Is this the future or... not?
Do you like or dislike traveling with your surfboards? I used to dislike it and extremely but then, just one month ago before a short trip to Baja, I went to my local surf shop, bought a brand-new 5’10 Pro-Lite bag and instantly changed my entire life.
It was heaven! Pure heaven! Two boards fitting safely and snuggly with their fins tucked in a pocked and the whole thing resting easy on my shoulder because designers got smart and crossed the strap across the bag kitty-corner so it wouldn’t swing around and whack the unsuspecting. Not only was it easy, it was sleek and hip, complimenting my Costume National carry-all perfectly.
Before one month ago I would wrap my boards in towels and then put them into a 9 foot coffin that professional snowboarder Travis Rice left at my house and then I would fold the coffin in half and ducktape it down. I hated. Hated. Hated. And hated so much.
All to say an industrial designer just made a new hi-tech new modular surfboard. Let’s read about it in Outside magazine!
…acclaimed designer Thomas Meyerhoffer prefers the word “adventure” when describing his latest surfboard, the 2PRT. His creation splits in two just above the fins to help it pack down for airplanes and buses. But more importantly, the split also makes it modular. Users can combine various nose and tail styles to create the perfect board for all kinds of conditions. Surfers of varying skills and preferences can mix and match nose and tail options to take it from a thruster to a fish to a pintail longboard with ease.
The 2PRT is hardly the first travel-minded board. For a short period of time, Walden sold the Tri-Fold, but it never seemed to take off and is no longer offered. Carbon Compact and North Shore Travel Boards offer segmented surfboards, but both designs require tube inserts and either bolts or clamps to keep everything from falling apart. Meanwhile, the 2PRT uses a slick and simple system where a key loosens a latch that pops up to separate the two ends. Total setup time: 30 seconds tops.
Surfers who travel a lot will love how well the board breaks down. In fact, Meyerhoffer has already designed a golf-style bag that fits two noses and two tails and won’t cost you extra airline baggage fees. (Checking a surfboards runs runs between $75 and $150.) You can also toss the system in the backseat of your Mini when grabbing a few waves before work.
Even if you’re not prone to taking surf trips to Baja or Indo, the 2PRT is worth considering since it allow for a lot of experimentation and adaptability. It can be set up for nearly any kind of wave, which means you can invest in one board instead of a quiver.
I don’t trust this Meyerhoffer adventure character at all. He may understand how things come apart but does he understand rocker, concave, etc.? He ain’t no Matt Biolos or Jon Pyzel or Sharp Eye or… Matt Parker (Album Surfboards) that’s for damn sure. Right? I’ll stick with my brand-new Pro-Lite bag thank you very much.
But what about you?
