Welcome to Degree 33 Surfboards. You’re about to get a fresh new look at our full surfboard lineup. This is where we give you all the nitty gritty details you need to make that next board an effortless decision.
Below, we'll cover the purpose, ability level, sizing, surf conditions, construction and upgrade suggestions for our favorite longboard.
This is the Ultimate performance Longboard, our flagship model that literally put us on the map. We put more Ultimates in the water than all other boards combined, and for good reason!
The goal for the Ultimate Longboard, is to provide the most well rounded longboard in the water. It’s versatility, stability, and responsiveness cover the playing field for every type of surfer, from the ambitious grom to the seasoned veteran.
The first thing that sticks out are the chined rails running through the majority of the rails, coming back to a crisp rail. For the new guy, turning a board of this size can be a tall order if you’re not back far enough on the tail, for that reason, we’ve pulled the rails away from the water just enough to let you get the board around and down the line. For the intermediate/advanced guy, this means less drag, more speed down the line, with a hard rail to bury on a big turn.
The next thing that makes the Ultimate a perfect board, check out the moderate rocker. A longboard with more kick in the nose is going to plow water when you paddle. Any less rocker and you’ll pearl the nose more often than you’d like. This perfect balance provides glide and easy takeoffs, an absolute necessity for getting started, and a massive perk for the hard charger.
When we flip the board over and look nose to tail, the concave is almost flat from the nose to the mid point, the single concave gets a little more pronounced. We have double concave through the fins keeping rocker relatively flat on the under side of the board. This means, although there’s moderate curve along the top of the deck, nose to tail, the bottom is a bit flatter, providing a perfect blend of glide and rail to rail maneuverability.
What all this boils down to, is that every design aspect of the Ultimate is perfectly balanced. The concaves balance out the rocker. The chined rails balance out a full bodied surface area. The ease of use balances out it’s ability to charge in heavy conditions!
The reason this board is so popular, is that it’s built with every surfer in mind. Whether you’ve never set foot in the water, or this is your 50th year surfing, the board will cater to your immediate needs.
If you’re just getting started, as a general starting place, choose an Ultimate roughly 3ft taller than your height, from there, if you’re a bulkier person for your height, bump up 6 inches. If you’re whispy, you can cheat down a size. As you improve, you can drop 6 inches for more performance. Your goal is wave count, so don’t cut yourself short!
Another great aspect when choosing the Ultimate as your go-to longboard, is that it covers the full longboard spectrum of surf conditions. Where classic logs and noseriders get relegated to the knee to chest high waves, the Ultimate can take on anything from knee high to overhead, messy or sheet glass!
We build the Ultimate in 3 different constructions, each serving a different purpose.
For the beginner, we suggest the epoxy for durability, float, and price point. Standard epoxy is the best bang for the buck for your first new board.
For the newly intermediate to advanced surfer, Nexgen is our upgraded epoxy, the lightest, most bouyant board construction we carry. Nexgen is about blending durability with performance.
Finally, for the purist, classic fiberglass has the best flex, and can is the only construction we can custom tailor to your preferences. For some, like me, this is the only way to go!
If you want to get a different feel out of your board, there are countless fin options. We’ve found that our best performance fin setup is our True Ames Greenough center fin coupled with FCS GL side bites. The most well-rounded setup for beginner to intermediate surfers is the True Ames California Classic with GL sidebites. As always, get a bag for your board, especially if you’re new. Solid bag use and board care keeps the suns’ harmful rays off your board, and keeps the dings off your rails so there’s nothing getting between you and your next session.
As always, if you have any questions on our boards or need any other questions answered our email us at surf@degree33.com, or, give us a call at the shop, (858) 693-3692. We’d be stoked to talk with you!
To look at the full collection of Ultimate Longboards Click Here
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This is perhaps our most important blog yet for intermediate surfers. Staying in the power zones of the wave is the foundation for all good surfing, so take a minute to study these tips to apply them in the water.
The noseride is one of the greatest sensations any surfer can experience. There is nothing like looking forwards and seeing no board in front of you. When done right & with the right board, you will feel the board lift beneath you, propelling you forward as if flying above the water.
Doug Butterick
June 15, 2017
Really looking forward that Ulitmate custom that coming, the perfect longboard yes!