Costco Surfboards Direct From China

Filed in: Surfing Trends | On: May 21st, 2007 | Comments:
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The June 2007 issue of Surfer Magazine has shed light on one of the negative points of Clark Foam’s closure. While Clark’s closure has opened the doors for a variety of foam producers and pushed experimentation with new composite materials, old barriers are now gone and imported surfboards have an easier entry into the U.S. surfing market. Costco has been selling cheapo beginner type surfboards in California and Hawaii since 2001.� The Realm� established itself as a cheap Costco brand after selling out by mass-distributing their boards throughout various Costco warehouses and even Gordan & Smith boards have made it through the aisles.

Costco predicts that it will sell between 7,000-8000 surfboards this summer and sheds an even greater problem in the surfboard industry; the invasion of cheaply made Chinese surfboards. China, which was once the ‘Sleeping Giant’ has obviously awakened with their economy growing at full steam. The Chinese have taken notice of surfing’s recent popularity explosion and there are now more than 60 Chinese shapers in the communist country. These shapers are currently being trained by some of the best surfboard production names and while none of the 60 Chinese shapers have ever surfed before let alone seen an ocean before, all of their shaping is done by hand. It seems as though the quality of their shapes is getting better and even Rusty Preisendorfer was impressed by what he saw.

It would be hard for surf shops to reject these cheap Chinese imports because they have the potential to finally give shops greater margins on surfboard sales. On the flip side, these cheaply made import boards take away business from local surfboard shapers and manufacturers who form the backbone of the surfboard industry as a whole.

I can see how these cheap imports help beginner or budget surfers by providing them with a functional board that doesn’t break their pocket. But I also know how difficult it is for surfboard� shapers and glassers who work off of razor thin margins. There will always be a need for custom surfboards and if you’re thinking of spending a few dollars on a Costco board, think twice, because it would really suck to see a line-up littered with surfboards sporting ‘Made in China’ stickers. Support your local shaper, you’ll be happy you did:

Hawaii Shapers

California Shapers

Rest of Shapers�

15 Comments »

Mike, on June 3, 2007 @ 1:34 pm |

Got a costco board and I love it. Just a basic board for about 30% less than a surf shop… I promise you if you didnt know which board was which, you could not pick it out of a lineup.

Why should I pay more because everybody and their brother want to be a backyard shaper and they will cut eachothers throats on prices?

Nobody complains that Quiksilver and Volcom clothes come from 3rd. world countries.

LimO, on June 27, 2007 @ 6:16 pm |

Mike, i don’t quite agree with you. That was probably your first surfboard and it probably had dimensions of 7′0×20x2.5 and you’re probably a beginning/intermediate level surfer! The apparel industry and the surfboard industry are two different arenas, local shapers are the lifeline of surfings core. You should try and ride a board the has the curves of a tokoro or a merrick then tell us what you think is beter. Your CnC machined Chinese board doesn’t compare to a hand carved piece of foam from a master shaper like takayama.

Helga, on September 10, 2007 @ 4:13 pm |

I eat Costco samples for lunch because I’m poor! ;D

eggzackery, on November 2, 2007 @ 6:01 pm |

costco boards actually rip, its the surfer not the board. its just the way it is. we are talking the rubber boards (ie the article, cheapo beginner type surfboards) about 3 inch thick. shapes i wouldn’t buy but foamies work wonders for beginners. thick cookie cutters are easy for beginners, everyone is always tryin to get a piece of the action what else is new! brook

jason, on November 14, 2007 @ 10:39 pm |

Limo, it just said that there are 60 chinese shapers and the boards are hand carved. Also, it says that shapers were actually impressed with the board.

SERGIO JIMENEZ, on December 5, 2007 @ 1:28 am |

ASAP WHERE CAN I BUY,IN WHICH COSTCO ONE OF THOSE CHEAP NEW,PLEASE TELLME �COS I HAVE GOOD WAVES FRONT OF ME AND NO MUCH MONEY, MI LAST BOARDS ARE NOW WITH SOME #~�~� THIVES, SORRY BY THE BAD WORDS, GOD BLESS U WATER FILLIES

Eric, on February 13, 2008 @ 9:24 am |

It’s called Capitalism. Deal with it. It’s the cycle of every business from farming to clothing to house building and everything in between.

Go Warriors, on March 22, 2008 @ 9:26 pm |

costco isn’t forcing us to buy their boards. if you don’t like it, then don’t buy it. but don’t make a huge sop story about how they’re “ruining the core of surfing culture” or some nonsense like that. apparently people like them, because they’re still being sold.

ShakkaDOG, on April 14, 2008 @ 4:48 pm |

If Costco gets those old ladies that give out the free samples to sell those boards we might just have a revolution on our hands mates! (try the finger sausages, there amazing!!!)

matt, on April 21, 2008 @ 12:27 pm |

Costco boards have no soul, I use Midget Smith boards and have been for more then 15 years he is reasonable and an excellent shaper, the prices are not much different than Costcos either.
LiMo your funny lol Merrics boards have been mas produced for many years there isnt much difference between them and a costco board.

BluewaveRJ, on June 4, 2008 @ 8:28 am |

Lol..how funny. I kinda understand Limo words, but we have to agree with those people who are beginners. You don’t need to buy a expensive one right now. You just need to understand a bit about surfboards and get there what you like..I am from New York, nothing against the production of a surfboard made in China, you buy if you want it, but I don’t want to see Chinese selling surfboards at the beach as they do selling DVD on the street..How lame

jl, on June 21, 2008 @ 11:52 am |

I remember the day where the shaper was the guru, developing new shapes and creating new concepts in surfing. Sorry boys, those days are gone. August, Stewart, ICross, and many other shapers use the machine to rough shape their boards. Many also sell their shapes overseas where the Chinese machine these named shapes and then slap whatever on the deck. So lets not wax poetic about an era long extinct.
Also, just because someone has shaped a few boards or even a few hundred doesn’t make them a quality board. Just because someones been around a long time, that doesn’t mean they deserve our loyalty. If it were true, then lets all vote McCain. Maybe the influx of overseas boards IS the future of surfing and maybe it will get down once again to the surfer and not the board.
As always, the innovative and top quality shapers will deserve our patronage. The others can and should fall by the wayside. Thats the order of things.
Once upon a time, there were some really great buggy whip manufacturers, now how many? How many ” surfboard shapers do we really need?
I like how some posters talked about G&S surfboards “making it through the aisles” at Costco. What he mean’t to say was G&S knows they are in business to make money and Costco reaches a large market of consumers. Surfboards can be art, and they can be a commodity. Its up to the surfer to decide which product they choose to ride. As for me, my kids all ride Realm surfboards, I shape my own.

mike, on June 22, 2008 @ 10:31 am |

would like to see china destroy the US labor market completly. as long as someone makes a profit who cares?

Mike, on June 22, 2008 @ 6:39 pm |

these boards are great for begginners and even intermediate surfers in my opinion. I’m just a begginner and though I realize someday I’ll probably want a “real” board, for 100 bucks I’m in business without worrying about dings or spearing someone.

Stinky, on June 30, 2008 @ 1:34 pm |

Take your CostCo board and head back to the valley, kook! Seriously, I hate having to pay inflated prices for boards too but I would never own one of those commie POS boards. Nor would I buy merchandise from a chain “surf shop”. FYI Mike something like 88% of surf apparel is purchased and worn by people who live 100 or more miles from an ocean and do not or have never surfed. A category most of you should have remained in, given your attitude towards the industry. The closing of Clark not only opened up markets for cheap, substandard, foreign made boards (most of which will end up in US landfills in 2 years) But it provided an affordable entry into an already impacted sport. Before you start thinking I’m some “locals only bro!” let me tell you I’m not. It just irritates me to no end to share the line up with people who do not share the same respect for the soul and heritage that come with being a surfer. Having respect for those who’ve paid their dues also seems to be another thing that has “fallen by the wayside.”

Here’s a little something to think about. A local shaper I know, who apprenticed for years under some socal legends back in the day, used his artistry to support his family for 30 years and put two kids through college is not only having trouble selling boards these days but is often times unable to get board building supplies such as 5oz cloth because the Chinese have gobbled it up. Fortunately he planned well for his future as he would be sorely hurting had he not.

So here’s to you Mr. my kids all ride realms and to you Mr. broken English I can haz board now guy. Climb back in your SUV with you’re $200 Enemy of the State brand board on the roof (oh yea jack ass, China is our enemy) and surf your little hearts out. Just don’t f****n drop in on me or leave your energy drink cans on my sand!

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