hi im fairly new to surfing, ive been borrowing my friends extra board for a few weeks but now its time to get my own, my surf shop doesnt have any used boards right now but i can get a really (really) banged up one from my other friend. But theres also these boards called liquid shredders at my surfshop and i was wondering if they were any good, if i should keep saving up, or just go with my friends really old dead one.

thanks for any help guys

It all depends on what size / vintage your frineds board is really, and how long it will take you to save up for a new one.

Try to get tour friend to give/lend you the old one for now, at least that way you'll be able to get out in the waves whilst you save up for a nice new board!! The other thing to remember is that you nae more likely to ding a board during the learning phases, so learning on an expensive, brand spanking new board may not be the best option anyway.

Al.

P.S. Never heard of Liquid Shredders, but there are absolutely LOADS of local board shapers around the world, all with their own brand-names so that doesn't really mean anything.

Stickynote - my advice is 'don't rush it' if your friend is prepared to carry on lending you his spare until you find the right board, then great.

Buying the wrong board can badly affect your progression in surfing (I speak from experience). Read up about the different types of boards available and what features do what ie, how thickness/ length/ tail shape/ rocker etc affect the way the board works, then decide on what type of board is going to suit you best.

Then comes the hard part - Wait!! Keep looking around until you find something that is right, try not to compromise too much on what you actually want.

Things to look for if buying second hand are:
- Yellow foam - this means the board is leaking and taking in water
- Obvious repairs such as snapped noses or broken fins
- Check for damage around the tail/ rear section of the rails, this is the key area of the board for turning. Also, some people stand their boards on the tail which can crack the glass.

Small dimples or pressure dings are OK and almost every second hand board will have some of these. As long as the foam underneath is still white, you're OK.

I was so desperate to get my second board, that I bought the coolest looking narrow, thin, fast shortboard and spent years not catching any waves or having very short rides. I finally traded it for a mini-mal and my surfing is rocketing - I got covered up on the weekend!!

The right board is important. Don't rush your decision.