Liquid Force Surf Boards

[skippabcool]

Curious if anyone has any experience with the custom Liquid Force surf boards? The Custom Thruster, Custom Quad, or the Chase Sixer.

[Ben Holloway]

I had a liquid force custom thruster, I wanted to like it but it just plain sucked... super slow, not very responsive and a consant struggle to keep in the wave. I have also ridden the 4'10" single fin custom board and didnt think it was too terrible at all, good speed with a sort of skim feel but it still wasnt my style.

[Allan Kendall]

Skip, If you can spend the $ on a custom...its worth every penny!

[Allan Kendall]

as in Soulcraft, Idol, Mendo, TWP, Shred Stixx Custom (hand build in Texas)....anything out there that is just stamped is being left behind. Truly a night and day difference in feel...

[skippabcool]

Custom seems the way to go but it seems that the "stamped" ones are being improved from what they were. When I first started looking a couple years ago I was interested in a Shred Stixx or TWP. Interesting now that the LF Sixer looks similar to a Shred Stixx. I would think that it can't be that bad of a board if Chase is doing as well as he is. It can't all be the lure of sponsorship. I don't know for sure but I was under the impression that the LF customs are handmade. Maybe a good question is what exactly is a custom? Is it board that is made to a riders height, weight, boat, etc..? Even at that I would think that you run the risk of a board not fitting.

I know Timmy likes his Bomb Pop and I have seen good reviews for the Soul Craft.

As for the money, they are all expensive, yet unless you are doing custom art etc.. are similarly priced, unless you can get a "stamped" on sale.

[Surfdad]

anything out there that is just stamped is being left behind. Truly a night and day difference in feel...

Way too general and inaccurate. Compression molded is an issue, but not from the molding operation, it's because the core is often just melted bits of scrap plastic scavanged from other manufacturing operations.

Most skim style boards are open molded, even the bottom skins, if attached separately, are molded.

Nick's Walzer was a molded operation, all P5's have a molded component, so do Victoria's.. All Inland Surfers are molded including all of their skim style boards.

Also the board in question, the custom thruster isn't molded at all, it's machine shaped, just like all the folks listed above as being custom and the best. Machine shaping isn't the cuplrit, it's certainly easy enough to do those poorly, though. The issue is design and end game. If the manufacturer is striving to sell 5,000 units at $100 of course they'll use compression molding. Makes sense, plus they don't care if some pundit calls them crap, they are taking their profits to the bank! BUT that doesn't mean that molding or pop outs can't be done well, just like machine shaping doesn't mean the board will be superior, it's certainly easy enough to do them poorly.

A CNC or a MOLD is nothing more than a tool and doesn't dictate the board being BAD, but both can be used to create crap and both can be used to create excellent boards.

[Timmy!]

The best thing to do is go out with Squid and try some out and see what you like. I didn't like the Shred Stixx at all after riding it and it was originally at the top of my list of new boards. Everyone likes something different.

[Timmy!]

Skippa does have a Lakewakes board with 2 styles of fins for it...

[NICKYPOO]

Way too general and inaccurate. Compression molded is an issue, but not from the molding operation, it's because the core is often just melted bits of scrap plastic scavanged from other manufacturing operations.

Most skim style boards are open molded, even the bottom skins, if attached separately, are molded.

Nick's Walzer was a molded operation, all P5's have a molded component, so do Victoria's.. All Inland Surfers are molded including all of their skim style boards.

Also the board in question, the custom thruster isn't molded at all, it's machine shaped, just like all the folks listed above as being custom and the best. Machine shaping isn't the cuplrit, it's certainly easy enough to do those poorly, though. The issue is design and end game. If the manufacturer is striving to sell 5,000 units at $100 of course they'll use compression molding. Makes sense, plus they don't care if some pundit calls them crap, they are taking their profits to the bank! BUT that doesn't mean that molding or pop outs can't be done well, just like machine shaping doesn't mean the board will be superior, it's certainly easy enough to do them poorly.

A CNC or a MOLD is nothing more than a tool and doesn't dictate the board being BAD, but both can be used to create crap and both can be used to create excellent boards.

Werd.

I do have to admit that I like the look of the LF skimmers. I've ways been partial to Redmond shapes so, I would like to have a go on one.

[Allan Kendall]

SURFDAD,
Thanks for the Forum education..always learning.

SKIP,
End of the day the properly marketed produced boards have a place and can be an amazing product. Some of (my) favorite boards are available to anyone in the world. (example FLYBOY)..

CNC, whatever Tools aside, custom can be a lot of things: Your style, experience, wake, height, weight...= for you not 300 other people.

Imagine SURFDAD offering to make a board just for you....all his resources, experience and craftsmanship all at your disposal = Custom

Hell I want one...what do you say SURFDAD, build for us...not them? (well and for James of course).lol

I'm not trying to come across as a self proclaimed master of wake surfing or builder of boards. I don't have to be.
The boards represent the builders...

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

[Surfdad]

@ Nick, Jimmy is really working hard at wakesurfing. We'll see what his offerings are link in a few years.

@ Squid, agree 100% on NON-STOCK shapes, if you can get one shaped for you, your boat and how you ride, that is perfection. BUT that isn't a function of the build methodology. Molding, whether it be close or open, can be used to produce one off custom boards for folks and also be tailored with things like flex, etc, as well as can a CNC machine or a blank and an electric planer.

[skippabcool]

CNC, whatever Tools aside, custom can be a lot of things: Your style, experience, wake, height, weight...= for you not 300 other people.

Imagine SURFDAD offering to make a board just for you....all his resources, experience and craftsmanship all at your disposal = Custom


TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

All good points but how do you try before you buy if it is built specifically for you?

[konajay]

Good question... I was wondering the same thing.

[Allan Kendall]

SKIP,

ever been fitted for a suit? well its not that easy.lol

You ride demo cores that will be used for your build, then the builder can make changes to your needs and likings..

My Sex Panther (by Soulcraft) started with a Jetty core...no where close now.

[skippabcool]

SKIP,

ever been fitted for a suit? well its not that easy.lol

You ride demo cores that will be used for your build, then the builder can make changes to your needs and likings..

My Sex Panther (by Soulcraft) started with a Jetty core...no where close now.

Yes,I have. Makes sense. For your Sex Panther has it been modified more than once?

I am guessing for most people a custom is what they order online or over the phone. Maybe telling them how they surf and what they would like to do. Not what you offer, to ride different boards and then be able to build a Frankenstein, in a good way, of what they would actually want. Next question would be then once you get it and it doesn't do what you expect then what? With a suit it is fitted to you and you know the size from the fitting. For example lets say you don't want a swallow tail from the demo boards you have ridden but then on the board that you get you realize that it didn't perform to how you expect it to work.

Hopefully this is not being viewed as negative. To me this is very informative.

I wished I had visited Soulcraft when I was in Boise last. Now they have moved to a place I don't travel too.