You’ve got your new board, you love it! The last thing you are thinking is that it can potentially be a hot air balloon waiting to explode. Yes, your board is really just a big container of air. Heat it up and POP – its all over. The styrofoam in the core of your board is largely air. Even though these boards are designed for the ocean and the beach, they don’t like extended exposure to heat.

*IMPORTANT* Your board is NOT covered under warranty if you overheat it so here are some tips to avoid ruining your board.

● Leaving your board on the roof of the car for extended periods in direct sunlight or on hot days.

● Board bags actually make things worse – they help ‘cook’ your board.

● Leaving your board in the car also helps to ‘cook’ it.

● Radiant heat through windows is your worst enemy.

● Bubble wrap is like a thousand magnifying lasses trying to destroy your board

● If you have a black or dark grip – flip the board over on the beach or better yet put it in the shade.

● The lighter the construction, the weaker the skin, the more likely your board can be heat damaged.

● The darker the colour (Red, Blue etc) the quicker your board will heat up.

The simplest rule is treat your board like you would your favorite pet or small child and you will have a long and happy life together!

Don’t be fooled, vent plugs only work if you release them before the damage is done! Then, if you don’t seal them up, you risk taking in water. Vent plugs are best left alone and stick by the rules above.

One way vent plugs do let air out of the board if it overheats, but they are not fool-proof and if the board heats up too quickly the vent cannot cope. So, again stick by the rules above.