How To Choose A Three-Board Quiver
With so many board options on the table, choosing your next whip can feel like stepping into the wolves den; pinched rails this, convex, concave that, hydrodynamics, fin placement, the list goes on – but what if we boiled this all down to just three boards that can round-out your quiver for any wave type?
As Miki Dora once said: “I get stale if I ride one board.” Enter this space-saving, no-nonsense approach to having a few boards that will cover most occasions. Surfboard brands like JS and Pyzel even group their boards together to make it easy, Pyzel's Ghost, Gremlin and Phantom models are a prime example, the Ghost for hollow waves, Gremlin as your groveler and Phantom as your go-to, daily driver. JS has the Sub Xero (groveler), Xero Fusion (performance-based) and Xero Gravity (all-rounder) – in an attempt to work the theory that three boards are all you need.
What the three board quiver doesn't necessarily cover is if you're into some alt shapes, like an asym – that's a very different story, though you could still apply the same working theory. If you're a big wave surfer, you're going to have a few different guns knocking around and something to keep you sharp in the down-time. Either way, as a general rule of thumb, you want something to pick up and use in anything, a small wave board and a board when the waves are more powerful. Let's have a look at what the attributes of these are.
Daily Driver
The Toyota Corolla of your surfboard quiver – safe, reliable, gets the job done while putting a little smile on your face (have you driven a Corolla? Zero points for aesthetic, maximum points for knowing exactly what is it). Your daily driver is the board you sling under your arm to surf out-front. Or pop it in a board bag to travel to wherever. When looking for your daily driver, you're going to want to think about a board that can handle a range of conditions – from waist-high slop, up to head high.
These boards usually have a fuller outline – that's a wider center point and thicker rails – than your usual high performance shortboard, assuming you surf a usual high performance surfboard. This is a board that will get going in weak conditions, but isn't as chunky as the groveler, which is a specific type of board for mushy, crumbly slop. Examples of daily drivers are: JS Xero Gravity, Pyzel Phantom, CI Happy Everyday, Lost Subdriver.
Longboard or Groveler
Your small wave machine – a Toyota Prius, if you will. When the surf runs knee-high, weak and generally crappy, grab this board and go to town. Depending on what you surf will be your next choice of board. If you surf shortboards, day-in, day-out, this is where you enter the groveler – your safe haven when waves become a dribbly mess.
The characteristics of a groveler are often shorter, wider, thicker than your daily driver in order to get moving in the worst conditions. If you're into logging, you'll likely already be set for smaller waves. Most shortboarders prefer having a groveler to keep that performance elements of surfing when the waves aren't great. Examples of grovelers are: Pyzel Gremlin, Lost Puddle Jumper, CI Pod Mod, Firewire Ibolic Neutrino, Hayden Shapes Nova.
Step-Up
Not quite a Ferrari in your quiver, more a Ford Mustang – but with an eco-boost engine. The step-up is for when waves get steeper, hollower and you need more oomph to your paddle. The differences between picking this up to paddle out, and your daily driver are simple: are the waves in the overhead plus range? Great, pick up your step-up. Yet, the step-up has seen somewhat of a decline in recent years. This could be due to the fact that daily driver boards are packed with so much tech nowadays that they can handle scenarios where you'd usually require a step-up.
Or it could be that the waves don't actually get that good frequently in your part of the world, to make up for the cash investment. But like most tools of any trade, there's the right one for the job and a step-up can become an essential part of your quiver. Especially if you want to feel the confidence boost a good wave board gives you in larger surf. If you've never ridden one before, the difference is immediate. Longer rail-line, sometimes thicker under the chest, which allows you to scratch into waves with a bit of meat on the bones. Step-ups are a great way to round out your quiver, especially if you're surfing in powerful waves. Examples of step-ups are: Firewire Spaceship, DHD Sweet Spot, Pukas Space Oddity, Lost Step Driver, CI Pro Step UP.
Bonus! Hybrid Shortboard and Step-Ups
If you're not quite ready to dip into a step-up, consider a hybrid shape to bridge the gap between a shortboard and step-up. These boards, billed as do it all shapes, offer a bunch of volume under the chest to increase paddle power and have a sleeker outline than a daily driver. The rocker is usually flatter too, allowing for some great down the line speed. Add this to your quiver to surf day-to-day waves and when it gets a bit more punchy out back. Examples are: Lost Crowd Killer, CI Faded Step-Up, Firewire Hydronaut, DHD Black Diamond.