TL;DR: I spent $17k here and ended up with permanent facial injuries because Mike skipped the free lesson he advertises to go to a dog grooming appointment. He is a smooth talker who performs overpriced, low-skill work and blames the customer when he simply couldn't be bothered to care. Save your money--go to Just Foil LA or buy direct.
Buying a Fliteboard is a major investment, but Mike at Bayfoils is a dangerous choice for a dealer. Do not be misled by the high ratings here; the vast majority of these reviews are from people coming for single-experience rides or single lessons only. They aren't buying $17k worth of equipment or entering a long-term service relationship. While Mike might be fine for a one-hour tourist session, he is a different story for serious owners.
His website promises a "free lesson", yet on my pickup day--which was scheduled at his convenience with the promise of a free afternoon--my $17k setup was still in the box. Instead of providing instruction, Mike spent our window unboxing the board, then rushed out to a dog grooming appointment, skipping the free lesson entirely. Because I was left with zero guidance, I had a fall that resulted in a permanent lip injury and a chipped tooth that may still require a root canal.
His service is equally negligent. He was so careless while installing a nose cone on my brand-new board that he scratched it all over; the installation was crooked and it eventually fell off. He also charged an absurd amount for a carbon fiber repair that was so low-skill and low-effort that I had to pay a surfboard professional to redo it. That professional fixed the damage for 1/3 the price in 1/10th the time and noted that Mike "had no business fixing boards." I've since met another customer on the water who had the exact same experience--it's a clear pattern.
The final straw was at his "easy drop-off" location. The door lock was broken, and I spent 2.5 hours of my own time and money to fix it so his $75k inventory wasn't left unsecured. When I asked for a fair resolution for my labor, Mike gaslit me, claimed he 'never asked' for help, and refused to provide any further professional support or the essential annual maintenance these boards require.
As a result, I no longer have easy access to service in my area for the essential annual maintenance these setups require. Mike provides a subpar demo environment where he only allows tests on the "Air" boards--which he admits "stick to the water and suck"--while refusing to provide carbon fiber boards for loan or demo. He blames the customer for every problem because he simply couldn't be bothered to care. Thankfully, Ben at Fliteboard Support stepped in to help me with the safety techniques Mike neglected. Avoid Bayfoils at all costs--go to Just Foil LA or buy direct. read more