Mystery ($600) | JS Industries
Without winter storms driving the tide, waves in many spots are a little, uh, little. If you live in an area where the water is cursed with embarrassing summer-wave shrinkage, the agile Mystery can help. The board is flatter and wider at the hips than a dedicated shredding model, and will perform reliably on small to medium waves.
Albacore ($250) | Global Surf Industries
If you’re not a dedicated surfer who’s up at dawn every morning to catch some pre-work waves, the sport can feel like more work than it’s worth. So if you only get a chance to hit the beach every couple weeks and you want to make the most of your wave time, consider the Albacore. You can stand, kneel, lay, or simply hang on tight when a huge set rolls through. No need to apply wax to the board, either; just use it when you want and garage it till next time.
