quiksilver Wetsuits up! If you’re looking for an ULTRA premium suit, give Matuse the once over for sure! With Quiksilver, you know you’re getting a product that stands the test of time. They also have the Kelly card! Need we say more?!? Both Quiksilver and Matuse join our already INSANE line of Wetsuits that include: Billabong, West, Hurley and Body Glove. The Surfboard Warehouse is QUICKLY becoming THE place to get a new Wetsuit! We have a few more tricks up our sleeves so stay tuned! In the meantime, if you need a Wetsuit, look no further!