Walden Surfboards

Walden Surfboards
Founded	1965
Location	Ventura, California
Shaper	Steve Walden
Category	Longboards
Website	http://waldensurfboards.com

History of Walden Surfboards

Steve Walden began his shaping career at a young age of 13. At the end of the 1960’s and beginning of 1970’s the shortboard revolution was taking place, rendering a time period when the longboard designs were on the backburner.

However, Walden would pioneer and stick to designing longboards, eventually giving him the title of the “Father of Modern Longboards”. He would shape surfboards in California and Hawaii with the best surfboard brands including Hawaii Island Creations, Lightning Bolt, and Channel Islands.

The release of the Magic Model longboard proved to be the most successful, with sought after qualities including down-turned rails, Turbo Hull bottom contour, and radical rocker.

His dedication to shaping longboards paid off as interest returned for longboards from the 1980’s and 1990’s. Although he continues to shape, Steve takes the time to still compete in longboarding competitions, including holding the record for longest longboard noseride at 25.5 seconds!

"When you’re talking about how to noseride best, to me, better equipment is the most important part. I’ve always been surfing against guys that are better, so equipment is key . Second is knowledge and practice. In noseriding boards there is a whole variety, from classics all the way through modern performance longboards and all in between. It is a misconception, however, that all longboards noseride . You can noseride them, but with a lot of them the design doesn’t allow you to stand on the tip and just stay there. Some designs are so much more helpful than others. Stability, when first learning to noseride , is just as important as in first learning to surf. It’s the same process of learning. Equipment, length, and width of the nose, equals the difference right there."

—Steve Walden

Overview of Walden Surfboards

With a strong history in longboard design, it should be no surprise that Walden Surfboards specializes in the modern longboard selections (largest selections of longboards around). Many of Walden’s longboards have been surfed around the world and deemed one of the best in the world for longboard quality.

His Magic Model’s are the most popular option of longboards at Walden.

Note: With the recent site redesign as of July 2012, some of the models listed below were available prior to the relaunch. Check the Walden Surfboards website for the most up-to-date in-stock information.

Magic Model Long

Original Magic Model Magic Magic Strato-Flex Red Palm Tie-dye

Magic Model Fat

Mini Mega CD Mega Magic

Magic Model Short

Compact Disk (CD) CD-4 Magic Fish Retro Wing Swallow Tail Mini Magic Bambino

Traditional

Hang Glider Kicktail

GSI Walden Epoxy

7’6 GSI Epoxy Mini Magic 8’0 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 9’0 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 9’0 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 3 9’2 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 9’6 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 10’0 GSI Epoxy Magic Model 9’4 GSI Epoxy SUP 9’11 GSI Epoxy SUP 10’10 GSI Epoxy SUP

GSI Walden Foam

2012 9’0 GSI Foam Magic Model 2012 8’0 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’0 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’2 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’6 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’6 GSI Foam Hang Glider 10’0 GSI Foam Hang Glider

GSI Walden SLX

8’0 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’2 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’0 GSI Foam Magic Model 9’6 GSI Foam Magic Model 7’2 GSI SLX Mega Magic 8’0 GSI SLX Mega Magic 9’0 GSI SLX Mega Magic 8’0 GSI SLX Carbon Rail Magic Model 9’0 GSI SLX Carbon Rail Magic Model 9’6 GSI SLX Carbon Rail Magic Model

Originals

Wahine Originals CD Wahine Originals Mini Magic Wahine Originals Magic Model Wahine Originals SUP

See also

• List of surfboard manufacturers

Bibliography

• http://www.surfboardbrandshq.com/walden-surfboards/