May 01, 2020
My goal was to build a group of boards with progressive and traditional elements, function in the water, rack appeal and esthetic of a early 60's pig, with its classic simple logo placement, reminiscent of simpler times.
Early on I did all the R&D, there was a need for this sort of board for my own surfing. I'm almost 50 and the crowds keep me from riding my short board. I've been riding noseriders for 25 years and wanted a change from always going right to nose, something faster and more a carvey turn on the open faces.
Definitely, the turning ability of a classic pig was the influence. Our team rider Will Allen was asking me for a progressive midrange, I leaned more towards a longboard alternative.
Yes and no, the general concept I got right away. The outline and tail rocker/ vee, and bottom contour took some fine tuning.
4 to 6 version on each of the three models.
Well, paddling and wave catching, ability to ride bigger waves then expected, glide and turning.
What was the most surprising was the wave catching, not having a concave allowed the board to gain speed with every stoke of when paddling, and with the wide point back the wave energy could pick up the tail fast and point the board down swell allowing for really early wave entry.
Because of the wide point being so far back, the design naturally lent itself to a longer midrange, a size range that hasn't been explored that deeply. Conventional outlines don't suit the size range very well, so thinking outside the box was the key to making the functional.
I didn't initially intend to make them at these sizes, it kind of found its own groove. I made an 8'0" and the feedback was less impactful, the advantages got lost, it still worked, but at that size you can move the wide point up and get more rail line for drive and projection.
Yes, the short borders like to know volume, so it satisfies that need. With long boards they will consider volume more when dropping in size to have adequate float and glide, other boards on the market that compare to these boards offer volume specs, so it seemed prudent to offer it.
There's some mix, yet mostly longboard/ pig influence, the down knifey rail in the tail was an influence of late 60's and early 70's Mike Hynson rail. The softer rail mid board was is a longboard influence.
The first one I designed was the Pig Pin, that had more of a glider influence with a single concave in the middle of the board, and flatter rocker. I really liked the board and found I was definitely on to something, yet my shortboard background was looking for break in the top and bottom turn, with the Pintail at 8'6" it was a little stiff considering I weigh about 145.
The Pigformer has a baby square tail, it was the answer to the issue I was having, it broke the turn to give the board just the right amount of pivot, with a bit more rocker I had more of a carvey open face turn I was looking for.
The Pigformer 2+1 was a result of the regular Pigformer success, by adding a little more tail rocker swallow tail, and side bites we could satisfy the customer that wants more of a progressive look and feel.
I would say conservatively they ride 6" to 12" shorter than their size, that's the feedback consensus I received.
Wow! Even after 35 years of surfing and shaping.
The biggest adjustment was back foot placement, it took me three session to understand were to put my foot and how to surf them. The Pigformer was definitely easier for what I was trying to do.
I liked the board in all conditions, but especially in peaky weak waves, that shortboard don't like and with longboarding generally gets boring fast.
They definitely needed to be different than the Greenough style fins that have been so successful in my noseriders and midranges. I had been using this template that George Downing had designed, who knows when, that had a lot more rake then what most people are used to seeing and riding. The Downing fin complimented the unique outline and vee bottom, although the Greenough 4A works good too. I was just personally looking for a unique feel.
For an 8'6 to 9'2" I definitely think it needs a 9" fin in either style of fin, mostly due to the width of the tail, so the board won't slip or spin out.
Yes, I would recommend using the Downing fin on bigger more powerful days to get more drive, then switching to the 4A when it's gutless.
These boards are in my mind the most user friendly and easy to surf boards that we make, hands down.
I'm sick of fighting for waves with young kids on the inside, and I don't want a clunky noserider that mostly works only when the waves are shoulder high and smaller, clean and lined up. You clearly you need the right board for the right conditions and the Pig Performer Series fills the need for me most often.
December 21, 2022
Alex Patrick is an artist in every sense of the word. He is well versed in still photography and cinematography, has a true love for cinema, and will travel to the ends of the earth to find the perfect shot. But, the thing we appreciate most about him is that he’s not in a hurry. Unlike most new-age digital content creators, he believes in the process and could care less about any deadline or being a part of any new social media trend. His imagery has a subtle hint of romance that stems from his unwavering love for light in all forms. Alex has been a part of the Bing family for quite a few years, so we decided to sit down with him and see what he’s been up to…
December 16, 2022
With the impending doom of a long, cold California winter upon us a few of the Bing crew decided to head south for a few days. As soon as we crossed into Tijuana through the CBX we could immediately feel the beginnings of a very special few days ahead. As any surfer knows, the beauty of Mexico lies not only in the perfect waves and golden beaches, but also within the generosity and welcoming smiles of all who inhabit this amazing country.
November 16, 2022
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