GOOD WOOD
We’ve heard all the chatter about eco-friendly foam boards, but we’ve yet to test one that’s proven truly durable. For now, the only sustainability-minded board we love is veteran shaper Gary Linden’s custom-built 6’4″ wooden singlefin. It’s crafted from dead agave foraged from the SoCal desert, which Linden then spends 60 hours hand-building. On the water, the wood made for a smooth ride, taming afternoon chop. The disco-era design made easy work of fast, head-high walls but was fun on small waves, too. Dings are tough to repair, but, on the bright side, the board is worth hanging over the mantel. Custom sizing; lindensurfboards.com