Honesty is the Best Policy

Don’t lie about your abilities to a shaper. They’re not going to judge you because you can’t rip. In fact if you tell a shaper you surf better than you really do they may put you on a board that does not work at all for you or someone of your actual skill level, leaving you with a board that you’re not happy with and guess what: it has nothing to do with the shaper. It’s safe to say that most bad experiences people have with custom shapes or any board for that matter are simply because they were put on a board that does not match their current skill/experience level. Shapers can build you a board that will accelerate your surfing and be more forgiving when and where it needs to if you’re still a novice which will make you a better surfer, so just be honest with the shaper about your skill level and what you’re looking to do with the board.

Location, location, location…

Look for shapers that are nearby and surf the breaks you will be surfing or the types of breaks you surf. Are you going to be surfing long point breaks like Malibu or Rincon? Well, the best shaper might not be the one that surfs and shapes near Huntington Beach or Oceanside. Ask 3 shapers from 3 different areas/breaks to shape you a 9’0 longboard and you’ll get 3 different boards, each one catered to the breaks they’re familiar with. Finding shapers nearby also assures you of being close to the source if you want to discuss designs or questions about your board.

Are you there shaper? It’s me, Margaret.

It’s strongly recommended that you find a shaper you can talk to. Shapers know their designs inside and out and know what subtle changes will do and how they can help make your surfing experience that much more enjoyable. If you can’t get to the shaper (as is the case for many of the bigger names out there) ask to speak with someone high up in the chain of command; someone that knows the shapes just as well as the shaper does, but is a lot easier to approach. Many times surf shop employees are not as well versed in the different shapes as they usually carry several different brands and should not be your only source of information for a particular shapers designs.

Listen Up!!

You think you know what you want, but you probably don’t. Tell the shaper what kind of surfing you’re looking to do, where you’ll be surfing the board and your ability level and then listen to what they have to say. Here’s a great example of why you should listen to your shaper. I recently purchased a shortboard from DOC at Surf Prescriptions. I went in and told him what I wanted in every dimension. I wanted a bigger board so it would float me and paddle better and catch waves easier and so on and so forth. After my rambling DOC said “no, you don’t need that.” DOC proceeded to put me on a much narrower and thinner board than I thought I could surf. The results? The board is hands down the best board I’ve surfed in my life. He knew what I was looking for was not the same as what was coming out of my mouth and because I listened to him and trusted his judgment I now have that magic board in my quiver. So, listen to your shaper when they make suggestions and trust what they say; they’re the key to finding that magic board.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

You should visit with your shaper at least a month before you plan to buy, assuming you’ll get a custom. Custom orders can take a couple weeks up to 6 months, even a year and beyond depending on who it is. Usually the wait is around 30-60 days. Be sure to ask your shaper the turn time before you place your order so you can estimate when you’ll receive the board. If you need instant gratification then you’ll have to buy off the rack. Some shapers are cranking out thousands and thousands of boards a year and your order may be in line with many other custom orders and stock orders for surf shops so you’ll have to be patient. Many times after visiting with a shaper they may refer you to a surf shop to place your order there. There’s no difference in what you’re going to get or how long it takes and you’ll be supporting your local surf shop in the process.

Finding a shaper can be a fun and educational experience if you follow the suggestions above. Everyone is different and every shaper is different, but they all make great boards. Believe some of the hype, but don't base your opinons and decisions strictly on what other people say about a shaper. Go to the source and find out for yourself if the shaper will work well for you and go into the process thinking that it should be a long-term relationship that you can build upon shape after shape. Your shaper will be your surfing guru and will show you the way to the surfing promise land...or at least craft you the tools necessary to get you there!