The Summer of Wavestorm in North OC. Cosco is crowding the beaches.

[Zooport]

I can't believe how many Wavestorm surfboards I have seen at the beach this summer.  It's like Cosco has bought the rights to the Pacific Ocean or something.  Everywhere I looked this summer, there was one hanging out the back of a car, or being carried on the beach.  You can't miss the blue and white stripes.  Hardly anyone was riding one worth a darn, but they are everywhere. 

I think Cosco is single-handedly adding to the crowd factor around here.  Anyone else notice this in your area?

[Rolf]

Ya same in Pacific N.W....the nightmare we didn't wake up from 

[TallDude]

And boogie board sales are down. I definitely look at the white and blue as a bird in the line-up. They will half halfheartedly turn to catch a wave, make a couple of strokes and nothing. There are surfers, sup'rs and then the blue and white obstacles. Other that getting blocked from time to time, at least they don't have attitude. I've surfed one a once. They are very slippery, and I hardly make a bottom turn with out just sliding off the board. Your not going to get hurt if one hits you either.

[TonyGring]

And boogie board sales are down. I definitely look at the white and blue as a bird in the line-up. They will half halfheartedly turn to catch a wave, make a couple of strokes and nothing. There are surfers, sup'rs and then the blue and white obstacles. Other that getting blocked from time to time, at least they don't have attitude. I've surfed one a once. They are very slippery, and I hardly make a bottom turn with out just sliding off the board. Your not going to get hurt if one hits you either.
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Bought one for my wife for that reason- They don't hurt you.  She only likes FLAT water so we do SB Harbor ,etc.  She's happy and comfy on it. She was scared of the nice epoxy custom I got for her prior.  So it goes.....

[PonoBill]

I've seen good surfers on them, and I've seen great surfers on them. I think they're wonderful. Twenty years from now the world champions in every aspect of surfing will have started on a wavestorm.

[capobeachboy]

They are far better than the Doyle and BZ soft boards we used to use in surf camps and jr guard programs, and I'd rather see a beginner on one of those than a waterlogged dinged up longboard in the lineup.  Like Pono said some guys can really ride them.  There's a couple kids at Poche that ride them finless and do helicopters all over the place.  And if you haven't seen the great Lowers takeover of 2011 you have to check it out:


Kind of like SUPs at Salt Creek for the BOP !

[TallDude]

And the wave storm shapes have even improved from then. They have a little more nose rocker, and a pulled in tail. They are a pretty decent fun board design.

[jumpfrom13k]

You better start praying that they don't start picking up the Wavestorm SUPs. The whole package starts at 500 bucks. Fully refundable. Comes with everything. Believe me dude, the wavestorm surfboard is only a start.

[TallDude]

I think wave storms are typically for the non-committal types. It won't see much more than a rack in the garage.

[Old School 213]

I spent a morning this last weekend proning between Blackies and 50th street. There must have been 100 of these things in the water with riders ranging from grinning groms being pushed into waves by dad to competent surfers picking off the peeling lefts near the jetties. It was great watching the stoke on the kids faces. For $99 they are hard to beat.

As for seeing them on cars, I agree with you Zoo. Of all the cars I see, half have surf racks, half of those have boards on them. Three quarters of those have at least one wavestorm.

Where do old wavestorms go to die? Could this be the next environmental crisis?

@ Pono - Could be the platform for a "one design"?

[outcast]

Jamie O'briens fault....hilarious the first few years

[RATbeachrider]

When the local breaks are fun and crowded, WS is the way to go.  You dont have to worry about dings, etc.

[PonoBill]

You better start praying that they don't start picking up the Wavestorm SUPs. The whole package starts at 500 bucks. Fully refundable. Comes with everything. Believe me dude, the wavestorm surfboard is only a start.

$395, and I've seen them for $295 when the company has a promo dude shilling them. Pick up that and a vitamixer and you're gold.

[JayInSoCal]

I've surfed my Wavestorm SUP a few times and it's actually not terrible.  The rails are sharp, you can make a decent bottom turn, and play on the face a little.  I would never use it as a primary board, but it's fun to try something different.  It soaks up a lot of water though, so it always ends up weighing 5lbs more post session and will drip dry for the next week. 

[PonoBill]

I was going to pick one up at Costco in Dana Point just for fun--and to surf in that smashing rocky stuff at the point. I figured I could give it to a kid or something when I left. On Monday there was a huge stack in the beachy section and another near the entrance at $395 w/ paddle and leash. When I went back Wednesday they were all gone.