Recreation Tech Reborn

Lost Rocket with Hydroflex Supercharger Technology A bicycle pump attaches to a valve in the top of this surfboard. $785; hydroflex-technology.com Greg Neumaier and Eric Heintz

Shred more waves with a surfboard that morphs to suit the day’s conditions. Using an ordinary bicycle pump and valve, you can add or remove air from the Lost Rocket’s foam core, varying its flex. For instance, pumping it to a stiff 9 psi of pressure lets it speed over big, glassy waves; a pliable 1 psi lets it glide smoothly through choppy surf.

The Rocket uses Hydroflex’s Supercharger Technology, a new building method that allows boards to keep their shape even when pumped-in air (which fills pores in the beaded foam) exerts pressure from inside. The process works by binding together familiar parts—a polystyrene foam core and an outer shell of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin—extra-tight.

A machine blasts the entire core with tiny shards of additional fiberglass and resin, which embed into the foam and form roots that hold the shell more securely than flat layers. The trick boosts overall durability, too. Righteous.