How great is it that Mr.Solomonson has picked up the torch for this legitimate, underestimated, surfing vehicle! One look at his pics shows that the build quality is all there! Surf Mats at best are far more involved construction-wise than one gives credit for…trust me, I’ve attempted to build my own over the years with varying success,and it ain’t easy folks! Dale has appeared to pick up about where Hodgman/Converse left off in the early '70’s and taken it up a few notches-Slick!!! Too bad that the Polyethelene(Booger) onslaught of the '80’s saw the rapid demise of the Air Mat as we know it. Worse, it was sent offshore(read:Taiwan)for manufacture where it was pretty much downhill from there! Note: Paper-thin dacron & RF welded PVC/Vinyl does not make for a good airtight bladder…period!!! Thank you Dale for bringing the Surf Mat back to the States where it can be built right! Quality and Integrity in your deeds and words are key! The rider will be rewarded.
How great is it that Mr.Solomonson has picked up the torch for this > legitimate, underestimated, surfing vehicle! One look at his pics shows > that the build quality is all there! Surf Mats at best are far more > involved construction-wise than one gives credit for…trust me, I’ve > attempted to build my own over the years with varying success,and it ain’t > easy folks! Dale has appeared to pick up about where Hodgman/Converse left > off in the early '70’s and taken it up a few notches-Slick!!! Too bad that > the Polyethelene(Booger) onslaught of the '80’s saw the rapid demise of > the Air Mat as we know it. Worse, it was sent offshore(read:Taiwan)for > manufacture where it was pretty much downhill from there! Note: Paper-thin > dacron & RF welded PVC/Vinyl does not make for a good airtight > bladder…period!!! Thank you Dale for bringing the Surf Mat back to the > States where it can be built right! Quality and Integrity in your deeds > and words are key! The rider will be rewarded. amen to that
amen to that …when things are less crazy,I like to get one.Herb
How great is it that Mr.Solomonson has picked up the torch for this > legitimate, underestimated, surfing vehicle! One look at his pics shows > that the build quality is all there! Surf Mats at best are far more > involved construction-wise than one gives credit for…trust me, I’ve > attempted to build my own over the years with varying success,and it ain’t > easy folks! Dale has appeared to pick up about where Hodgman/Converse left > off in the early '70’s and taken it up a few notches-Slick!!! Too bad that > the Polyethelene(Booger) onslaught of the '80’s saw the rapid demise of > the Air Mat as we know it. Worse, it was sent offshore(read:Taiwan)for > manufacture where it was pretty much downhill from there! Note: Paper-thin > dacron & RF welded PVC/Vinyl does not make for a good airtight > bladder…period!!! Thank you Dale for bringing the Surf Mat back to the > States where it can be built right! Quality and Integrity in your deeds > and words are key! The rider will be rewarded. WOW!! Thanks, thinkmat! But the credit for my interest in surfmats goes directly back to lengthy conversations with George Greenough in the early 1970
s. My initial scepticism toward what I considered as nothing more than a lowly "beach toy", was compounded by the fact that I had spent time as a conventional standing surfer/shaper/builder, and I was also under the inspiring influence of Tom Morey in the early years of his famous bodyboard, the "Boogie". The fact was, I simply didnt understand what I was dealing with when it came to inflatable surfcraft… but Georges enthusiastic logic and exciting stories convinced me to at least give surfmats a fair go of it. I have to admit that at first, my primary concern for high performance airmat surfing was strictly limited to avoiding laughter, scorn and humiliation out in the water. The commercially produced mats available to me at that time were relatively cheap and imported, made of glued rubber and canvas, and were crudely varied enough that I soon began to wonder if they had been more likely created by an assembly-line accident rather than by intention! It was painfully obvious that their manufacturers goal was mass-production at the expense of many important details, which all work in balance to comprise a quality craft. I got what I paid for! But as time went on, and if I rode them the way George had instructed (the exact opposite from my way of thinking), they began to reveal surprising, exciting flashes of the greatest feelings, dramatic lines of speed and performance… all definitely there, just as he had told me… as if they were alive! So, it was only natural after the growing frustration of continuing design inadequacies and other failures, along with the hassle of re-ordering new imported mats, that I finally decided to build and test my own, incorporating better designs, materials and methods of construction. That was 30 years ago… and in some ways, high performance surfmats have come full circle. George Greenough still rides one of my latest handcrafted designs, just as he did in the winter of 1983 with his military green, “Hero” mat. But 3 decades have passed, and what was once only a dream, has since become a reality. Dale
“I rode them the way George had instructed (the exact opposite from my way of thinking)” Would you mind sharing some of that insight for a new rider like me?
Me too! Me too! Me too!
“I rode them the way George had instructed (the exact opposite from > my way of thinking)”>>> Would you mind sharing some of that insight for a new rider like me? John and Newbs, Here
s a bit of the story... back in the early 1970s, my first thought about surfmats was that they should definitely be inflated all the way up, very firm, to full capacity, so they would feel more like a hard bellyboard or at least like one of those new, flexible foam bodyboards, the “Boogie”. But George insisted that they were far faster and had much better handling if they were run on LESS air, rather than more! He also said that with less air pressure, the mats were very resonant, sensitive and completely adaptable to any waves curves and textures... plus you could really FEEL what was happening. With reduced air pressure, the contact area between surfmat and waters surface was increased, ironically resulting in unexpected speed and control… they even seemed to go faster over chop! Gnarly, bumpy waves that I wouldnt have taken a second glance at with any other equipment, had suddenly taken on new meaning! They rode smooooth, "...like a Cadillac over holes in the road", as George had described it. An exciting aspect of riding a low inflation surfmat, or "magic towel" (another of Georges terms), was learning how and when to manipulate the internal pressure by means of ones hands and forearms, alternately increasing and decreasing the grip on the mats primary control points, i.e. the front halfs edges and corners. Consequently, much of what I had previously known about conventional surfboards paddling and handling characteristics, had to be “unlearned” before my time in the water became more intuitive. I gradually began to understand the freedom that riding a surfmat represented… it seemed to be all about using the least amount of effort to accomplish the most speed and control… the opposite of what I had experienced on other surfcraft. And if I had to draw comparisons, it was more like “bodysurfing with jet propulsion”, rather than any other form of prone riding, and it really felt good… It wasn`t long before I discovered that rolling, gripping and releasing at the right times could result in severely banked, long, g-force bottom turns that would continue skimming and accelerating up and across the face, and then carving back around into the pocket… I was hooked! Dale
John and Newbs,>>> Here
s a bit of the story... back in the early 1970s, my first thought > about surfmats was that they should definitely be inflated all the way up, > very firm, to full capacity, so they would feel more like a hard > bellyboard or at least like one of those new, flexible foam bodyboards, > the “Boogie”. But George insisted that they were far faster and > had much better handling if they were run on LESS air, rather than more!>>> He also said that with less air pressure, the mats were very resonant, > sensitive and completely adaptable to any waves curves and textures... > plus you could really FEEL what was happening. With reduced air pressure, > the contact area between surfmat and waters surface was increased, > ironically resulting in unexpected speed and control… they even seemed > to go faster over chop! Gnarly, bumpy waves that I wouldnt have taken a > second glance at with any other equipment, had suddenly taken on new > meaning! They rode smooooth, "...like a Cadillac over holes in the > road", as George had described it.>>> An exciting aspect of riding a low inflation surfmat, or "magic > towel" (another of Georges terms), was learning how and when to > manipulate the internal pressure by means of ones hands and forearms, > alternately increasing and decreasing the grip on the mats primary > control points, i.e. the front halfs edges and corners. Consequently, > much of what I had previously known about conventional surfboards > paddling and handling characteristics, had to be “unlearned” > before my time in the water became more intuitive.>>> I gradually began to understand the freedom that riding a surfmat > represented… it seemed to be all about using the least amount of effort to > accomplish the most speed and control… the opposite of what I had > experienced on other surfcraft. And if I had to draw comparisons, it was > more like “bodysurfing with jet propulsion”, rather than any > other form of prone riding, and it really felt good…>>> It wasn`t long before I discovered that rolling, gripping and releasing at > the right times could result in severely banked, long, g-force bottom > turns that would continue skimming and accelerating up and across the > face, and then carving back around into the pocket… I was hooked!>>> Dale i love my mats, and know i have a very very long way to go before i am at dales level – but it sure will be fun getting there
Dale - I haven’t tried mine yet. Do you find that dragging your fin(s) behind you (kind of like a rudder) aids or inhibits overall performance? I’m thinking maybe drag through turns, then lift fins out for trim…
Dale - I haven’t tried mine yet. Do you find that dragging your fin(s) > behind you (kind of like a rudder) aids or inhibits overall performance? > I’m thinking maybe drag through turns, then lift fins out for trim… John- I never intentionally drag any part of my body, unless it
s back up in a spinning pocket and just playing around to stall a little bit. Once the wave is caught, about the only purpose for your lower body and swimfins is as a counter-balance, and thats above the water. Your surfmat is neutral in handling, and can be quite directional, or loose, as you so desire. In longer, unwinding waves it can be pumped through a series of progressively accelerating carves and high line drives… or as George says, “going through the gears”. After a while, your biggest problem with the surfmat wont be as much about learning to ride it, as it will be to just find a suitably challenging spot in order to let it run loose. At that point, you wont be aware of your legs, fins or how your hands are gripping the edges… just your mind and senses, racing along over the water. Dale
Dale: Ditto to Think Mat’s commentary. Just returned from a week of surfing, fishing, snorkeling and mat riding. The hours I spent on my new Neumatic surfmat were unbelievable. We had a decent swell on day 2 and after several sessions in the morning and midday I opted to give the mat a go for the late afternoon. It had started to blow out a bit but still some nice open faces, shoulder to head high. Crumbling tops on the outside sets and a reform inside section with a steep speed run. It was nearing dark-thirty when I finally went in. Taking a completely “new” surfcraft out in familiar conditions was the highlight of my week. Hmmm…how do you handle a looping steep drop on this thing? grab and tuck or just “unweight” and center your weight on top and let it find the power. How about that section forming up ahead, can I pump through it off the railines? What’s up with taking a left drop on a surfmat? Why does a left peak seem so effortless? I don’t know yet. I’m thinking it could take many, many sessions and lots of waves and swell conditions to get this mat thing wired…too bad huh? Thanks Dale! Tom S.>>> WOW!! Thanks, thinkmat!>>> But the credit for my interest in surfmats goes directly back to lengthy > conversations with George Greenough in the early 1970s. My initial > scepticism toward what I considered as nothing more than a lowly > "beach toy", was compounded by the fact that I had spent time as > a conventional standing surfer/shaper/builder, and I was also under the > inspiring influence of Tom Morey in the early years of his famous > bodyboard, the "Boogie".>>> The fact was, I simply didnt understand what I was dealing with when it > came to inflatable surfcraft… but Georges enthusiastic logic and > exciting stories convinced me to at least give surfmats a fair go of it. I > have to admit that at first, my primary concern for high performance > airmat surfing was strictly limited to avoiding laughter, scorn and > humiliation out in the water.>>> The commercially produced mats available to me at that time were > relatively cheap and imported, made of glued rubber and canvas, and were > crudely varied enough that I soon began to wonder if they had been more > likely created by an assembly-line accident rather than by intention! It > was painfully obvious that their manufacturers goal was mass-production > at the expense of many important details, which all work in balance to > comprise a quality craft. I got what I paid for!>>> But as time went on, and if I rode them the way George had instructed (the > exact opposite from my way of thinking), they began to reveal surprising, > exciting flashes of the greatest feelings, dramatic lines of speed and > performance… all definitely there, just as he had told me… as if they > were alive!>>> So, it was only natural after the growing frustration of continuing design > inadequacies and other failures, along with the hassle of re-ordering new > imported mats, that I finally decided to build and test my own, > incorporating better designs, materials and methods of construction.>>> That was 30 years ago… and in some ways, high performance surfmats have > come full circle. George Greenough still rides one of my latest > handcrafted designs, just as he did in the winter of 1983 with his > military green, “Hero” mat. But 3 decades have passed, and what > was once only a dream, has since become a reality.>>> Dale
Dale:>>> Ditto to Think Mat’s commentary. Just returned from a week of surfing, > fishing, snorkeling and mat riding. The hours I spent on my new Neumatic > surfmat were unbelievable. We had a decent swell on day 2 and after > several sessions in the morning and midday I opted to give the mat a go > for the late afternoon. It had started to blow out a bit but still some > nice open faces, shoulder to head high. Crumbling tops on the outside sets > and a reform inside section with a steep speed run. It was nearing > dark-thirty when I finally went in. Taking a completely “new” > surfcraft out in familiar conditions was the highlight of my week. > Hmmm…how do you handle a looping steep drop on this thing? grab and tuck > or just “unweight” and center your weight on top and let it find > the power. How about that section forming up ahead, can I pump through it > off the railines? What’s up with taking a left drop on a surfmat? Why does > a left peak seem so effortless? I don’t know yet. I’m thinking it could > take many, many sessions and lots of waves and swell conditions to get > this mat thing wired…too bad huh? Thanks Dale!>>> Tom S. Was it ???“unbelievable”, as in "I
d never ride that #@*%$!! thing again!" Or what?? Ive LONG been considering buying one of these things, but its good to hear from someone who isnt trying to sell them.............. whered you go on your week off? Bud
Dale:>>> Ditto to Think Mat’s commentary. Just returned from a week of surfing, > fishing, snorkeling and mat riding. The hours I spent on my new Neumatic > surfmat were unbelievable. We had a decent swell on day 2 and after > several sessions in the morning and midday I opted to give the mat a go > for the late afternoon. It had started to blow out a bit but still some > nice open faces, shoulder to head high. Crumbling tops on the outside sets > and a reform inside section with a steep speed run. It was nearing > dark-thirty when I finally went in. Taking a completely “new” > surfcraft out in familiar conditions was the highlight of my week. > Hmmm…how do you handle a looping steep drop on this thing? grab and tuck > or just “unweight” and center your weight on top and let it find > the power. How about that section forming up ahead, can I pump through it > off the railines? What’s up with taking a left drop on a surfmat? Why does > a left peak seem so effortless? I don’t know yet. I’m thinking it could > take many, many sessions and lots of waves and swell conditions to get > this mat thing wired…too bad huh? Thanks Dale!>>> Tom S. Hey, Tom- Many thanks for sharing the good news, and whether here in Swaylocks, or privately, I
d be stoked to hear what else you have to say! Im glad your trip was a safe one, too. Dale
Hey Tom! Glad you could indulge us some details regarding your last session, sounds like you had a blast! The whole story was dripping with “Waterman’s Ethic”…so rare these days! Glad you could give Dale’s Mat a chance. Regarding techniques, Dale has hit a lot of nails square on the head in his last couple of posts regarding inflation pressure,turning,holding to the face,etc. With enough time and practice, all will be revealed about what this vessel is quite capable of! I’d discovered years ago that the mat felt more “slippery” when inflated less,but it was more by accident than intentional.The valve stem that I utilized in my own mat design was sufficient,but inferior volume-wise(Note: I’ve always been a fan of inflating mats myself-you’ll never lose the pump!) So here I am, the surf’s firing, and I can barely huff up my mat i’m so jazzed, and my buddies are razzing me for taking forever to blow up my “doll”, and I’m starting to get bent out of shape ‘cause I did’nt really think this part through very well. So i’m off in the water and it’s obvious to me that my paddling speed is down a bit and I’m thinking “maybe I’ll re-huff out in the line-up” when this juicy left peak pops up on the horizon! I’m all over it and paddlin’ full tilt with all fours till a shortboard sitting further out gestures that it’s his… “There’s one outside of him” I’m thinking, but this kid on his $500 1"thick over-stickered flip-chip can’t begin to catch the thing… and the look on his face is priceless as I turn around in front of him on a “pool toy” and 3-stroke into it with relative ease despite the lack of inflation! Now here’s the good part…with less air in it the speed felt as though it had doubled! I’m blazing down this left like never before on the ragged edge of control holding one Duck Foot into the wave’s face like a rudder and the rest of me is leaning into the inside edge of my rail with all the body english I can muster! Better yet, the inside section is steepening and building and I relax it a little, give it some more fin, drive off the bottom and bank off the top as one of my buddies’ is Paddling back out…jacking him with my spray! I’ve never since attempted to blow up one of my mats to rock hard, less is more!!!
Bud: Unbelievable that such a benign looking craft could offer so much pure stoke in mediocre conditions. The first time I used Dale’s surfmat it was obvious he has spent countless hours refining the surfmat into a high quality and precision surfcraft. From the high tech non skid surface to the ingenious valve system his mats are built for serious surf riding. The Neuamatic craft is definitely going to be part of the “survival” gear that goes with me on any surf run. If you have any inclination to try riding a mat then I’d tell you to just get one, don’t wait, just do it. Tom S.>>> Was it ???“unbelievable”, as in "Id never ride that > #@*%$!! thing again!" Or what?? Ive LONG been considering buying one > of these things, but its good to hear from someone who isnt trying to > sell them.............. whered you go on your week off?>>> Bud
Bud:>>> Unbelievable that such a benign looking craft could offer so much pure > stoke in mediocre conditions. The first time I used Dale’s surfmat it was > obvious he has spent countless hours refining the surfmat into a high > quality and precision surfcraft. From the high tech non skid surface to > the ingenious valve system his mats are built for serious surf riding. The > Neuamatic craft is definitely going to be part of the “survival” > gear that goes with me on any surf run. If you have any inclination to try > riding a mat then I’d tell you to just get one, don’t wait, just do it.>>> Tom S. Tom S.- Thanks for being honest with all of us who are “seriously interested, but still somewhat sceptical”! That`s amazing. Bud
Hey Tom! Glad you could indulge us some details regarding your last > session, sounds like you had a blast! The whole story was dripping with > “Waterman’s Ethic”…so rare these days! Glad you could give > Dale’s Mat a chance. Regarding techniques, Dale has hit a lot of nails > square on the head in his last couple of posts regarding inflation > pressure,turning,holding to the face,etc. With enough time and practice, > all will be revealed about what this vessel is quite capable of! I’d > discovered years ago that the mat felt more “slippery” when > inflated less,but it was more by accident than intentional.The valve stem > that I utilized in my own mat design was sufficient,but inferior > volume-wise(Note: I’ve always been a fan of inflating mats myself-you’ll > never lose the pump!) So here I am, the surf’s firing, and I can barely > huff up my mat i’m so jazzed, and my buddies are razzing me for taking > forever to blow up my “doll”, and I’m starting to get bent out > of shape ‘cause I did’nt really think this part through very well. So i’m > off in the water and it’s obvious to me that my paddling speed is down a > bit and I’m thinking “maybe I’ll re-huff out in the line-up” > when this juicy left peak pops up on the horizon! I’m all over it and > paddlin’ full tilt with all fours till a shortboard sitting further out > gestures that it’s his… “There’s one outside of him” I’m > thinking, but this kid on his $500 1"thick over-stickered flip-chip > can’t begin to catch the thing… and the look on his face is priceless as > I turn around in front of him on a “pool toy” and 3-stroke into > it with relative ease despite the lack of inflation! Now here’s the good > part…with less air in it the speed felt as though it had doubled! I’m > blazing down this left like never before on the ragged edge of control > holding one Duck Foot into the wave’s face like a rudder and the rest of > me is leaning into the inside edge of my rail with all the body english I > can muster! Better yet, the inside section is steepening and building and > I relax it a little, give it some more fin, drive off the bottom and bank > off the top as one of my buddies’ is Paddling back out…jacking him with > my spray! I’ve never since attempted to blow up one of my mats to rock > hard, less is more!!! Thinkmat… great story, thanks for the stoke! I caught myself leaning off the edge of the chair while reading it!! Where do you surf? Build your own equipment? Dale
Dale:>>> Ditto to Think Mat’s commentary. Just returned from a week of surfing, > fishing, snorkeling and mat riding. The hours I spent on my new Neumatic > surfmat were unbelievable. We had a decent swell on day 2 and after > several sessions in the morning and midday I opted to give the mat a go > for the late afternoon. It had started to blow out a bit but still some > nice open faces, shoulder to head high. Crumbling tops on the outside sets > and a reform inside section with a steep speed run. It was nearing > dark-thirty when I finally went in. Taking a completely “new” > surfcraft out in familiar conditions was the highlight of my week. > Hmmm…how do you handle a looping steep drop on this thing? grab and tuck > or just “unweight” and center your weight on top and let it find > the power. How about that section forming up ahead, can I pump through it > off the railines? What’s up with taking a left drop on a surfmat? Why does > a left peak seem so effortless? I don’t know yet. I’m thinking it could > take many, many sessions and lots of waves and swell conditions to get > this mat thing wired…too bad huh? Thanks Dale!>>> Tom S. Why are these Riders Of The Bag all sounding like some wild-eyed, raving lunatics? Surfers arent supposed to sound like they`re brainwashed. Or in a cult. Give us the The Word. Do they also foam at the mouth??
Why are these Riders Of The Bag all sounding like some wild-eyed, raving > lunatics? Surfers arent supposed to sound like they`re brainwashed. Or in > a cult. Give us the The Word. Do they also foam at the mouth?? These are the side effects of prolonged exposure to extreme speeds and an overdose of stoke. The victims have been inflicted with a highly contagious malady for which there is no cure. I suspect that we will be seeing more cases with much, much worse symptoms.