How much is too much?

I can get a lighter than "carbon" custom surf standup from a well respected shaper for $1,200-$1,400.

A manufactured board, which is not built to my personal dimensions and which is heavier, should cost less.

So I would say anything around $800-$1,200USD for a "carbon" standup would be reasonable.

At this stage I wouldn't pay over $2K for a board. While they may be very light and good quality I just can't justify over $2K.
My board history is as follows (they are all surf sups):-
1st board Top end board - New $1500 on sold for $1K
2nd board Cheaper imported board - New $850 not light weight but a great first performance board still got it for the kids board
3rd board Aussie Custom board - New $1800 - great performer, still got it as my smooth day challenge board
4th board Top end brand Carbon performance board - Second hand $1100 - Still got it and loving it!

In summary there are some great deals to be had on cheaper imported boards but there is also a lot of rubbish among these in terms of both shape and construction ... you need to do your research. Also, you can pick up Top line brand boards second hand at reasonable prices ..... you just have to be patient. If you can afford to pay $3K for a board that's great but they are out of my league.

Mmmm... What a topic! Now to pick my words very carefully. This is my opinion from a middle aged government worker (meaning not great pay), married with 2 preteen girls and really hoping to pay of my mortgage before I retire. New board pricing from the big companies is a f@cking bad joke!!!! There is no way that it is reasonable for what they are asking considering they all come from cheap labour countries in Se Asia.
I believe I'm fairly intelligent as I used to drive planes for the airforce but I'm really getting sick of the old Aussie dollar merry go round excuses, same as we hear daily with petrol pricing. Yes there is r&d concerns we hear about but don't the smaller companies do that too and the custom shops, but they're now $1000 - $2000 cheaper per board!!
I now have 4 boards total, all surf sup and I think that'll do me with a total price of around $3000, including a couple of covers and paddles thrown in too.
First was a 9' 2nd handy for $600 and cover which still have for the kids.
Second was a new 7'11 in bamboo that I somehow cracked down stringer line after a few months and was warrantied instantly when I spoke to the company (local in se qld with numerous shops) and I then upgraded to same size in carbon and it's bulletproof and goes great, and you can buy new for $900.
Then bought a new 10' from a different company on the goldie for the wife and really disappointed. Creased it and holed it in med surf first go and glassing was really thin, definitely a cheaper version of a board. Came with a paddle and cover In a sale for $600. All repaired now and kept for wife or really small days but no confidence in it.
Went back to the previous company and bought a new 7' carbon Simmons on special under $1000 and again, really happy with the quality of build and design. Goes like a rocket and giving me my 20's again, just have to lose some kgs.
I was seriously planning to buy a form of vanguard but the big 3 pricing over $2.5 was simply out of my range and went for the Simmons instead and extremely happy.
On another note, and I realise anyone can get a lemon in any brand, my best mate dropped $1800 for a new big name brand board (won't say to keep fair) and after 3 weeks it discoloured on the entire bottom as well as a few 50c size bubbles. Never left in the sun as he babied it. He went back to the same store and eventually got a new one under warranty but that took 2 months of whinging and negotiations. The service alone there, compared to my one email and new board warrantied 2 days later confirmed for me who I will buy my boards through and I will promote them whenever I can.
My 2 cents worth anyway.

I'll never pay the dollars for a big name branded board that has been shaped/designed by a windsurfer. I've owned a few over the past 5-6 years and they are an absolute joke. The fattest rails and a bottom shape with not much thought - doesn't take Einstein to work out who they are.

Sunova and Deep are the companies in Australia that are making huge inroads into the design and construction of quality boards and the guys who own any of these boards will testify to their hype.

I just think you are a gullible fool to spend +$3,000 on a carbon "big name" SUP. I've seen two carbon boards fold in two with the slightest bump. And then when you see what is actually holding these boards together (the thinnest of materials) you'll never buy another one.

So, if you want to continue to be sucked into the glossy brochures of the big 2 or 3, and ride boards which are just wide & fat glorified sailboards then i'm sure these companies will happily take your hard earned.

There are better products out there, custom shapes are available and the prices are outstanding in comparison.

Good discussion going on here with some very valid points.
For me it's about quality for your dollar, just over a year ago I was looking to replace a wave board (I only surf and only have one) and go down in size slightly.
There were several boards I was looking at but had narrowed it down, that's where the price kicked in. I decided on the Hobie raw at $2000 ($1900 for me).
This compared to $2600+ for the next competitor, Hobie was a far better quality build.
So the things I look for are, shape, weight, materials, who built it and where and of course price.

Too be honest in Australia especially, we are suffering because of the low AU$ but the various importers could do more to read the market and adjust margins accordingly.

I guess we will all vote with our wallets and some of us will always buy the latest, newest model and some of us will stick with what we have or buy secondhand it's a shame really as we all want the latest tech but most of us are struggling to justify spending $3,000 on the latest Starboard carbon hyper nut ! $3,000 for a wave sup it is getting out of hand I guess.

I guess you you could always buy two Deep customs for virtually the same price as a Hyper Nut, JP or Naish. The only draw back is trying to hide two new boards in the garage from the wife.

Markets will change and I hear other factories with lower overheads are being pushed hard on quality control and craftsmanship, this will take time I guess but will come, let's be patient and in the meantime buy Australian

phil

Very good thread this.

Like Supatroopa, I am a self confessed Board Whore who has owned a vast number of boards made by all the big brand names in the past. Most of which i bought new and paid near to, if not full price for. I've still found a few bargains here on the buy n sell, but majority have come off the shelf from a few of the Sydney retailers, all of which will look after you wherever and whenever they can.

Theres been a few occasions where i handed over upward of 2,500 that made me grimace and think to myself, "Geez i hope this board has magic powers that make me surf like Kai." And more often than not, the board went.......Great..... But i still surfed like me.
After surfing these boards for a few months or even a couple of weeks, I've always found myself thinking about the next one that may be that bit better. Always loved A B & C about the board, but not so keen on D & E. So, always end up selling and moving on to the latest and greatest.

But not anymore.

I recently decided to go custom with a local Sydney guy. We talked about a particular size that i always seem to go for, what the big brands do in those sizes, what i have liked and not liked. We sat down together and discussed dimensions that I thought would be right for me and Mick showed me how that could look. Talked tail shapes and bottom shapes and eventually came up with something that we both agreed would work and cover all the bases i had in mind.

I took delivery of this board just over a week ago and can honestly say, i've never been more stoked on any other board!! It performs perfectly, looks fantastic and is made of all the good materials that we pay ridiculous money for....... And at much less cost..... Mick totally nailed it 100 percent!!!

But more on my incredible new stick at a later date.

The whole process has me that excited that I'm already planning the next two sized boards to order. And with the resale i can get on the big brand boards i still have, i can cover the costs and have a fair bit of cash left over. Might even take the wife for a posh dinner.

The main point is that this price hike on big brand boards has come at a great time for our Aussie guys trying to make a living out of shaping. And I'm frothing on the idea of supporting them personally.

And who knows? Maybe it will end up being good for the big guys down the track too. I have been told by guys that work for these brands that Australia is the biggest market for SUP outside the US. If that is true and this years price hikes hurt their sales enough, maybe next year they might pull back a bit and be a bit more reasonable..... I doubt it but anything is possible.

Can't see myself coming back to them either way though. I'm on a Surefire winner

The exchange rate has not changed 30%, so I don't how that can be used as justification.

I wonder if it is good old Australian price gouging. Apple and a zillion other companies price their products higher in Australia (exchange rate and shipping factored in) than the US. Maybe the sup companies have just woken up to the opportunity. Fins cost more. Paddles cost more. So now SUPs cost more.

I couldn't readily find on-line prices in the US for Naish etc., but maybe some of our American breezers could comment on what the prices are doing in the US. Are they also expecting significant price rises?

Great topic! I`ve been on Sups for 5 or 6 years and one thing I`ve noticed is how each year sups seem to ding a lot easier. I know that technology improves and they get lighter but when your paying well over 2g there has to be some sort of durability to the board. I remember my first few Sups being near indestructible and under 2g. Ive always wanted a Starboard Surf SUP but have found they're prices ridiculous and you don't see many in the surf. IMO surf sups shouldn't be over 2000 ( 2500 for the carbons ) and race boards under 3000.

Lets not scare new people to the sport off here too much.
The all rounder from most makers has only gone up 10% this coming season.
There are still many many reasons why beginners should purchase a big name all rounder over a cheaper Chinese import, we all know them. IF not sure it is all over this Forum.

The cheaper import will also increase in price , these are all paid in US currency, along with all our tv,s phones etc etc.

Personally i will take a bit of the increase myself, as i would rather gain a customer over a $150 price increase than loose them to a cheaper Chinese entry level sup package.

So, generally speaking for most people, and if you all had to choose just one factor with all being equal for when deciding on a board, it would basically be price?

To hell with the number of team riders a brand has, forget about the colours/design even perhaps, price is basically king?

Would that be fair?

The answer keeps coming up - buy locally made customs. I'm not supposed to be Supping anymore under medical advice so have no vested interest. I'm selling all mine so that I can't be tempted. Luck, need, restraint and common sense is needed but in very short supply in 99.999% of humans including me. BUY LOCAL you won't regret it.

Leroy... sorry my friend... that totally sucks

I miss your input here.... fare well. I hope you heal and find your way back!