Noseriding: an Equalizer

Surfing should be enjoyable. As a recreational activity it should bring you happiness, independent of your skill level. Still, most activities have rating structures in place to judge ability, and these can be important when discussing aspects of professionalism. For example, if you’re a customer spending nearly $2000 on a new longboard, wouldn’t it make sense to purchase from a shaper or seller who knows what they’re doing? Shouldn’t it bring you comfort knowing that you’ve supported someone who has skill and devotion. Wouldn’t that make the story more interesting?

With social media today, the markers of excellence are becoming obscure. They are confounded and confused by mass image posturing (now augmented by AI), fashion, a distaste for criticism and a toxic tendency toward positivity. What might at first look like genuine devotion and experience is (in the case of many shapers promoting themselves on social media today) nothing more than a façade. A smoke screen carefully designed [with the right cars, haircuts, clothing etc.] to hide flaws and inexperience.

An inability to noseride is one flaw that is difficult to hide in practice, which is likely the reason most longboard shapers/glassers don’t post images of themselves surfing. Yes, I’m calling some of you out and you know who you are. I am shocked (no, disgusted!) though that some in the industry demand so much attention, respect and money just because they have 10k followers on Instagram…but can’t noseride.

Noseriding is longboarding’s overarching maneuver. Whether we’re discussing classic longboarding or performance-oriented longboarding, it is the one function that defines the activity and a surfer’s skill. If you can’t noseride [smoothly], you’re not an expert. Goat status? Forget about it! Legend?? No way!

Smooth noseriding is extremely difficult. Most surfers can’t do it. It takes years of practice and observation. I began at Seal Beach pier and Bolsa Chica State Beach at 9 years old when my dad began exposing me to some of California’s top longboarders. I looked up to surfers like Jody Lemmon, Matt Steuyck, Cody Simpkins and Joel Tudor, impressed by their smooth, casual ability to combine, say, flowing bottom turns, cross-steps, a noseride and a graceful cutback. Remaining in the pocket without superficial, hipster wiggles or without chop-hopping like a shortboarder. Just simplicity. To me, the pinnacle of longboarding.

If your shaper can’t or could never do that, why buy a longboard from them? When we shop, we vote with our wallets. Why vote for a longboard shaper who can’t gracefully walk the nose? Dig deeper. Look for the real stories…the real skill.

Bolsa Chica, mid 90s - Photo: Bruce Jones