On Style

“Get on a single-fin. It’ll smooth you out.” 

Remember that now-patinated rejoinder? It was usually uttered by a lot lizard with a mustache that should have come with a set of tusks, and normally aimed at some swivel-hipped, ticktacking youngblood with contest aspirations but no concept of trim. 

All subtlety was lost. You and them. Classicist or postmodernist. Less charitable voices echoed off the cliff faces. “Stamp out the amp out!” “LA is that way!” “Go back!” Predictably, the aggrieved found their voices. “Do something!” “Can you even rip?” “Nice arch, Fossil!” 

The battle raged on for what felt like eons. But in geologic (or even Gregorian) time, it was over in a trice. Fifteen years, tops. Let’s call it from the popular acceptance of the twin-fin (1978 or so) to the advent of the young longboard-and-stubs kids.

We’ve since discovered that some of the smoothest SOBs (and DOBs) out there ride twins. And bonzers. And some without even a solitary dagger board disturbing the water. Turns out that it’s more about philosophy, inclination, and aesthetics as opposed to some hidebound edict nailed to a door.

So is this where we close with some accepting, one-big-human-family banality? Nope. Under the feet of a capable surfer, like Andy Nieblas, the extended lines and sheer draw of a single offer up a look and feel that simply can’t be synthesized, put into a box, or even fully contained to the face. 

—Scott Hulet