Tokyo 9'1" – Vertical
The Tokyo 9'1" is a true progressive performance longboard, designed for surfers who want to push a longboard into places traditionally associated with much shorter boards.
This isn't a longboard for simply cruising down the line. The 9'1" is designed to be surfed aggressively, with the speed, control and responsiveness needed to attack critical sections, draw tighter lines and surf vertically on the wave face.
Light, agile and highly responsive underfoot, the 9'1" combines a refined longboard outline with increased nose rocker and a more pulled-in tail, allowing experienced surfers to move quickly around the board without sacrificing the stability and flow that make longboarding unique.
The 2 + 1 fin configuration provides a balance between drive, hold and release, while the deliberately light 8oz deck / 6oz bottom construction keeps the board feeling fast and responsive beneath your feet.
The result is a longboard that can be driven hard through turns, redirected off the tail and taken into critical sections without feeling like you're fighting the length of the board.
Vertical isn't about making a longboard surf like a shortboard. It's about discovering how far you can push longboarding.
This is a board for very experienced surfers. It rewards precise footwork, strong positioning and the confidence to surf a longboard at speed and in critical parts of the wave.
Design Philosophy:
The 9'1" has evolved through years of progressive longboard development.
The original design was created by Phil Hodge, before being refined by British Longboard Champion Ben Harworth. The design was subsequently revised and further modernised by Jim Brooks Dowsett, with valuable influence from Tokyo team riders Sean Facey and Jack Gregorious.
Each stage of that development has pushed the design further towards modern progressive longboarding.
The result is a board that retains the essential characteristics of a longboard — trim, flow, paddle power and stability — while introducing the responsiveness and control needed for more radical surfing.
The increased nose rocker helps the board handle steeper sections without catching, while the pulled-in tail allows the surfer to move onto the back foot and redirect the board with far more precision than a traditional log.
Every element has a purpose.
The aim isn't simply to make a longboard that turns well.
It's to create a longboard that an experienced surfer can attack the wave with.
Model History:
The 9'1" is the product of continual refinement rather than a single design moment.
Phil Hodge created the original performance concept, establishing the foundations of the design.
Ben Harworth, British Longboard Champion at the time, refined the shape and pushed its performance potential further.
The design was subsequently reworked and modernised by Jim Brooks Dowsett, bringing it further into the territory of contemporary progressive longboarding.
Tokyo team riders Sean Facey and Jack Gregorious have also contributed valuable influence through their experience surfing the design at a high level.
That ongoing process of refinement has brought the 9'1" to where it sits today — at the cutting edge of progressive performance longboarding.
Design & Construction:
Original Design: Phil Hodge
Refined by: Ben Harworth
Further Development: Jim Brooks Dowsett
Team Rider Influence: Sean Facey & Jack Gregorious
Concept: Progressive Performance Longboard
Construction: Individually hand-shaped in Britain.
Glass Specification: 8oz deck / 6oz bottom with no additional reinforcement patches. A deliberately light construction chosen to keep the board agile, responsive and fast underfoot.
Fin Configuration: 2 + 1
Size: 9'1" × 22½" × 2⅝"
Volume: Approx. 61L
Designer's Notes
The 9'1" exists for the surfer who has already mastered the fundamentals of longboarding and wants to take them somewhere more progressive.
It's about speed.
It's about commitment.
It's about being able to move rapidly from nose to tail and back again while maintaining control throughout the turn.
A good progressive longboard shouldn't feel like a compromise between traditional longboarding and performance surfing. It should allow the surfer to use the entire length of the board as part of the manoeuvre.
The 9'1" is built around that idea.
Cross-step at speed. Set the rail. Hit the section. Move back. Redirect.
Then go again.
This is longboarding at full volume.
Ideal Conditions:
Wave Size: 4–8'.
Wave Type: Quality beach breaks, reefs and points with enough power and face to allow progressive surfing.
Skill Level: Very Experienced / Advanced.
Best For: Highly experienced longboarders looking to push their surfing into more critical, vertical and progressive territory.
Not Designed For: Beginners, casual longboarders or surfers looking for a traditional cruising or noseriding log.
Size & Dimension Matrix:
9'1" × 22½" × 2⅝" • Approx. 61L — Light, agile and built for progressive performance.
Custom dimensions are available upon request.
Tokyo Design Philosophy:
Every Tokyo Surfboard begins as a conversation.
Ideas are sketched, prototypes are built, outlines are refined and details are questioned until every element earns its place.
We don't chase annual model releases or passing trends. Every design in the Tokyo collection exists because it solves a problem, offers a unique surfing experience or reminds us why we fell in love with surfing in the first place.
Each board is individually hand-shaped in Britain by master craftsmen using carefully selected materials and construction methods chosen for longevity rather than planned obsolescence.
We believe the most sustainable surfboard is one that remains in the water for decades, not seasons.
Tokyo Surfboards was founded on a simple belief:
Build better boards. Build fewer boards. Build boards worth keeping.
