Critical Slide Logger Head 9'8 PU Longboard Surfboard – Plein Air

The Critical Slide Society Logger Head 9'8 Longboard Surfboard in Plein Air is a contemporary take on the classic old-school log, designed for effortless paddling, smooth trim and plenty of time on the nose. At 9'8" x 23" x 3¼" with 78 litres of volume, it's a substantial traditional longboard with the stability and glide to make the most of small-to-medium surf.

With its wide outline, long parallel rails and full rounded nose, the Logger Head creates a large, stable platform for walking the board and developing traditional longboard style. It's a board designed to slow things down, find the trim line and enjoy smooth, flowing surfing rather than chasing aggressive performance manoeuvres.

Built for Classic Longboarding

The Logger Head takes the fundamentals of a traditional longboard and refines them into an approachable, highly functional design.

Long parallel rails provide excellent stability underfoot, giving you plenty of platform to move forward and back along the board. The full rounded nose provides the width and stability needed when moving towards the tip, making the Logger Head particularly well suited to surfers wanting to work on their noseriding.

At 78 litres, the 9'8 has generous flotation, helping it paddle efficiently, catch waves early and maintain momentum through softer sections.

Flat Rocker for Paddle Power & Glide

A moderately flat entry rocker helps the Logger Head paddle quickly and generate smooth down-the-line trim speed.

Through the middle, the rocker becomes flatter again to create the effortless glide associated with a traditional longboard surfboard. A small amount of lift through the tail then helps the board transition into turns when you step back and apply pressure.

This combination makes the Logger Head especially effective in smaller, softer waves where maintaining momentum and generating speed through trim are important.

Nose Concave for Noseriding

Underneath the full rounded nose is a long single concave, designed to create lift and support when you're forward on the board.

The bottom then transitions into vee through the belly and tail, helping the Logger Head roll smoothly from rail to rail when turning.

It's a classic combination: stability and lift when you're forward, then smoother rail transitions when you step back onto the tail.

Forgiving 60/40 Rails

The Logger Head uses 60/40 rails, giving the board enough bite to hold into the wave face while retaining the forgiving feel expected from a traditional log.

Combined with the vee through the belly and tail, the rail profile allows for smooth, controlled transitions rather than the sharper, more aggressive response of a modern performance longboard.

Traditional PU Construction

The Logger Head is built using traditional polyester (PU) construction, with a foam core, timber stringer and hand-laminated fibreglass construction.

The 9'8 uses two layers of 6oz glass on the deck with a 6oz bottom and additional 6oz fin patch, giving this traditional longboard the substantial construction and feel you'd expect from a proper log.

The board is finished with traditional resin tint, rail laps and a matte-sanded finish, with the Plein Air colourway giving this particular 9'8 its distinctive Critical Slide aesthetic.

Single Fin Included

The Logger Head keeps the fin setup appropriately traditional with a single longboard fin box.

Importantly, the board comes supplied with a 9.5" single fin, so you have the appropriate fin to get the board straight into the water.

The single-fin setup complements the Logger Head's design, encouraging smooth turns, clean trim lines and classic longboard surfing.

Specifications

• Model: Critical Slide Society Logger Head
• Length: 9'8"
• Width: 23"
• Thickness: 3¼"
• Volume: 78L
• Colour: Plein Air
• Construction: Polyester / PU
• Traditional longboard / log design
• Full rounded nose
• Long parallel rails
• Moderately flat entry rocker
• Flat rocker through the middle
• Slight tail lift
• Long single nose concave
• Rolled vee through belly and tail
• Forgiving 60/40 rails
• Deck glassing: 2 x 6oz
• Bottom glassing: 1 x 6oz + 6oz fin patch
• Single-fin setup
• 9.5" single fin included
• Recommended wave range: approximately 1–6ft
• Suitable from advanced beginner through advanced surfers

Perfect For

• Traditional longboarding
• Noseriding
• Walking the board
• Trim and glide
• Small and medium waves
• Point breaks and softer beach breaks
• Surfers wanting a proper PU log
• Longboarders looking for a 9'8 noserider
• Surfers wanting stability and easy wave entry
• Developing classic longboard technique

Why You'll Love It

The Critical Slide Logger Head 9'8 is unapologetically focused on the things that make traditional longboarding fun.

Its 78 litres of volume, long parallel rails and relatively flat rocker give it excellent paddle power and effortless glide. Once you're on the wave, the full nose and long nose concave provide the platform for moving forward and spending more time around the nose.

Step back and the combination of vee, 60/40 rails and slight tail lift allows the board to transition smoothly into turns without losing its classic longboard character.

For someone searching for a traditional longboard surfboard in New Zealand, rather than a lightweight high-performance longboard, the Logger Head makes a lot of sense. It's a proper 9'8 PU log built around paddle power, stability, trim, noseriding and smooth flowing lines.

SPECIFICATIONS

NOTE: Rider weight is based on board volume and intermediate rider skill level

TECHNICAL INFORMATION