What makes a good quiver?

 What makes a good quiver? Ask 10 surfers that question and you will get 10 different answers.  There are so many variables that go into answering that question, including how many boards can you have? What level of surfer are you? Where do you surf? What conditions do you typically surf? Along with so many other questions.  Despite the difficulty in answering this question, I am going to share my feelings on my quiver and why at this point in time, it is pretty close to the best quiver for my surfing.  

Let's start with the quiver itself.  Here it is: 

I have six Matador boards for a variety of conditions.  These include a 6' Bull Fish that I ride with twin keel fins, a 6'8" Bandito that I ride as a quad, a 7' Gringo single fin, a 7'8" single fin Hip Cat, an 8'2" Brighton that I ride as a quad, and a 9'2" Collier Classic single fin.  This is a near-perfect quiver for my surfing ability and the waves that I surf.  Again, I am a mid-50s NJ surfer whose primary goal is to surf as often as possible.  That means big days, small days, and everything in between.  This quiver allows me to do just that but with choices depending on how I am feeling that day. 

The first priority for my quiver is that there isn't much overlap between when I would surf my boards.  If you look at the pictures, it is fair to say that this quiver fits that priority.  Honestly, if you have six boards, there is gonna be some overlap, but I want my boards to provide me a different feel depending on the day.  For instance, I like my Bandito and my Gringo for those head high+ days.  But those boards give me a very different ride given that one is a 5-fin that I ride as a quad and one is a classic 70s single-fin shape.  Same with my smaller wave boards.  If it is knee-high I can ride my Collier or my Brighton.  It just depends on how I want to surf that day.  The Hip Cat is a great single-fin that allows me to feel smooth and stylish on any wave from thigh-high to chest+, so I can ride that quite often in NJ.  And the Bull Fish is a great board on those clean waist-to-head-high days when I want a little challenge because, for me, a 6' board is still small.  Honestly, that is the one board I might change but only to add a few more inches, not the shape itself. If it was a little bigger I would surf it more often. 

So for me, I want a quiver that I can surf!  If a board sits too long, I wonder why I have it.  And although I ride the Bull Fish and the Gringo the least, I still surf those boards regularly and they fulfill a purpose in my quiver. But it is the variety of boards that makes surfing every day fun.  Variety is the spice of life!   

But I also understand that not everyone can have a six-board quiver.  One of the questions I get a lot is if I could have only three boards, which would I keep?  That is tough because I truly love all of these boards.  But if forced to sell three of these boards purely based on when and how often I surf them (not sentimentality) I would definitely sell the Gringo and the Bull Fish.  They are more niche boards for me, even though they are great boards.  I would definitely keep the Brighton and the Bandito.  I surf the Brighton more than any other board because it is so versatile and the Bandito is a great board when things get bigger, but I can also surf it on an average day.  Ok--one last board to keep. The Hip Cat or Collier Classic? That is tough.  I would probably keep the Hip Cat.  The reason is that the Brighton can surf even the smallest of waves so it can replace my longboard, even if it doesn't do it perfectly.  I just love a good single fin, so I gotta keep the Hip Cat.  And that is important--I LIKE a single-fin so I need one in my quiver.  Remember to surf what you love!  And not everyone loves the same board.    

Well, that is my take on the perfect quiver.  A variety of boards, that ride in a variety of ways, and can provide you the ability to surf as often as possible.  I would love to hear what your perfect quiver would look like.  If you could have three boards, what would they be?