BOARD BUYER'S GUIDE
OUR MATERIALS
First and foremost, We think you should highly consider what materials you would prefer your board to be constructed with. This decision will most likely ultimately determine your overall happiness with your skimboard purchase.
We build our skimboards using a number of different materials, and construction techniques. We think a good place to start is to think about the type of performance you want out of your board, and then evaluate your budget. This will ultimately determine what other factors and choices you'll need to decide on. Below is a breakdown of each of our models:
The EX0
The EX0 is our most entry level board we offer, and an excellent choice for most riders, especially younger riders, that are interested in starting to skimboard for the first time. It comes in an easy to ride, entry level shape, in 3 sizes 44" (S), 48" (M), and 52" (L), which makes this board fully capable of sand sliding for almost any rider, and assuming you have the proper size for your weight, they are capable of some beginner and intermediate wave riding maneuvers and tricks. The small and medium sizes are, in most cases, essentially 'youth' sizes, if you want a fully functional skimboard, while the large size is capable of accommodating larger and older riders. This skimboard is constructed with multiple layers of E-Glass Fiberglass, Epoxy Resin, and a gloss finish (for easy traction application), making them a little heavier overall. Unlike other boards using this construction methods, our EX0 features a more seamless rail line for better performance. This combination creates a board that's as tough as any other skimboard on the market at it's price point ($179 - $225).
The EX1
The EX1 is the next step up from the EX0. This board comes standard in our widely popular Hybrid shape, in the 3 most popular sizes: S (51.50"), M (52.15"), and L (52.50"), and in our 3/4'' tapered thickness (We'll discuss this further down the line). These sizes allow for a wider range of riders at higher weight ranges (Up to about 205 lbs.), and excels in just about any type of wave conditions. The Hybrid shape is probably one of the most user friendly shapes we offer for riders of any skill level, and fully capable of high performance skimboarding. Again, we glass the EX1 with multiple layers of E-Glass Fiberglass, Epoxy resin, a gloss finish, and in a slightly stronger glassing schedule, making this board a little stiffer and stronger than the EX0 and a tiny bit heavier. The EX1 is an excellent choice for riders of any skill level looking for a high performance skimboard at an extremely economical price point ($299).
The CX1
By streamlining our manufacturing processes, and utilizing the most cutting-edge composite technology, Exile is able to offer the most affordable Carbon Fiber Epoxy Skimboard on the market today.
The CX1 construction employs many of the same features as our renowned Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy construction including 2 full sheets of Carbon Fiber, S-Glass and E-Glass reinforcement, Aerospace Grade Epoxy Resin, and a High Density PVC Foam Core.
The main difference you ask? The CX1 ARE slightly heavier than our Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy models, and they don't have all customization options that we offer with our more higher end offerings.
If you're looking for the strength that Carbon Fiber offers at an affordable price, and don't mind a little extra weight this might be the board for you!
If you're looking for the strongest and lightest boards possible with all the customization options the Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy or G.O.A.T Construction™ models might be the better choice.
The Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy
Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy means that the board has a layer of Carbon on the top and bottom of the board, reinforced with multiple layers of premium fiberglass, and ALWAYS epoxy resin. We use nothing short of Aerospace Grade Fabrics and Resins with this construction.These boards are fully customizable, and are built using every trick in the book. So why choose carbon fiber? This material is extremely light weight, stiff, and incredibly strong which creates a skimboard that is super responsive and incredibly high performance, and not to mention lasts longer than just about any skimboard we (or anyone) make. Why do we only use Epoxy resin? Epoxy is the only resin system that truly and scientifically (chemically) fully bonds to carbon fiber. Not all skimboard manufacturers use epoxy resin in all their Carbon boards (or charge more for it), so we think it's incredibly important for you, the customer, to know that every Double Carbon Fiber board we built comes standard with this resin system. You can read all the other great features of this material here by selecting the Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy option. Simply put, this material is the 'best of the best' option for 90% of all skimboarders out there, especially the serious ones who are riding on a regular basis and want to take their riding the the next level.
The G.O.A.T Construction™
Think of the G.O.A.T Construction™ as our Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy on steroids'. This construction features 3 layers of Carbon Fiber, and is reinforced exclusively with S-Glass fiberglass, which is a super light weight, stiff, and premium fiberglass, and as always epoxy resin. Simply put this is the stiffest, strongest, and lightest skimboard money can buy. This is the ideal construction choice for advanced riders that demand and expect nothing short of the best from their boards, or that rider that just wants the best of the best.
OUR SHAPES
Here at Exile Skimboards, we offer multiple unique shapes that perform extremely well in the conditions they are designed for. At this point in Exile's history these shapes are tried and well tested to perform and take your riding in any direction you'd like.
Our shapes are proven in every type of condition from the biggest waves you could (literally) ever imagine riding on a skimboard to the smallest!
Picking the right shape for the conditions you will be riding on a regular basis, is to another critical decision that will result in your overall happiness.
So which shape should you choose?
Here's the simple answer...Shape is largely personal preference depending on what you want to get out of your skimboard, and everyone is a little different.
You'll need to figure this out on your own, but we are here to help you out!
We're happy to give a breakdown of what each of our Shapes are ideal for, and then we're turning it over to you:
The Hybrid Shape
This shape is one of Exile's oldest and most popular shapes. The wider nose and shorter overall length of these boards is more forgiving, making them the best choice for beginner and intermediate riders, as well as advanced riders who prefer the responsiveness and easy-to-use style of this shape. This shape excels in all types of conditions. The Hybrid is the basis for which many of our other shapes are based. This shape is a safe pick for just about anyone!
The Hornet™ Shape
The Hornet™ Shape is one of the newer boards in our lineup. It is the culmination of over a year of R&D with our elite team of riders to take our most popular Hybrid Shape and make it THAT much better. We've taken the Hybrid Shape and drawn in the tail profile to make it narrower and slightly more pointed. This creates a shape that performs much like the Hybrid, BUT is ultra responsive under the lip and has extra 'hold' on the face of larger, steeper waves. Ideal for average to above average conditions. This shape will not disappoint! From nose to tail, the first 3/4 of this shape is essentially a Hybrid Shape. The last 1/4 of the board (from about right where the tail pad would be placed) features a pulled in and slightly narrower and more pointed tail. It's subtly different from the Hybrid shape, and in many instances they are so similar you might not even notice a real difference in performance. They do seem to perform slightly better in larger and steeper conditions with increased maneuverability and control.
The Blairacuda™ Shape
The Blairacuda™ is the brain child of one of, if not arguably the best, skimboarders of all time, Blair Conklin, and Operations Manager Hank Snapp. It's our high performance 'fish shape' that's capable of handling just about any type of condition. The tail seems to act as somewhat of a 'fin' when turning, and the board excels in liner, siders, and any instance when you need to lock in down the line. They do require a little more skill level to ride easily in larger and steeper conditions.
The Pro Shape
Exile's Pro Shape is a long time favorite of some of our top Professional riders, and recommended mostly to more advanced riders. It's longer and narrower overall, especially in the larger sizes. This creates a board that's extremely fast down the line and on siders. The narrower nose does make it a little more difficult to ride in the barrel, but since you're an advanced rider you shouldn't have any problems!
The Dude! Cruise Shape
The Dude! Cruise shape is our original fish shape. The nose is very blunted, and the overall width of this board makes it extremely buoyant and stable. They excel in smaller and weaker conditions, and have the ability to maintain the riders speed extremely well when sliding towards waves. Unfortunately the extra width of this board does make it harder to maneuver in larger wave, and therefore riders with this in mind should be more skilled. Otherwise this shape is ideal for riders of any skill level, and entry level riders might find some real benefit from the stability of this shape.
The Dude! Cruise 2.0
Based off the wildly popular Dude! Cruise™ Shape, the Dude! Cruise 2.0™ was developed for the rider who wants all the speed and float that the Dude! Cruise™ offers with more control in larger wave conditions. The pin tail does a great job with holding on turning especially in larger and steeper wave conditions. This shape excels in slightly below average to slightly above average wave conditions.
The Dude! Cruise Pro
The Dude! Cruise Pro™ was designed and developed by our team of riders to be a high performance version of our widely popular Dude! Cruise shape. Unlike it's predecessors, The Dude! Cruise Pro features a narrower width that's similar to that of a more traditionally shaped board, and a longer overall profile. This allows the board to be more responsive, and super fast on liners and siders. The pintail helps control the board in more critical conditions, and when landing tech tricks. While the Dude! Cruise Pro™ doesn't quite have the same amount of float and buoyancy as the other 2, it more than makes up for it in the performance category!
Thickness
Keep in mind that thickness of the board also comes into play! We offer 5/8" (thin), 3/4" tapered to 5/8" (medium), and 3/4" (thick) as standard options. Thicker boards will have more float than thinner boards, and hence behave more like a larger board, even if the size is exactly the same.
These are not hard and fast rules. The above chart is only our recommendation. There are many accomplished skimboarders who prefer skimboards outside the recommended weight ranges, and excel riding them
5/8"
5/8" Thickness is our thinnest core we offer. The thinner core creates an incredibly responsive skimboard that excels in average to great wave conditions. The thinner core does come at the cost of a little buoyancy.
3/4'' Tapered to 5/8"
3/4'' Tapered to 5/8'' thickness means that the center of the core is 3/4'' thick and thins out to 5/8'' (roughly) in the nose and tail. This creates added buoyancy while keeping the board maneuverable, just not quite as responsive as the 5/8''. This thickness is typically more ideal for slight below average to slightly above average wave height and strength.
3/4''
3/4'' Full thickness has no tapering in the nose and tail. It's ideal for the rider looking for as much float as possible. It excels in small to medium wave conditions. This thickness will be the least responsive.
Rocker Profiles
The rocker of the board refers to it's overall curvature. This feature has a dramatic effect on how your skimboard will perform!
Luckily for you, our owners Aaron Peluso, who has a major in physics, and Andy Chiavetta, who builds some pretty incredible airplanes, (both of which are no slouches on a skimboard), and in collaboration with our very first team riders mostly figured this out for you over 20 years ago.
Hybrid Rocker
The Hybrid Rocker is what we put on 90% of the boards we produce, and is the most versatile skimboard rocker for skimming anything from the Gulf Coast of Florida to Cabo. It clocks in roughly at 2.25" in the nose and about .125" in the tail with a fairly good size flat spot in the middle of the board. This allows the board to transition from sand to water easily, be super fast, and turn on a dime. If you aren't sure this would be our pick!
Sam Rocker
This rocker was developed by Sam Stinnett to incorporate more rocker in the nose and tail (approx. 2.5" in the nose), and reduce the footprint of the flat spot on the bottom of the board. This creates a board that turns on a dime in even the largest conditions. It does slightly slow the board down when planing, but if you run as fast as Sam does, that shouldn't hinder you.
Domke Rocker
This rocker was developed by Brad when he was living and skimming in Florida more often. It is slightly flatter overall with about 2" of nose rocker. This makes the board incredibly fast, but at the cost of a little maneuverability.
Deck Channels
What the heck are Deck Channels and do I need them?
Deck Channels Explained
Deck Channels are the grooves that run about 1/3 the length of the board (depending on the shape and size) approximately 1" from the ''rail'', or edge of the board.
Exile first explored this shaping option in an effort to potentially make our boards even stiffer than they already are. After years of feedback, we honestly don't think it makes a noticeable difference in this aspect of the board, as they are so stiff already.
But plenty of riders liked the feel of this feature when running with the board and doing grab rail maneuvers!
Glass Weight
This option is only available in our Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy Construction option. We have the ability to slightly alter the weight of your skimboard as a "no cost" option depending on the demands of the board.
Standard Weight
Our Standard weight option is the way we've built our Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy skimboards from the beginning. As is, they are lighter than most skimboards on the market and sufficiently tough and durable for just about anyone!
Competition Weight™
We introduced our Competition Weight™ option for riders who wanted an extremely light weight option compared to our standard build. This results in a board that's a little lighter and more responsive at the cost of some overall strength. Riders that are choosing this option should expect a board that's as light and high performance as any board we make, and also not expect them to last as long as a board glassed in our standard weight option.
Duraweight™
Our Duraweight™ option is the antithesis to the Competition Weight™. These boards tend to be a little heavier, which is ideal for riders in windier conditions or riders who are a little tougher on their boards, and ''should" last riders a little longer overall.
Deck Options
We offer two different Deck Options for our custom Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy and G.O.A.T Construction™ Skimboards.
Standard Flat Deck
Most riders are going to want to choose the standard Flat deck option as this is how 99% of all skimboards are built and what feels the most comfortable to most riders.
Concave Deck
The Concave options makes the boards slightly thinner in the middle. This gives the board a feel that it's a little closer to the water, and also gives it a little more of a 'skatey' type of feel overall.
* For the Concave optionswe highly recommend only choosing this option if a) you've ridden one and know that you like how it feels under your feet, or b) just want to experiment and/or add something new and different to your quiver.
** Note that the Concave option are either/or in conjunction with your thickness choice, but not both. i.e. You could either have the Concave option or 3/4'' Tapered, but not both.
Board Colors
Learn More
For almost all colors, we mix these by hand in small batches at the time the board is constructed. Therefore the hue, tone, etc...can and will vary literally from board to board.
Obviously we will do our best to match the colors as closely as possible if you are ordering a custom skimboard with us, but please know that variances are a possibility.
Additionally if you have multiple colors on a board i.e. resin bottom art the colors are going to mix and bleed into one another, which can also cause the board to have additional colors not chosen. For instance if you chose red and blue for the bottom colors, there's a distinct possibility that there will also be some purple in the bottom due to the construction process.
*Additionally, if you have picked either the Double Carbon Epoxy or G.O.A.T Construction™, these boards are built with Carbon Fiber, which is inherently black by nature. Due to our construction process, some of this black color will 'show' along the rails and possibly even the top of the board. This is completely normal! Competition Weight™ and G.O.A.T Construction™ Tend to show more of the carbon fiber than other boards, and lighter colors can be affected by this.
Logos
Amalgam
Oval
Bold
Vanilla
E Crown
E Ball
Finishes
Exile offers a number of different finish options for our skimboards.
Textured Finish
This finish is Light, Strong, Durable, and preferred by riders who put more emphasis on performance than cosmetics. This is the finish the company was built on and the golden standard in which others imitate. It comes standard on all our Double Carbon Fiber Epoxy and G.O.A.T Construction™ skimboards.
Some sanding required for proper traction adhesion.
Matte Gloss Finish
This is our standard finish for the CX1 Model. This finish is lighter in weight, but not quite as shiny as the Showroom Gloss Finish.
Traction pads easily adhere to this finish with no sanding or prep work needed.
Showroom Gloss Finish
All our beginner and intermediate level boards, theEX0andEX1come standard with a Gloss Finish. This finish is shiny and smooth to the touch, and allows for simple traction application with no extra steps needed (except maybe a quick wipe down to remove any dust).
This finish does add a little extra weight to the board, and will result in the heaviest boards we offer, which is still pretty light.
