Vans Chukka Low at Pioneers in New Hampshire

Couple fresh color ways in today in one of our favorite shoes ever.  It's got style to spare and skates great too.

Bright Blue & Pewter

Navy & Light Grey

Hayden Shapes HYPTO KRYPTO at Pioneers!!!

Yesterday Hayden Cox of Hayden Shapes rolled through the shop to say hello, give some hi fives, and talk about what he's going on!  Steve and I were very impressed, Hayden knows his craft very well and to put it simply... he gets it. He's got a great line up and we're super stoked on his board the Hypto Krypto and the Psychedelic germ, one of the first production boards to feature sidecut!  Remember we like sidecut...

The Hypto Krypto is the most versatile shape in the Haydenshapes range, enabling it to be ridden in waves from 1ft to 8ft. It paddles like a dream due to the volume and flatter rocker. You ride the Hypto Krypto on the open face, drawing fast, flowing lines with all the speed it provides.

The outline resembles an old school twin fin in the nose, yet pulls into a rounded pin tail which will give you plenty of hold in the bigger stuff, and provide a lot of curve around the back foot. You can use the wider, straighter outline forward on the board to give you speed down the line and the rounded pintail to draw tighter arcs in the pocket.

Although the rocker of the Hypto Krypto is flat, Hayden has snuck in a little extra lift in the entry to add some curve up front; this helps taking off late, or turning in the steeper sections of the wave. The design of the rocker has been focused around speed, and more speed! The Hypto has never been shaped as a quad because it is too fast already, you’ll find yourself making sections down the line that you would never expect to make.

The foil has plenty of volume around the chest and center area of the board, yet it refines out to a thinner, more pinched rail to keep the board connected to the wave. The concave runs from a rolled vee in the entry, to a slight single transitioning into a vee double out the tail, which gives the board great speed and control from rail to rail.

The Hypto Krypto and most of Hayden's Shapes are created using Future Flex. FutureFlex represents the very latest in surfboard technology and design. The construction process combines a stringerless, high-density custom shaped EPS core laminated with biaxial fiberglass, epoxy resin and a parabolic carbon fiber frame. The carbon fiber frame within the laminate is the key to the performance of these boards. Designed to maximize speed and drive while minimizing twisting, FutureFlex boards essentially store and release energy as the surfer transitions through a turn. The result is a fast and lively, highly responsive surfboard that's perfectly geared for high performance surfing.



DIMENSIONS
LENGTH   WIDTH   THICK   VOLUME
5'4''              19 1/2''     2 1/4''      27.08 ltr    
5'6''              19 3/4''     2 3/8''      29.7 ltr
5'8''              20''           2 1/2''      31 ltr
5'10''            20 1/4''     2 5/8''      33.79 ltr
6'0''              20 1/2''     2 3/4''      36.56 ltr

Ripcurl E-Bomb Pro available at Pioneers in NH

Well 3/2 season is pretty much here, although at the moment you might not guess it,  the water is in the low 60s. I've already had a handful of sessions in my 3/2 with no boots and no gloves. Without a shred of doubt the E-Bomb Pro from Ripcurl is my favorite wetsuit for the summer and fall months. The fit of the suit is insane and while it keeps you nice and warm like a 3/2 should it feels like you're wearing a 1.5mm.  

WHY THIS SUIT IS AWESOME...

THE RUBBER!!!  90% of this suit is constructed out of Ripcurl's famous E3 rubber.  The other 10% of the suit is made of E3+ which is as light and flexible as neoprene gets!!! They put the E3+ rubber in as one continuous piece from one elbow across the back to the other elbow.  That one panel of E3+ is the reason this suit feels so amazing and thin once you get it on, it truly is amazing! Check the photo for the picture of the E3+ panel on the E-Bomb Pro.

As far as construction is concerned the E-Bomb Pro keeps it pretty simple with a glued and blindstitched seam.  It's not over done which means is very flexible and the triple glue/double stitch means that it's strong and will hold up!!!  I also love that the E-Bomb Pro comes in a chest zip and that they took extra time perfecting the fit.  This suit KILLS IT!!! Try one on and you too will be a believer...

 The Ripcurl E-Bomb Pro comes in a variety of colors and while we may not have them all in stock we'd be happy to special order you one at no extra charge!!!

The Ripcurl E-Bomb Pro LIVE THE SEARCH!

Here's what our customers are saying about the E-Bomb Pro:

"I got one of these suits for Christmas and couldn't wait for the water to warm up enough to use it. I started about a month ago with booties and gloves and am now using it alone. It is so light and stretchy it feels like you're wearing a much thinner suit. I had not bought a new 3/2 since 2006 so the leap in technology was huge. Do yourself a favor and get one of these."

Isurus Wetsuits at Pioneers Board Shop in New Hampshire

We at Pioneers are all about progression and new technology that helps to push progression.  We are stoked to tell you about a new wetsuit company that we have brought into the shop called Isurus Wetsuits that is doing just that, pushing the boundaries.

Isurus isn't your average wetsuit and the price of an Isurus wetsuit starts where most top out. In the end it's money well spent on arguably the best wetsuit on the market.  The only way to get a better wetsuit is to have one custom made for your body. Steve has been wearing a hooded 4/3/4 Evade for a few months now and he is loving it, here are his comments "Super light, dries incredibly fast, amazing fit, and an incredible hood".

To sum it up these suits are amazing because:
100% Japanese rubber-super light, doesn't absorb water, dries fast
Fit- 20 points of measure are used when building the suit, most wetsuit companies use 11
Designed to move- Panels w/ compression technology are shaped with the natural movement of the body in mind equaling less fatigue/more waves.

If you're not sold yet or for further info continue reading below as I go deeper into the hows and whys of Isurus Wetsuits.

Anatomically Engineered Wetsuit Technology

The objective was to design a wetsuit that did not inhibit the natural range of motion of the athlete’s body. The process led us to research tri-athlete wetsuit designs where unrestricted range of motion is critical to fast swim times. ISURUS consulted with biomechanical experts to engineer proven tri-athlete wetsuit innovations to the special requirements of big wave, coldwater surfing.

By studying how the human musculo-skeletal structure works, the panels were cut to match the natural movement of the human body. Each panel synergistically works with the adjacent panels to provide the maximum free range of motion to be found in a wetsuit.

What thats means.... MORE PADDLING POWER, LESS FATIGUE

It is each panel designed working in unison with body that results in a higher elbow position and increased power during the catch phase of the stroke. More power and less wetsuit resistance results in more distance per stroke and reduced muscle output.

COMPRESSION WETSUIT

Compression Knit Construction, laminated to Anatomically Engineered Wetsuit Panels engineered to match the musculature of the surfers body, delivers an evenly distributed 360° stretch compression for increased performance.

ISURUS BioRx Compression Technology

Compression >> Anatomical Design
     Perform Better
     Recover Faster
Anatomical Design >> Muscle Oxygenation
     Optimizes Delivery of Oxygen
     Increases Power and Endurance
Precision Fit >> BMI (Body Mass Index)
     Fits Like a Second Skin
     Focuses Muscle Power
     Facilitates Lactic Acid Removal

Advanced Materials

DESIGNING A WORLD CLASS WETSUIT BEGINS WITH THE WORLD’S BEST NEOPRENE; TWO KEY POINTS IN THE RESEARCH

Great wetsuit performance begins with superior neoprene.
Not all neoprene is the same.
During our research it became evident that Yamamoto neoprene, is widely recognized as the most advanced neoprene available. Yamamoto neoprene dominates the market for high end triathlete wetsuits with 90% marketshare where lightweight and ultra flexible warm material is critical for competitive swim times. No serious triathlete uses a wetsuit that is not made from Yamamoto.

A SUPERIOR NEOPRENE

Yamamoto is made entirely from closed-cell neoprene using a proprietary manufacturing process that makes the material out of limestone and not petroleum. The material is 98% hydrophobic, meaning it doesn’t absorb water. Yamamoto’s closed-structure possesses elasticity or the ability of the material to return to its original shape after repeated wearings (that is not found in open-cell neoprene). It also makes it super warm, lightweight, thin and quick drying.

THE ISSUE WITH TRADITIONAL NEOPRENE

For the last 50 years, neoprene wetsuits have been made from petroleum-based rubber that is injected with nitrogen to create an “open cell” thermal barrier against the cold.

The problem with open-cell neoprene is:

It absorbs up to 80% of its weight in H2O. Think of a kitchen sponge. Water absorption which adds weight and requires additional body heat to warm the excess water. Open cell neoprene deteriorates quite rapidly compared to closed-cell neoprene primarily due the inherent weakness in the cell structure. The cell walls are connected to other cells by thin walls that weaken after repeated usage and the neoprene loses its thermal and hydrophobic properties (ability to not absorb H2O).

Body Mass Index for an Anatomically Correct Fit

BMI AND 20 POINTS OF MEASURE FOR A PRECISE FIT

ISURUS uses BMI (Body Mass Index) to size and shape the panels for a more anatomically precise fit. The company mapped the anatomies of over 300 athletes. Took more than 6,000 measurements of the different body types.

From these measurements, ISURUS developed over 20 Points of Measure to design and size the new series for an off-the-rack fit that compares to a custom wetsuit.

BMI

BMI is a statistical measure of body weight based on a person’s weight and height. Athletes searching for a performance edge have used BMI to design gear where a precise fit is critical to gaining a performance edge.

BMI IN SPORTS

Speedsuits in swimming, skiing, cycling and speed skating have been designed using BMI principles where a precise fit is critical for performance. The research ISURUS conducted shows BMI to be an excellent technology for designing a correct anatomically fitted wetsuit.

As surfers, we understand that a correct fit is critical to maintain body warmth and for maximum unrestricted range of motion when paddling.

Oakley Sunglasses and Apparel at Pioneers in New Hampshire

FRESH BLAST OF OAKLEY IN THE SHOP 05.10.2012

We got a bunch of new shades including the ones pictured above. Oakley Acid Tortoise Frogskins are here. Limited edition and soon to be gone. Don't sleep on these ones or you'll be forever bumming..... We've also got a couple runs of the Oakley/Frogskin Tees (graphic picture above) in white and black.

 We got a grip of new Oakley New Era Caps in . We've got he Black/White color combo pictured above as well as a Red/Black and a aqua blue/plaid one.  All very proper lids.

The Oakley Like A Flash Board short is what you want if your the live in your board short type guy. Welded seams, super stretch, quick dry, mesh pocket, these trunks have it all plus style for miles.

FCS & Future Fins at Pioneers in New Hampshire

It's time to talk fins. First off fins make a difference, in fact fins can make all the difference.  Choosing a fin that suites your style of surfing and the type of waves you surf is just as important as choosing the correct size board.  If you have a board that has never really felt correct it could be as simple as switching the fins and your least favorite board could end up being your magic board.

Think of it this way... If you bought a Porsche would you go to Walmart to get tires for it??? No, of course not, there is no sense spend mega bucks on a sports car and then having it drive like a Kia because you put cheap tires on it.  Same is true for your surfboard. If your going to drop some money on a new board think about investing a little more in a set of fins so that you are truly getting the most out of your board and your surfing.

Both FCS and Future Fins offer great explanations of their fins as well as a tool that will help you research which fins would work best for you.  For me, based on my style of surfing and the waves I generally surf I swear by my FCS K2.1 quads.  Lots of drive but still very loose and playful. I ride them in my Lost Motivator, my Lost Rocket, and my Lost Mini Driver. They are my go to fins.  That being said I still try other fins when I get the chance because as fin technology increases you never know what you're going to find next that will work even better.

I ordered a bunch of fins lately so I'm gonna throw a few different ones up to give you and idea of what we've got in stock.  If you've got questions or you want to see the fins in person we've got about 50 different fins in stock at the moment from little grom fins, to thruster sets, to quad sets, to longboard fins.

Mick Fanning's signature fin with Tricoil Technology. Provides maximum drive; ideal for power surfers who like to snap hard off the top and carve long roundhouse cutbacks.















Jeremy Flores' signature fin featuring a long base and narrow tip. Perfect for driving hard off the bottom and snapping vertically off the top. Subtle tip flex provides smooth transitions between turns.













Kelly Slater's signature quad set with K2.1 PC in the side and Q-1000 in the rear. Produces incredible start-up acceleration and speed while maintaining manoeuvrability in tight sections. (MY PERSONAL FAVORITES)















Simon Anderson's medium size quad set. Identical template across all fins. Suited to lighter surfers who like to drive hard off their fins, draw a longer line and accelerate through turns.












This is Clay Marzo's next fin incarnation featuring an updated template and built in our Techflex construction for powerful surfing. The large base provides drive off the bottom while the small tip allows you to release the fins.















The WCT has a unique upright template making the fin very fast and pivoty. Designed for tight vertical snaps and critical surfing.

One of our most popular templates available as a quad setup. The F4 is a great for template medium sized riders looking for a fin that is a little looser or for smaller sized riders looking for a setup with a little more drive.







Co-designed with one of the world's best free surfers, this V2 quad set was created for high performance surfing. These fins are made with renewable bamboo, which provides a lively flex pattern, and are wrapped in symbolic art provided by Rasta. A medium sized template that performs in a variety of conditions. The Quad set up with a medium base and tip allow you to generate more drive and stay on rail. A portion of the proceed from sales of the Rasta Quad will be donated to the Dave's non-profit organization, Surfers For Cetaceans.

Plenty more options here at the shop, so swing by and take a look and see what FCS or Future with a little help from Pioneers can do for your surfing.

Matt Biolis of Lost Surfboards interview w/ Stab Mag

KOLOHE AND MAYHEM IN NUMBERS

A breakfast with Matt ‘Mayhem’ Biolos in which the unusually specific nature of Kolohe Andino’s boards are discussed; Stab’s theory that Mayhem succeeds because his surfboards are designed for average surfers first and then filter upwards rather than vice-versa; and the discovery that Kolohe’s pops Dino and his speed runs at Uppers were responsible for creating the outline of surfboards ridden by every monster airing kid…

It is a gloomier than usual Sydney summer morn when I scoop up California’s Matt Biolos at the Sydney factory of his shaper pal and occasional biz associate Mr James ‘Chilli” Cheal. In an industrial zone a few clicks from the beach, we see Biolos a fittish man of middle age, unshaven but not derelict, Jewish but not orthodox, grinding out boards for punters who’ve paid $80 over retail to taste his meats.

Can y’believe it? Taj Burrow and Kolohe’s personal craftsman ruining his lungs for surfers who may or may not’ve ever loosed a fin in their lives? Considering not one of those 100 sleds has my name on it, I don’t know whether to be stunned or jealous. “Every name on the order form is someone you wouldn’t know,” he says thirty mins later when we’re socking javas at the Armchair Collective in Mona Vale. “But, that’s what we’re here for! That’s what pays the bills!”

It’s a pet theme of Mr Biolos’, the importance of looking after the lil man first and believing rewards will follow. “That’s what makes surfboards so special. It’s the only piece of equipment made the way we do it.” I lay out my theory that his success is strongly related to his ability to make stable platforms for average surfers and that once pro’s get a taste of it, they want it. Therefore, his designs filter upwards whereas most shapers get their feedback from a professional and let it filter downwards, often to no one’s benefit.

“The Sub Scorcher was an average guy’s board that Kolohe rode and then it trickled up and now you’ve got Drivers and all those higher-volumed boards being ridden by the hot shots. I’m shaping high-volume boards for Julian Wilson and thinking, whoa, how did that happen?” Mick Fanning is another surfer who believes in the high-volume mantra. He was riding boards of around 24 cubic litres, often to radical success, but last year he was kinda feeling that there was more to life than a six-o by 18 3/8”. After riding a Kolohe board at Trestles he upped his cubic litres to 26 (Taj is a 23.5, if you’re wondering). “Put that volume into one of Darren Handley’s already amazing boards and they’re unbelievable,” says Matt.

We talk for a while about how Taj, when he was on the brink of leaving his board sponsor Firewire, made Matt promise he’d be there for him, surfboard-wise; about judges scoring flow more than ever before (Taj beats Adriano!); and in a scenic tour away from surfboard design talk about how Matt initially viewed the presidency of Barack Obama with suspicion (high taxes!) but now he digs on the guy. But, what stuck most in the conversation is the obsessive care taken in the building of Kolohe’s boards.

“(Kolohe’s pops) Dino’s a better version of Dr Frankenstein. He’s the ultimate grinder. He’s fanatical. I’ll be in a meeting and he’ll pace back and forth outside the door just waiting for it to end and then he’ll storm troop in and throw nine boards on the floor. Dino pushes and pushes. We get 30 blanks and we weigh ‘em all and write the weight on the order form. Then we weigh ‘em after they’ve been cut and then after they’ve been glassed. Dino personally drives ‘em to the glasser and paces back and forth at the glass shop making sure the laps aren’t too short, making sure the laps aren’t too long, weighing ‘em after they’re glassed, checking the fin angles and if the fin angles aren’t right he cuts ‘em off and puts ‘em back on again. He came to Australia, called up (shaper) Lee Stacey and said, ‘Fuck it, these waves are so sucky. I want more angles on the fins.’ So they fucking cut the fins off five boards and fucking put them back on. It’s… intense.”

Dino is more than just the meticulous father of a prodigy, howevs. Back when he was owning the US domestic circuit, Dino’s speed runs at Trestles helped create the forward outline that now, accidentally, has become the ideal shape for every hi-fi kid.

“Dino and I developed that forward outline nearly 20 years ago. Dino wasn’t using it for finners but it transitioned over nicely. Dino was always surfing Trestles, surfing Uppers, and he needed that forward outline to get down the line to do those floaters and now Kolohe uses those templates and those rockers to build a strong foundation. They force you to put it on a rail. They force you to draw out your turns. And, almost by default, they give you a much better platform for nose picks and landing backwards.”
Back at the factory, Matt stomps back into the shaping bay, the whip of Mr Cheal grazing his ample cheek. A dozen more boards to hack; a dozen more dreams to realise.

– Derek Rielly @ STAB Magazine (the most entertaining mag in the game)

The Best 4/3 mm Wetsuits EVER at Pioneers in NH

Well it's officially spring and it sure does feel like it! All the tell tale signs are there, I'm skating outside afterwork, the sherburn tail on Washington is no longer open at the bottom, and the water is warming up. In fact the water is warming up fast!!! It's approaching 45 degrees which for me is usually the point at which I start to trade the winter suit and mittens in for a 4/3 and 3mm gloves. I can't believe that time is here already!!!

Well right on time both of our FAVORITE wetsuits in the world have just showed up. We are FULLY STOKED with 4/3 Oneill Mutants and 4/3 Ripcurl Insulators!!!! Now if you have one of these suits you know what I'm talking about but if you don't I'm gonna tell you why there are the two BEST 4/3 WETSUITS ON THE MARKET!!!!

First and foremost it all has to do with the removable hood system. Both of these suits feature hoods that securely attach to the suit when you need them and come clean off when you don't. What that means is right now you need a hood, in another two months you won't however all your gonna need for the next 4 months is a 4/3. So rather than wearing your winter suit any longer than you have to of suffering in you 3/2 with a hooded vest you get a Mutant or an Insulator to bridge the winter to summer and summer to winter gap.

Both of these suits are made of the best materials with the best seam construction. The suits will keep you warm but still allow you the flexibility you need to surf for hours and own it the whole time you're out there. Both suits feature chest entries that are easy to get on and off and are backed by the best warrantee and repair departments in the industry.

Steve and I both swear by these two suits and as you know we surf as much as anyone. We spend more time in these two suits than any of our other suits, we done the research and put the time in. We stand behind them both and we know that once you get into one yourself you'll be just as stoked as we are!!!!

SURFING!!!!!!!!

Celebrate the Start of Snowboard Season with Pioneers and a 20% Sale!!!

WINTER, a word that evokes disdain in some and pure stoke in others... Well my friends if you fall into the later category the rejoice, Killington & Sunday River have opened for the season, snow is on the way as well as some NE surf. In honor of this monumental occasion Steve and I want to share our stoke. So for this weekend ONLY, that means from now til 5pm on Sunday, EVERY PIECE OF SNOWBOARD OUTERWEAR (jackets & pants) IS 20% OFF!!!!

Full Killington update HERE. And not to be outdone, Sunday River's lifts are also turning! Both of these snow updates bring a little east coast pride to my heart. I've been seeing "first turn" photos for a couple weeks now of folks getting theirs out West. Well Check us out, the East is in business!

Winter Wetsuit Guide for New England

It's that time of year again, time for flannels, puffy jackets, and yes.... winter suits!!! As the air and water temps begin to drop I wanted to do a quick preview and update on our winter suit line-up for this year. We've currently got the following four suits in stock and well have em' here all season long.

O'neill Psycho RG8 5.5/4mm Hooded Wetsuit

The Psycho RG8 5.5/4mm Hooded Wetsuit is bound to keep you warm in cold conditions. It offers added warmth from the RG8-Air Firewall without sacrificing flexibility and has been tested by O'Neill's most intense team riders in the most frigid waters across the globe.

MSRP: $430
Max Thickness: 5.5mm
Zipper: Chest
Sleeves: Long-sleeve
Hood: Fixed Hood
Thermal Lining: Chest, Back
Seams: Single Fluid Seam Weld
Material: Limestone-based neoprene and recycled plastics on the inner and outer layers
Chest and Back, Lining: RG8-Air Firewall is an Eco-Friendly version of the XDS-Air Ultra stretch neoprene

Neck Facing: Glideskin
Details: Plasma Wrist and Ankle Seals
Krypto Knee Pads
F.U.Z.E. closure system
Dual drain holes in the arm and back
Code red zipper
Exterior single fluid seam weld
Super minimal seam design
LSD - lumbar seamless design
External key pocket with loop

O'neill Heat 6/5/4mm Hooded Wetsuit

The Heat 6/5/4mm Hooded Wetsuit from O'neill. The updated Heat for 2010 comes with many of O'neills high end features.

MSRP: $380
Max Thickness: 6mm
Zipper: Chest
Sleeves: Long-sleeve
Hood: Fixed Hood
Seams: SuperSeam Stitchless Weld
Thermal Lining: Chest, Back
Neoprene: Ultraflex DS
Lining: Firewall Insulation
Product Features:
Strategic Seamless Paddle Zones
Double Super Seal Neck
Krypto knees
Covert red zipper (high end zipper stands up to salt and abuse)
External key pocket with loop

Ripcurl Flash Bomb 5/4 Hooded Wetsuit

The Flash-Bomb is the next generation in Bomb technology, resulting in the world's lightest, warmest, most flexible AND FASTEST drying wetsuit.

Dry in a flash-Flash Dry is an exclusive New Wave Technology with 2 Engineered Layers. The first layer is designed so the water passes through it directly into the 2nd layer. The 2nd layer then funnels the water rapidly out of the suit once it is hung up.

MSRP: $440
Flash Dry lining is one of the warmest, most comfortable linings available.
Stitchless Technology for a strechier and warmer suit
E3 Tape plus Aquaban Combo provides the ultimate waterproof seal
Aqualock Waterproof Zipper
4 Wat Stretch Panels
Hydro Lock Collar
Drainage System
S Flex Knees
Stash Pocket
E3 Plus Action Panel Hood - Reduces hood snap back
Engineered Chin Cup - To be comfortable as possible
Cord Lock Down
Improved Peripheral Vision

Rip Curl E-Bomb 5.5/4.5mm Hooded Wetsuit

The E-Bomb hooded full suit is the ultimate performance hooded suit for the Surfer who wants to stay warm in exteme cold conditions but also wants to be as flexible as possible...... It's true that the thickness of the neoprene dictates the warmth of a wetsuit. Rip Curl has upped the thickness an extra 1/2 millimeter to allow maximum warth as well as maximum flexibility! Designed for water temperatures under 50 degrees.

MSRP: $340
Elastomax 3 Neoprene
4 way back stretchBluesteel Zipper
E3+ Tape
External GBS
Chest Zip
Lock slide design zipper
Bluesteel Zipper
Drainage system
Seamless underarms and shoulders
S Flex knee pads

The most flexible wintersuit for the money on the market!

We've got an insane lineup of boots and gloves too. 3mil to 7 mil in round toe/split toe and five finger/3 finger/mittens. Want to be warm? Stop in and we'll make it happen for you!!!

Time for an UPGRADE: The Ripcurl FLASH-BOMB IS IT!!!

You might not guess it but ESPN has one of the best surf blogs going staffed by some telented writers and surfers. This blog comes to you from Jake Howard and this dude knows his sh*t!!!

"This fall you could wear your wetsuit from last year. You could. You could dig it out from the back of the garage, dust it off, check the sleeves for black widows, and you'd be good to go. Oh, but the glory of a new wetsuit. It's hard to resist.
Coincidentally, Rip Curl reached out to us a couple of weeks ago to see if we'd be interested in "field testing" their new Flash Bomb wetsuit -- a solicitation that just so happen to coincide with a dramatic drop in the Pacific Ocean's temperature. Due diligence in mind, we entertained the offer and went surfing. The result: think furry convention meets Mick Fanning.

The immediate reaction upon first climbing into the fuzz-lined 3-mil: "Mmm, cozy." It's like putting on a pair of fleece pajamas, or maybe a mink coat, or maybe if you're Matt Wilkinson a cheetah costume you can surf in. It's got all the flex and comfort of a normal top-of-the-line suit, but thanks to Rip Curl's "Flash Dry" lining, it has an extra little tickle in it. The claim to fame is that the Flash Bomb dries in 30 minutes or less. The selling point is that you won't ever have to sling on a soggy suit again. Does Rip Curl pull either off? Pretty much, yep.

"The Flash Dry lining is what we call a double-layer knit fabric." says P.J. Elbing, Rip Curl's Director of Technical Products. "When water hits the top layer it wicks to the second layer of the material. When the water hits the second layer, gravity allows it to drip down and out the bottom of the panel. The result is a lining that is dry and warm to the touch within 30 minutes."

Why it rules:
The idea of never putting on a wet wetsuit is pretty dang enticing. As Taylor Knox says, "I used to have to have a quiver of wetsuits, but not any more." Because you can take the suit off, and literally in 30 minutes it will be dry to the touch (I timed it, mine took 18 minutes in the sun before it was good to go again), the worry of cold dawn patrols and shocker lunch sessions is severely mitigated.

"Our development team spent over two years testing and refining the new Flash Dry material," says Elbing. "We went through six versions to arrive at a point where drying time, flexibility, weight, and durability were up to our highest standards. We performed both in-field and lab tests on new developments to quantify key variables such as stretch, weight, warmth and durability. Once we fine-tuned these attributes, we were ready to release the suit."

The seams are taped on the inside and out, so not a drop of water leaks through, which makes the suit all the more toasty. And with the chest zip version you don't get any seepage from the zipper. (A back zip model is available for $30 less, and I'm sure it works fine.) All told, it's a very warm, very well designed suit that feels like it'd would keep you warm even when the water temps start to dance in the low 50s.

In about a dozen sessions the suit was never once rash inducing, which is nice. It moved well in the water, although to be fair, I'm deathly scared of peeing in it. Growing up in colder water I'm a huge proponent of the sacred ritual, but this double-knit fabric and water tight fit has me worried. Otherwise, stoked, it's a great suit that I'd recommend to any one of my gainfully employed friends. At $400 it's not cheap, but then can you really put a price on creature comforts?"

Where to find it:
Support your local surf shop. Buy it here at Pioneers, 3/2s and 4/3s in stock with 5/4s on the way!!! We are your number one resource for Surf, Skate, and Snow on the Seacoast!!!!

Modern Old Skool Longboards are the DEAL!!!!

Been looking at these boards in the Global line-up for a while. We finally added a could to an order and man are we glad we did!!! This board is insane and it's affordable!!! The 9'6 comes in at $765 and the 10'0 comes in at $795...

The Modern Old Skool is an old school design with some modern additions like Super Light epoXy (SLX) technology, making it a lot lighter than it's friends back in the day. This board is a dedicated noserider and features 60/40 rails and a massive 7" squaretail with a deep single nose concave set in a bellied vee-to-vee bottom contour.

The Old Skool's classic shape and tuned 60/40 rails make this board stick in the pocket so you can hang heels or blast drop-knee turns on the shoulder. The single fin box comes with a massive noseriding fin finishing out this gloss polished classic longboard. This is a beautiful board to look at, admire and ride. It has real character both in and out of the water.

Boards are now instock here at Pioneers, hit us up for more info or questions!!!! SURFING!!!

DIMENSIONS
LENGTH WIDTH THICK VOLUME FINS APPROX WEIGHT RANGE
9'6'' 23 5/8'' 3'' 76 ltr 9 1/2" Classic Single Ideal for all weights
10'0'' 24 1/4'' 3 1/8'' 83 ltr 9 1/2" Classic Single Ideal for all weights

New Lost Surfboard Models for 2012

Wow!!! Just got a rad email from Matt Biolis and the boys at Lost Surfboards. Now I know like Steve and I you are all Lost fanatics so I figured I would share some of the awesome new stuff Lost has going on for their 2012 lineup!!! The best part is if you can't wait all of these models are available RIGHT NOW for custom order!!!! Below you'll find photos and a brief description of each model. Give us a call or swing by with questions or custom orders!!!!

Hampton Bowl Update!!!

Friends of The Hampton Skatepark gift to you on Go Skateboarding Day

Well it's getting real close! The Who Skates crew has been busting their asses the project and it's looking so good! It's fitting that the final pour of the bowl is taking place on Go Skateboarding Day!!! I rolled by this morning while the crew was working on the decks. I fired off a ton of photos and figured I would post them up here for all to see. The flat bottom is still in the curing process and the decks will be for the next 24 hours. Please resist the temptation to skate. We're so close to having a flawless bowl in Hampton.

Friends of The Hampton Skate Park are still looking for donations. Please support if you can and haven't already!!! We still need to raise some serious coin to get this bowl finished right. Please call for details on how you can help. Friends of The Hampton Skate Park are still selling bricks and will be for about one more week. Please help us make it happen!!!

Making it happen. Getting them decks done!!

Team effort here. This bowl is gonna rock!!! I can't believe it's down the street from my house!!!

The lady of the Crete!!! Michelle is making it happen for us... Beyond stoked she's on this project!!!

Reef Swim Wear and Bikinis at Pioneers in NH

SO STOKED bikini weather is back! We've got a great selection of bikinis and swim wear from Reef, Volcom, and Ripcurl right now! Solids, stripes, simple, colorful, we've got just what you need to look drop dead gorgeous all summer long! We've also got some awesome straw beach hats and sunscreen to protect everything that your bikini isn't! SUMMER!!!!