Torq PG-R ACT - Futures - 5 Fin - Shortboard

“I got mine last year and I can confirm it's a wave-catching machine. Everything is easy with it!”

The PG-R is the most important board in your quiver. It's the board you'll surf 80% of the time in less-than-perfect waves, so it simply has to be good.

Torq designed the PG-R for average, everyday surf. It's fast, paddles easily, and catches waves early: intended as a Performance Groveller, it skates over flat sections but also performs well in critical sections.

The side effect is a board that is excellent for progression. It's stable and confidence-inspiring, allowing you to push harder. It generates and maintains speed, which you can translate into big turns or airs. Put it on a rail and it will give back tenfold. A board that elevates your level, no matter the conditions.

Fins included: None.

Construction - ACT

Torq ACT surfboards are the world's first EPS/Epoxy pre-preg surfboards. Pre-preg is the highest performing composite process, offering the best strength-to-weight ratio and the best reflex (springiness) of any fiberglass lay-up.

That's a big claim, so here's some more substantiation:

“Pre-preg fabrics virtually eliminate all process variation seen in traditional lay-ups or vacuum infusion processes. As a result, pre-pregs have completely revolutionized composite production.”

They have “maximum strength properties” and result in “less mess and less waste. All the hassle of hand laminates – cups of resin, sticky rollers, drips – is no longer a problem.”

“Without the pitfalls of manual lamination techniques, there are no resin-rich spots and no dry spots.” “Pre-pregs are considered the most advanced system for composite production.”

These are quotes from professional sources, websites, and information manuals. Search for ‘pre-preg composites’ and you'll find pages full of them. It is unanimously regarded as the most advanced composite process.

What is it?

Pre-preg is short for pre-impregnated. The resin and catalyst are machine-applied to the fiberglass fabric, creating a matrix of fiber and resin.

This matrix has a perfect mix of resin and hardener and a perfect resin content with perfect distribution.

The matrix is machine-cut – Torq has cutting files for every model and size, so that precisely the right fiber and resin weight is used on each board – and then laid onto the board shape and cured under high heat and pressure in an oven.

What are the advantages?

Reflex or springiness:

Hand laminates, even with a vacuum bag, retain a significant amount of excess resin. This adds weight, makes the board more brittle, and limits the properties of the fiber, as it is encased in a thick skin.

Pre-pregs are machine-impregnated with precisely the right resin density. Whatever fiber is used – glass, carbon, or basalt – the pre-preg process allows the fiber to perform without the limitation of excess resin.

In surfboards, this translates into a springy, responsive feel. Any flex you put into the board during a turn comes back immediately as reflex and is not dampened by the resin. They return all the energy you put into them. Because the board can flex naturally, it absorbs much more of the vibrations often felt with lightweight epoxy boards.

Strength-to-weight ratio:

The other advantage of not having unnecessary extra weight from excess resin is the additional amount of fiber that can be included at the same total weight. ACT boards have a heavy-duty fiber lay-up, making them significantly stronger than a surfboard of similar weight in any other construction.

There is 2 to 3 times more fiber in these boards at the same weight as a light PU. They are not Torq's strongest boards, but they do have a much better strength-to-weight ratio.

How do they surf?

They feel alive from the very first wave.

The feel is somewhere between a light PU and epoxy, with an extra springiness not found in either technology. They feel familiar enough to get used to immediately. But once you get used to them, every other board feels flat.

About Torq

Torq builds epoxy surfboards known for their strong constructions and well-thought-out shapes, from performance shortboards to accessible all-rounders. The boards are made to withstand intensive use while remaining lively. This makes them a logical choice for the variable conditions of the North Sea and for the rack at Hart Beach.