For my birthday I was given a Groundswell Balance Board by my brother and immediately had to have a go.
My brother also brought with him a Bongaboard and we had a chance to compare the two.
I was advised to try a balance board about 12 months ago by my accomplished surfer (South African) Brother-in Law, but was put-off by buying an Indo Board due to the cost! – see below.
Balance boards are fun to use and are excellent at developing balance and core muscle strength…both key attributes to surfing. You can spice up a normal workout by standing on your board and incorporating a number of exercises; squats (working quadriceps, hamstrings), lateral raises and bicep curls / shoulder press (developing balance, paddle strength). The board can also be used for press-ups by placing your hands where your feet would normally go and bringing your chest close to the board before rising again – check out The Complete Guide To Surf Fitness by Lee Stanbury.
Which board?
I was surprised to learn that the Groundswell was roughly half the price (£45 + £12.50 p&p) of an Indo Board (£95 + £7.50 p&p) – the Bongaboard retailing at (£56 incl p&p).
Bongaboards are made from wood sourced under the FCS (Forestry Stewardship Council) accreditation and therefore, from a sustainability point of view, are a cut above the rest. In addition, the quality of finish and the look of the Bongaboard is far superior when compared to the Groundswell. Operationally, I like using the deck of the Groundswell as it is slightly longer and has a more grippy surface than the Bongaboard. But, the Groundswell’s roller however, is far too narrow; as you build your confidence and begin tipping the deck at more precarious angles, there is an increased tendency for the board to ground-out and stop the ride. What I ended up doing was buying a Bongaboard roller at £28 to use with the Groundswell deck, but if I was starting from scratch I would go for the Bongaboard.
I hope this helps and please let me know what your opinions are of the balance boards that you use.
Bongaboard
£53 + £14 p&p
18mm Scandanavian FSC Birch Plywood 42cm * 80cm
Roller; locally sourced timber 15cm dia, 45cm long with rubber grips
Groundswell Balance Board
£53 + £14 p&p
Board dimensions are 89cm long x 32 cm wide.
It comes complete with a non slip Black Roller. The roller diameter is 11cm. The length is 45cm.
http://indoboard.eu/store/Original-Model/
£95 + £7.50 p&p
76 x 45 cm deck
113 kg maximum weight limit
16.5 cm diameter roller.
Take a look
http://youtu.be/PNK0X0vDwfg