Roger Hinds Defies Mortality Through Board Design
Author: Marcus Maraih
Roger Hinds Best Surfboard for Older Surfers
“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
The concept of longevity has gained a lot of traction over the last half-decade. The industry is rapidly growing, from its current (2025) $600 billion global market valuation to a broader economy that is projected to reach $27 trillion by the tail end of 2026.
For the uninitiated, longevity is a term used to describe the scientific and holistic pursuit of a longer, healthier life. Those seeking longevity create personalized strategies that leverage genetics, nutrition, exercise, equipment, and cutting-edge technology to prevent debilitating ailments and maintain vitality. Focus is placed on extending healthspan - versus simply lifespan. In other words, it’s about enhancing quality of life for as long as humanly possible. Of course, quality is life is subjective and defined differently for everyone. Given that you’re reading this, it’s safe to say that being able to surf, and surf well, in perpetuity is a critical part of your own search for immortality.
Unfortunately, us surfers are subjected to a sentiment that the clock is ticking on our time in the water. We’re inundated with TSJ and podcast interviews with legends from our sport who discuss the moment they realized it was time to throw in the towel, not realizing that in doing so, they’re giving permission to an aging demographic to do the same one day. This is something that our younger selves once deemed blasphemous. Many of us still do. Roger Hinds is one of them.
With more than seven decades on this earth, Hinds is no stranger to afflictions and injuries that would relegate most wave riders to the parking lot of their local surf break, talking about how things were better “back in the day”. And yet, amidst the betrayal of joints, ligaments, muscles, tissues, and organs, Roger Hinds refuses to ever (and he means ever) quit surfing.
What makes him so special to make such bold claim?
As one of the world’s last remaining board builders who does every part of the process on his own - designing, shaping, sanding, laminating, glassing, and finishing - Hinds sees what other supposed shapers do not. And seeing the writing on the wall regarding longevity, the Swiss Army Knife of board building carved out a design concept that promises to keep him (and a select few) riding waves until his spirit sheds its crude human skin.
Roger Hinds Best Surfboard for Older Surfers
What’s Hinds’ secret sauce that turns the ocean into the Fountain of Youth? The first ingredient is one-pound of EPS foam. It provides requisite buoyancy and liveliness to the board. But one-pound of EPS foam is not enough to deliver the strength needed to stabilize the rider and keep the board from compressing under the foot of a surfer who may not be as light and surefooted as they once were. This is where the next integration - duo stingers around the rail with high density polyurethane foam - enters the mix. When in use, the innovation is under tension akin to a bow and arrow as the high density foam wraps the parabolic curve of the board to make it spring to life, even more so as it (and its rider) ages. Furthermore, when paddling for a wave and the rider pushes down on the polyurethane to pop-up the board holds steadily then suddenly pushes back much like a trampoline. Meanwhile, the lower rails make is so the board won’t ride on top of the water, and when the rider turns, it doesn’t push back. This labor-intensive design can be employed to build cutting edge shortboards, longboards, and big wave guns.
Want to learn more? Don’t want to waste another moment contemplating when you’re expected to trade your quiver for swim fins? DM Roger Hinds for directions to your own Fountain of Youth. The water is warm and the winds are offshore.