23.03.14 + Studio

We're making a surfboard and we need your vote

UPDATE: Public voting is now closed

Thank you to all who voted! We will be announcing the judges soon.

Conceived in collaboration with Kings Surfboard Glassing and inspired by our shared love of craft, we set a new challenge for ourselves: to design a fully custom surfboard.

Scroll down to view the 18 designs from our staff at Trollbäck. The top contenders will be judged by a legendary panel of surfers and designers.

"Surfboard building on the East Coast is 50 years behind the West Coast, so it’s a perfect time to experiment. We want to reach into the communities that have not had access to surfing and then one day there is that little girl out in the Rockaways who wants to be a shaper."

—Aaron and Drew Austin, Kings Surfboard Glassing

Our intention is to make a piece of functional art that aligns with our mantra of Beauty+Logic. Cutting back to a minimal shape in line with our creative philosophy at Trollbäck, “Discard everything that means nothing,” we landed on a finless, asymmetrical design.

The choice to go finless honors the original Hawaiian Alia-style boards ridden by locals before colonists banned surfing. The asymmetric shape allows for a higher performance cutback turn which generates speed.

"With this collaboration, we hope to bring awareness to the thriving and unique East Coast surf scene, create new possibilities, and amplify the presence of some of the key people in the NYC surf community."

—Elliott Chaffer, Trollbäck ECD and surfer

1. "iZO" ↑

2. "Flow" ↑

3. "Mantra" ↑

4. "Dazzle" ↑

5. "Polu" ↑

6. "Waves" ↑

7. "Line+Form" ↑

8. "Topo" ↑

9. "Fundamentals" ↑

10. "Sand" ↑

11. "Eclipse" ↑

12. "Mosaic" ↑

13. "Stroke" ↑

14. "Ost" ↑

15. "Boards" ↑

16. "Refraction" ↑

17. "Mandala" ↑

18. "Cycles" ↑

Be sure to visit Kings Surfboard Glassing to ask them about buying boards and pick up some merch. Kings Surfboard Glassing photos were shot by Leah Balagopal for Field Mag.