Transporting your surfboard on a trip is often a real headache for the surfer. Whether by car, plane or train, a skateboard is a fragile, bulky and difficult object to take with you.
To address this problem, several unique surfboards have emerged: collapsible, foldable, inflatable… numerous options now exist to facilitate travel. A brief overview is provided below:
Detachable surfboards:
Karl Pope: Pope Bisect
Folding surfboards have existed since the dawn of time!
The first takedown surfboard was manufactured by Karl Pope in the United States. Patented in 1964 , Pope then spent nearly 30 years developing an industrial process that allowed him to begin production. Launched in the 1990s, the boards, sold for $1400, were ordered by several hundred American surfers tired of the hassles of transporting their longboards. Assembled from screws and carbon fiber tubing, they were, on paper, cutting-edge technology at the time. However, customer feedback and numerous breakage problems led to the company's downfall. Sued repeatedly, they finally went out of business at the end of 2012.
Nature Shapes: Carbon Compact
Nature Shapes is an American company based on the East Coast of the United States. Their model Carbon Compact The demountable version has been available since 2016. Two carbon tubes fit into the front and rear sections of the board, and titanium screws then lock the assembly in place. The system is robust and provides a very rigid structure. However, customer feedback indicates that using the board can be somewhat uncomfortable. The metal rods stiffen the structure and limit overall performance. Finally, the longboard is sold for $1700, not including shipping from the United States. To order the board, you'll need to make a purchase!
Attach: Piece by piece
Atach is a young Portuguese company developing surfboards that can be disassembled into three pieces. The prototypes presented so far are shortboards, and they seem to work quite well!
However, the Atach boards are not yet commercially available. The price of the board, delivery times, or locking mechanism are not shown in the videos. We may have more information very soon!
Newave: French demountable boards:
Newave boards can be disassembled into three pieces. The company offers mini-Malibu and Longboards which assemble in less than a minute without any external tools. The W-shaped fixing system allows for good transmission of forces and locking is achieved with a small pin which then integrates into the rail of the board.
A unique feature is that the Newave detachable models are compatible ! Therefore, it is possible to interchange the tail and nose of the boards to adapt your equipment to the conditions.
Finally, the boards come with a A custom-made backpack that allows for easy and optimized transport . Weighing less than 8kg, the entire set allows for simple travel without additional costs.
Folding surfboards
Aethia outdoors A young startup on the American West Coast recently developed a foldable surfboard. A hinge system allows the board to fold into two pieces for easier transport.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign and a partnership with skimboarding legend Brad Domke, the company has now entered the production phase. However, the website was recently taken offline and the Instagram account hasn't been updated in five months. We hope the company is doing well!
Inflatable surfboards:
With the explosion of inflatable paddleboards, inflatable surfboards began to flood the market. Decathlon, Gong… most of the leading brands have developed An inflatable surfboard . However, customer reviews are very poor. The boards lack rigidity and the rails have incorrect geometry. The constraints of the inflatable structure prevent manufacturers from creating sharp angles. Consequently, the boards lack grip because the rails are too rounded.
In conclusion, numerous solutions exist to reduce the bulk of the boards Surfboards have emerged in recent years. Inflatable, foldable or collapsible, many alternatives now exist! If Newave boards have caught your eye, feel free to learn more about their manufacturing process by visiting the innovation page from our website!
