It wasn’t long ago that the soft-top surfboard was scoffed at, used only by novices. A surfer on a soft top was either a beginner just learning to navigate the whitewash or they were a “kook,” a ...

Natasha "Tashi" Smith surfs on a foam surfboard at Topanga State Beach in Malibu. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Cabrillo Beach is not a great surf spot. And Allison Scinta is not a great ...

Soft top surfboards are becoming a staple in line-ups around the world. Cheap and virtually indestructible, they’re being used by beginners, pros, and many of us in between, in waves from the Pipeline ...

Cabrillo Beach is not a great surf spot. And Allison Scinta is not a great surfer — yet. Despite the San Pedro spot's small waves that only last a few seconds, she's able to get up and have fun, ...