Lib Tech Waterboards: Unleashing the Most EnvironMENTAL & Dang Difficult to Ding Surfboard Ever Crafted
(Near Canada, USA) – June 27, 2012, In a wave to mutilate the environmental and durability issues that have plagued traditional shaping practices and surfboards, Lib Tech, manufacturer of the world’s most environMENTAL snowboards, NAS, and skateboards have announced the launch of their Waterboard line. The Waterboard is a culmination of three decades spent surfing and experimenting with eco-radical watercraft by Lib Tech founder, chief surfboard designer, and composites guru, Mike Olson. Distribution of Waterboards from Lib Tech’s laboratory in the USA near Canada, will begin at select shops and will also be available later online at libtechwaterboarding.com.
Generated through Isotropic conFusion, the Waterboard is a homogenous gathering of 31 classified eco materials and components. They ride with the panache of a traditional polyester board, though as stated by Olson, “Every material used is completely new to surfboards. Every technique is completely unique—to any industry. It’s not only a new way of making surfboards, it’s a whole new way to make anything.” These new environMENTALLY nicer technologies need no sandpaper, paint brushes, tape, or solvents except water. The de-classified components include:
- 2D2D Volcanic Organic Basalt Honeycomb Technology: Lib Tech is the first to use Basalt in surfboard design. Volcanic Organic Basalt Honeycomb Technology is an incredibly strong, impact resistant layering of fibers that withstands heel kicks, has no additives, and is extremely lively underfoot. This technology is 2D2D, Dang Difficult to Ding!!
- The Powerpop Airspring Foam Core: A lightweight foam composed of an exclusive closed cell alloy formula that WILL NOT ABSORB WATER, has elastic qualities like a trampoline, contains up to 50% recycled content, and uses ozone friendly blowing agents. 100% of the off-cut foam produced while shaping is then recycled into new blanks. This is a new foam formula that didn’t exist a year ago.
- LVR43 High Rebound Matrix: Instead of toxic industry-standard polyester resin or old-fashioned epoxy, Olson created LVR43 High Rebound Matrix, a chemistry that has higher elongation, extreme ding resistance, and responsive rebound.
- Elastomatrix Perimeter 2D2D Dampening Web: Rails are wrapped in rubberized metallic fibers to give the boards a silky smooth ride even in choppy conditions and also 2D2D.
- Lib Tech Leash Plug – It’s still just a leash plug, but it’s different. Lib Tech’s newly designed leash plug featuring an anodized 6061 T6 aircraft aluminum pin that will never rust and a super lightweight fiber-composite cup.
- MO BOX Fin System: To increase the adjustability of fin placement, all Waterboards feature Lib Tech’s new MO BOX fin system and come with four of Lib Tech’s new Maximum Intensity Leading Foil (M.I.L.F) fins, including a smaller trailer fin. The user has the freedom to adjust their fin to the fore or aft by 5/8th of an inch, creating a personalized fin setup for different conditions and styles of wave riding. The fin boxes are chemically and physically integrated into the board, and fit both Lib Tech’s new M.I.L.F Fin System, and the FCS fin system.
Mike Olson and co-conspirator craftsman, Jeff Henderson, broke down every element of surfboard design in Lib Tech’s windowless Waterboard lab to build maximum functionality into the lineup. Ergonomic elements including grab rails (small channels on the rails) for maximum hold for duck diving, as well as aerials, and a concave deck for rib comfort are standard in every Waterboard shape series; Ramp, Bowl, and Vert. These shapes were created to provide maximum eco-radicalness on the wave face and beyond: Ramp – A magically fast, short, and wide, low rocker series with a speedy thumb tail and flipped stub nose. A surf skate tailored to accelerate and take you over the coping in small to medium waves. This is a punk rock grovel master, air blaster, mini slasher! Bowl – A magically fast quiver killer in small to overhead waves, featuring a wide, speedy thumb tail and pulled-in nose for aggressive modern performance. Medium-low rocker skates through flats sections and provides enough banana to pull through on pitching takeoffs. This is Lib Tech’s most versatile shape. Vert – A high performance design for high performance waves. Pulled nose, squared thumbtail, increased rocker. Meant to be ridden at standard lengths and widths. Get pitted.
For people who enjoy sliding sideways with art underneath their feet, Waterboards are available with the sublimated works of renown Lib Tech artists Jamie Lynn, Quincy Quigg, and Ryan Davis. For the purist, Waterboards are also available without graphics.
Mervin Manufacturing home of Lib Tech, GNU and Bent Metal is a leading designer and manufacturer of snowboarding, NASing, surfing and skateboarding products built at the world’s most environMENTAL factory by people who ride them. Mervin Manufacturing was founded by snowboarders Mike Olson and Pete Saari in 1977, with much of the original financing to build snowboards coming from the profits Mike Olson made shaping surfboards for his Near Canadian cold water brethren. In an industry where virtually every other snowboard, ski, skateboard, and surfboard company has moved production to China or offshore, Mervin is the longest running and last major board building factory in the USA. Based out of Carlsborg, Washington, between the rugged Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges, Mervin is a direct link between riding and manufacturing.
Trust Mervin Manufacturing.
Bitchin’ Board Builders.