If I’m backpacking to my surf spot, I want the lightest, most buoyant board possible. It also needs to be tough, because if (really when) I knock a hole in it, I’m not going to be able to do an elaborate backcountry repair. hopes to check all those boxes with its innovative new board material.
Varial doesn't use your standard polyurethane or epoxy. It uses something else entirely—although, and here's the rub, the boardmakers won’t say what, just that it's from the aerospace industry. From testing, I've found that it’s strong as hell. According to the company, boards made with this material don’t need a wooden stringer down the middle, making them 25 percent lighter but still 20 percent stronger than a normal board. The material is closed-cell foam, so even if you end up with a sizeable ding, you can keep surfing because it’s not going to soak through. And it’s just as easy to shape as regular foam, so there’s no learning curve.
I used a 5’ 8” Rusty Dwart made with Varial foam, and found it to be incredibly responsive and light. I now want all my boards to be made of this stuff.
$TBD (Ask your shaper),