Welcome back true believers!
This week is about kicking it old school.. old school board model and old school local ripper Chad Hicks!
Chad used to come see me at the shop for years when I managed the board room. Even though he and I were different sizes we usually gravitated towards boards with similar rockers and contours with that mid 90s feel. I recently did an Instagram interview and was asked what my all time favorite CI model was. I ran through the rolodex in my brain, was it the Proton..Was it the Rookie? (probably honorable mention there as I still have a Rookie Al Merrick shaped me displayed in my office..). I then came to the conclusion that it was most definitely the MBM (Merrick Bobby Martinez). Chad used to gobble up heaps of the MBM models based on my recommendation. It came out in 2002 and I had a bunch until the Proton rose to stardom around 2007/ 2008.
Well, all good things must come to an end and when Bobby briefly left CI to live in Aus and ride other boards, they began developing models with Dane and eventually Connor Coffin (among others). From the ashes of the MBM era boards rose the shorter, wider performance boards we all consider to be standard performance boards these days. The first of that wave of designs was none other than the Fred Rubble, one of the best selling boards in Surf Station and CI history. I remember getting these in and we literally would sell two dozen in a few days.
What was it that drew allure? I had a few, they were super fun but nothing off the charts.. until I had a 5’9″ shaped like Kelly’s, with a slight hip and a round tail. I literally was so confident on that board I rode it in everything. It just worked and was very easy to ride. Well long story long but I was raving to Chad one Saturday about the Rubble model and he decided to give one a try. I’m super pumped to have heard from him and super pumped he still rides the Rubble I recommended so long ago!
Nothing special about this shot, just the only pic I could find of my old magic Rubble before I did my usual buckle in front of the fins.. photo: V. Rose
surfer- Chad Hicks
height- 6’0”
weight- 180 lbs (before lockdown)
Board- 6’0” x 19 x 2 3/8 Fred Rubble 28.4 liters
This baby’s got some miles on it..
words from Chad to me:
“So I was always a “Scott Calvin dims” rider, 6’3” x 18 1/2″ x 2 1/4”. I always liked the MBM and MBM+ boards. About 7 or 8 years ago(it was closer to ten Chad!) when you were in the boardroom, you talked me into a 6’0” Fred Rubble. This board has been a good one since day one. I have had a couple different boards since, but always go back to riding this one. I had Julian Wilson fins to start, but they didn’t have drive off the top for a big boy like me. I am a heavy footed surfer/skater and like a larger profile fin with more rake. I have settled into the LG Al Merrick fin template and it feels good for me. This board still rides great, but is getting up there… I was eyeballing the 6’0” Fever before all this Covid crap happened and that may be my new board this summer.
Really glad I was able to have Chad for a what they ride!
On another note. I would have never thought in my advanced age that I would skate more than I surf, but I do (love Treaty Park). Treaty is what I would hope for in a wave, if I could make it liquid it would be perfect. I still ride with a few other Geezers (Pidcock, Pancho and Blackford). I ride a 8.5” board with 149 Independent trucks, reds bearings and Bones park formula wheels (Chris Millers right now). Seems like hard wheels = fast on the smooth concrete. I think a backside grind is the same mechanics as a backside floater (after a few thousand grinds it gets a good groove in the trucks). Again, I have a heavy foot and don’t do kickflips, but love the fast carving grinds.”
Chad keeping it real, OG Treaty local.
While the Rubble is a custom only model these days.. check out Chad’s next choice, the CI Fever here!
