Epoxy boards need the same care and attention you would give any other board. Here are some tips to help you to get more life from your outheback board..

#1. Bag Your Board

Out of the water, keep your board in a board bag at all times. Even though our epoxy boards are tough, 50% of the dings and chips that will cause your surfboard's demise will occur in transport to and from the beach. Even if you use your board all of the time you can keep your boards in pristine condition for years just by religiously keeping them covered. If you don't have a cover - Click Here to see our board covers in our range of accessories

#2. Keep your Surfboard Safe: Gravity is not your Friend.

A gust of wind or careless bystander can easily knock down a board that has been placed haphazardly in a standing position against a wall, or a car and can cause anything from a brand new ding to major damage. When leaving it on the ground, beware that animals, small kids and even adults will trip over, walk on or play with your baby. If you have to leave it around, sticking it in your board cover will help prevent damage and putting down away from thoroughfares and doorways is a good idea. You can also build a storage rack at home to hang your boards safely out of reach. Your surfboard will thank you.

#3. Treat you Surfboard like a Baby: Be a Protective Parent.

Direct sunlight and heat is your board's worst enemy, so store it safely in a cool, shady spot. Though you ride your board in the sun everyday, the exposure is minimal and the water helps to keep it cool. When you're not surfing try to keep it out of the sun, find some shade or throw your towel over it or place it in its cover.

Don't leave your board outside for too long and while leaving it in the car is better than on the roof, heat is not that much better than the sun itself, and may result in voiding your warranty. Rinse off your board with fresh water after every use. It is very important to get all the salt off and in a situation where the water is dirty the residue can stain the finish coat.

Smart care also includes avoiding riding your board right into shore and onto the sand. Wet sand is super abrasive and will even damage the tough epoxy. Consider your fins here and if you ride into the sand they could snap off. Nose diving onto shallow banks is the most common way of snapping your board; the nose of your board is generally the thinnest part and will snap easily. Avoid this at all times.

Choose your surfing location wisely, and with regards to your abilities. I don't know how many times I've seen learners, beginners, or novices ride their board into a 2 or 3 foot shore dump only to come up with 2 boards and then say "but it was only 2 foot". Remember no board, epoxy or polyester is bullet proof.

#4. Surfboard First Aid: Don't Put off the Repairs!

Even minor dings can cause serious problems if left untreated for long, so be sure to repair any crack or puncture in your board as soon as possible. Do not attempt to repair the board with polyester resin, the polyester resin will dissolve the extruded polystyrene foam. Use our special D’ix Ding Fix Travel repair kits, a good quality surf repair tape, such as "Ding Tape" (available from good surf stores), and even good old araldite can temporarily be used to fix minor damage to the epoxy. Otherwise, water leaking into the inner foam core of your board will cause yellowing, delamination, and worst of all, extra weight leading to lower board performance. Remember to periodically strip old wax off the deck in order to check for any unseen dings or cracks that may be lurking below. Having a proffessional board repairer do repairs goes a long way to making your board last longer.

Prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight will yellow all surfboards over time and should be avoided. As your outheback board epoxy resin yellows, it actually continues to cure and becomes stronger, though somewhat less attractive. Any board will pressure dent under your feet; particularly short boards that are glassed super light. However, outheback boards will not delaminate under the dents and won't lose strength in that area.

Proper care will greatly enhance the life of your precious outheback board. In addition, remember to secure your board when transporting it, place it out of the way of foot traffic and car traffic, and choose who may borrow your board wisely. Even with perfect care, a board will eventually lose its "energy" and require you you to update to something fresh.

Have fun and keep surfing.