Surf Shops. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

[Dane]

A few months back I ordered a new kneeboard from Neil Luke and the crew at Island Surf on Phillip Island. Nothing unusual about that other than it’s about a 3 hour drive from Geelong which is 20 minutes from Torquay and no shortage of surf shops and shapers.

I went to Island Surf based on the long-standing reputation of Neil as a shaper. What I got was an extraordinary level of personal attention and a board that exceeded expectations. I’ve posted my satisfaction in other forums.

Last Saturday I dropped a fin; I suspect a victim of a reef break that I was surfing. It was no ordinary fin but a Speedfin. In checking with a couple of the local shops I found one that stocked them and was advised that a) they only come in pairs and b) the damage was $144.

On a hunch I called the guys at Island Surf and without any drama they sold me a single fin over the phone and had it in my mail box 24 hours later. The discount was also really appreciated. Outstanding!

So come on…let’s have the good, the bad and the ugly. Name the good ones; they deserve the accolades. Don’t name the bad ones; you don’t need the law-suit.

Dane.

[KAVA]

the good: froghouse in newport or chuck dent in HB both carry kneeboards as does the greenroom in newport (but over priced).
dean cleary in santa ana does a great job at an affordable price (he sells over the net and in local shops so he doesnt count as an actual inland shop lol!).
the bad: anything in a mall or east of the 405 fwy in OC that calls itself a "surf shop". I tend to not like boardshops for boards (ie: HSS and jacks) as the markup is huge! and custom is always better!

the ugly: surfshops in the (909), (951) and (818) area codes lol!

[john -]

good stuff Dane!

Im building a relationship with Ross at Rasta surf shop in Barwon Heads - he stocks mostly Ocean and Earth and I dont mind their stuff - good to have a shop owner onside for the as Ross would say "to maintain the Love' - the 10% or so discounts as regular help too

Ross is the glasser of his companies boards, so for ding repairs and possible restration work - again having a good vibe going is worth it

"Murfs" at Ocean Grove is not bad either - good guy

strangely both are ex kneelos now longboarders - both have interesting versions of spoons hanging from their cielings and general history o surf stuff


and then "Zaks" up in Melbourne - super guy - emerging surfshop and own brand boards and hardware

[ScottMac]

..

[kneemor]

Clairemont Surf in San diego and Surf Hut in Imperial beach consistenly have the best products.

Being both a stand up and kneelo I find it nice that these shops recognize other forms of surfing and accept custom orders from their in house and third party shapers. I will probably get flamed but here it goes - Kneeboarding is not the only form of surfing and judging a shop based on their stock of kneeboards or kneeboard accesories is a bit short sided.

Surf Hut has the best selection of any shop I have been to and I have been to shops from coast to coast.

[eqKneelo]

"SUPPORT THE SHOPS THAT SUPPORT THE SPORT!"
Period.
If a shop carries kneeboards, or deck pads, or even just a couple copies of NOW&THEN, make the drive and buy your wetsuit/boardshorts/leashes ect.... and tell the manager that's the reason you shlepped over there. Owners might just commision a couple shapers to put some new kneeboards on the rack if they are gonna move more soft goods as a result.... that's where the money is.
EQ

[john mann]

If your ever in the NorthXNorthWest, its Cheka-Looka,Seattle, or Jerry for points South....

[Jerry]

The only kneeboard I've ever seen in a surf shop here was on the used rack.... and it was mine. But it sold. [ thanks, John ]

[HERBYJ]

I have had a similar experience with Island and Neil.My kneeboard originally had glassed in fins, Neil later recommended putting in FCS fin boxes to get greater flexibility with the choice of fins.Not only did he put the boxes in for a good price he also gave me a discount for the fins that were removed.

I also lost a FCS fin while I was in southern New South Wales and the local shops didn't have the fin in stock. Tom Tyrell sold me a single fin, wholesale price, over the phone and it was in the post that day.

I have had a number of other dealings with these guys and they are very fair, service is good and the price is right.

Another organisation that I had had great after sales service with is Ripcurl.They guarantee the seams of their wetsuits for the life of the suit. My wetsuit is about four years old. I mailed it to them for some seam repairs.They acknowledged receipt of the suit and completion of the repair via email and it was delivered to my door in three odd days.Free repair and delivery on a four year old suit plus they fixed a couple of small nicks not bad!

[john -]

Herby

I have had similar experience with rip curl - sewed up a seam and did some glueing for gratis

[Sparrow]

Well said EQ.
Support those who support us

[toofast3]

I think you better help from a hole-in-the-wall shops. The shop I go to is called Rhino Chaser in O`side. Small shop and very personable.I ordered a board from him a couple yrs back and when he was pricing it out, he said that he would put his own brand name on it. He`s one of the main shapers for Dick Brewer surfboards. By doing that, it saved me a 100.00 dollars. Last sat, I went in and ordered another board. I spend 3 hrs with him going over what I wanted and what he thinks will work for me. He told me to stop by anytime and take a look to see if it what i`m after.
He as also fine tuned the boards that I have shaped, at NO cost. So if I need something, he`s the first shop I go to....

[tatawill]

I am just ready to start surfing. I visited two stores in Seattle. This one I really liked:

www.wavehoundssurf.com
The salesperson was really nice and very patient. In comparison to the other places the prices seem to be reasonable. I decided to rent the equipment for now.

[surfhorn]

My vote goes with John Mel's Freeline Design Surf Shop. After riding a variety of boards, I've been with Freeline since 1971.

More than jsut a surf shop, its a family buisness - an extended family.
Couldn't ask for more honest and sincere people than John and Kim Mel.

[KAVA]

Just got home from dropping my flashpoint off at "the froghouse" in Newport Beach, CA (broke a fin off and plug ) and saw they had 6 brand new romo's on the rack for those interested. when I told TK (the owner) that the current trend in the kneelo community was the forward placement fins he about lost it! heh! heh! said i should have told him before he got the 6 romo's in anyhow, the romo's range in size from 5'4 to 5'9 . there were 5 quads and 1 tri and they looked pretty nice.

sure would be nice to get some forward thinking boards in there (blast, flashpoint, or parkes???) hint!* hint*