lib tech surfboards

I've wanted to demo one but haven't seen any around where I live. They look pretty wild. I've got a Lib Tech snowboard and it's the best board I've ever owned...any type of board. I bet it's pretty legit.

 

Not a big fan but i have a friend who just got one a couple weeks ago and loves it..and the surf shop that carries them around here have nothing but good stuff to say and those guys are legit..

 

Test ran a 6' bowl series... too much board for me, could have used a smaller size, so can't give much of a review. But what I can say is it feels like a surfboard, paddles like one, and if it last longer, I'm going to at least have one in my collection.

 

I've been heavily into snowboarding since 2005, so I'm well aware of Lib Tech. They're notorious for hyping the crap out of their products...some hype is o.k., but Lib is on another level of hype and most of it has been bullsh*t.

These are just eps/epoxy "pop-out" boards that lib has seasoned with their trademark made up names for "new" and supposedly superior technology. "MILF (Maximum Intensity Leading Foil)" fins...stupid. "Super light fiber-composite cup anodized 6061 T6 aircraft aluminum pin leash plugs"...really? who gives a sh*t about leash plugs? "Dang Difficult 2 Ding (2D2D)" technology...wow. And what's a lib product without the overuse of the word "pop"? I'm surprised they didn't add their absolute favorite word in there: "banana"...they probably will, eventually.

these boards look gimmicky...because they are...like their snowboards. Other than "magnatraction" (and that's for people who ride ice 90% of the time), they're no better than any other brands.

 

Yea, Lib-tech "hypes" their products... but it's really just their marketing style, not intended to be taken too seriously.

Yea, they are "gimmicky", but; their "gimmicks" have actually been quite revolutionary. Banana-tech? Changed the snowboard industry, and EVERY SINGLE board manufactured has copied it. Are you really disclaiming magne-traction because it's only for people who ride ice 90% of the time? Have you been snowboarding on the east coast? That's like saying a surfboard sucks because its only for people who ride 2-3' mush most of the time. Magne traction is f-cking amazing for the conditions we ride.

I don't know how their surfboards are, never tried one, but I would certainly be interested in doing so. "Good pop and higher airs" sounds like BS, but that doesn't mean the board is crap.

 

Only thing i've heard is that they "paddle like a dog", second hand info though, never tried one myself but I have seen their website and it's all about hype, so I think they do themselves a disservice with how they market their product.

 

I'm on my second Jamie Lynn and the thing is a dream. Total cream puff. Mervin makes their stuff in the USA too, which is nice. Dont know anything about the surfboards. To ride one is to know.

 

Bold statements above in regard to Mervin. They revolutionized snowboarding altogether. I'm not saying they will do so in the surfing industry but it's good to see someone putting a twist on things. Did they get carried away with the acronyms and such in their marketing campaign? Maybe...but breaking into the surfing industry isn't easy. Never rode one of their surfboards/waterboards myself as of yet but their snowboards are second to none in my personal opinion (and my old ass has been riding for 28 years).

 

I checked them out in a shop briefly. The sales guy was literally dropping it on the ground and jumping up and down on it, upside down! It seemed indestructible. That being said, the sales guy said that they are still kinda heavy compared to standard PU boards and that they've been a big hit among kite surfers.

 

as harsh as my post may have seemed, I'm not totally anti-mervin. I don't like all the marketing hype, but I do like their current snowboards.

however...their first crop of "banana tech" boards were crap and, for years, they kept changing the shape, without saying anything, because the word "banana" was selling...not the tech, itself. C2/hybrid boards have nothing to do with a banana.

btw, mervin claims to have "revolutionized" snowboarding, but bataleon did the first functional upturned contact points shape with their patented "triple base tech" back in 1999. Mervin also claimed to be the first with C2/hybrid tech, when neversummer was already doing the exact same thing a couple years prior....they just didn't patent it.

 

I really want to try one of these boards. I am into the idea of a board lasting me more than two years, so that is a plus. They seem to have put some good ideas to use here. Yes, they are all about the hype, which is what snowboarding is all about. If you have not noticed, the whole snowboard industry is about hype and getting people to buy into the different crews, thus buying the products they endorse. I have had two Lib Tech snow boards in my day. I usually buy 2 or so snowboards a year because I end up breaking them in half all of the time, or breaking the tails off on landings. I must say that their snowboards are some of the most durable I have ridden. I have only ended up cracking the tails instead of breaking them nearly clean off. With that said though, I don't think they are that great of boards. They always seemed too wide and heavy. They also seem like the construction is really thick making it hard to "feel" rails under my feet when I hop on. Just really clunky rides. I also hate magne-traction, but do love reverse camber boards.
I worked at Smokin' snowboards in Reno, NV for about a year, when I lived in Tahoe, and they have good construction and magne-traction, but seems to be better park boards than the lib's. pics attached are the boards I broke this year.
I have tried nearly every board manufacturers top boards and like Lib Tech's the least. I will not buy another. They seem to be way too popular as well. I hate seeing too many of the board I'm riding on the mountain.
This will not stop me from wanting a lib-tech waterboard though... very interested to try one.

 

btw, mervin claims to have "revolutionized" snowboarding, but bataleon did the first functional upturned contact points shape with their patented "triple base tech" back in 1999. Mervin also claimed to be the first with C2/hybrid tech, when neversummer was already doing the exact same thing a couple years prior....they just didn't patent it.[/QUOTE]


You are totally right about this... Bataleons are good boards, but they break as well. Have had quite a few in past years.

 

Damn dude, that is some impressive board destruction.

 

Never was a fan of any of the Lib reverse camber boards. They never really seemed to "excel" at anything for me. People claim they are good for powder, and they are. However, on a legit powder day, I'm grabbing a directional board with a fat nose, a dedicated powder board. On a groomer/park day, the bananas seemed to squirley at high speeds. When bombing a run or hitting/landing a jump, they just felt out of control. Don't get me wrong, their fun boards, I just never ended up riding mine.

For my few years that I lived out west, I had tons of boards, but 3 of them were staples in my quiver. A Burton Mahlolo for powder, fat nosed directional board, designed to be ridden short in powder, impossible to sink the nose. A Custom X for freeride/groomer/park/sub 8 inch pow days. Best all around board in the world in my opinion. And a dedicated park board for those crappy days that you know your just going to lap the park.

Anyways, there is my snowboard schpeal.

 

I actually own one of these; bought a 5'10" Bowl series on 4/22 from a shop on Hatteras Island. My apologies if this review rambles. I was a bit influenced by the success I've had using their snowboards over the last 10-15 years. I'm 5'10" and 165 lbs, and an intermediate+ surfer, and was originally concerned about the volumes listed by the company. I thought the 6'0" was too big for a groveller, but didn't know if the 5'10" would float me. Turns out it does, with ease, even while I was wearing a 4/3, boots, gloves, and a hood. For some more perspective, this is the 5th groveller I've owned and since buying it, I've started selling my other ones. It's that good. Yeah, there is alot of hype and acronyms and that sort of thing Mervin is known for. But the shape and construction is solid. The concave top provides amazing feel and lowers your center of gravity when paddling in; it's like sitting in a cockpit. The board paddles ok for its size; not bad, not great. BUT, it does catch waves VERY well for a board of this size. It really has a flat middle and tail rocker, and a quickly upturned nose. It's fast. The tail's area helps - it's over 16" wide! I'm owning sections now that I never did before. It really feels lively, yet still smooth across the surface of a wave. All of my maneuvers are faster and more intense than on my PU/EPS boards. I've ridden tuf lite boards (a lib feels way better) and owned 1 firewire (my lib is stonger and more responsive). Sounds like BS, but I've never done any solid airs until riding this piece. Not like it's turned me into the local pro, but wow, it did feel like I got suddenly better. To make some concessions: the fins - not the best. In fact, my center "MILF" fin was not perfectly centered over its anchors, it was sort of cocked off to the left. The shop I bought the board from was on top of it though, and hooked me up with some fcs PC-7s to replace them. Also, the adjustability in the fins is not entirely necessary. Perhaps with more time I'll get the hang of it, but right out of the box, if you dont have the fins centered in the boxes you may be in for some strange handling. That said, I have them centered, and the board is loose and fast. Also, they say it is "dang difficult to ding". After my first re-wax, there were NO pressure dents. Amazing. After my second, there is 1. So, not impossible to ding. Think my trailing heel caused it on a decent drop off the top. It's unfortunate that the board certainly can and does get pressure dings with all the hype that it's indestructible, but it's still looking alot better than most other boards would be at this point. Back to positives - the board waxes well, and the over looks sick. Totally a psychological advantage. At $700, it ain't cheap, but the value is solid. People pay that for PU Lost's and Channel Islands boards all the time, and this one will outlast 2 or 3 of those I'd think. So overall, construction is world class, and I love the shape. Cant comment on the Vert (looks like a 90's high performance), or the Ramp (which looks pretty rad), but if you're looking for a performance advantage in 2-5' waves (3-4' being the true sweet spot), this rig could be for you. I'll keep enjoying the uniqueness of it until Lib gets John John to sign on and ride one at Pipe, and then suddenly everyone in the world will want to own one.

 

Coil > Lib-Tech. Unfortunately, Coil does not have an aerospace aluminum leash plug.

 

^lol

anyway, john john had a epoxy model with Pyzel (read had)...don't think that's ever going to happen with Lib.