Tried and true, or alternative materials?

It's funny to me how surfers, who most like to think of as open-minded, free-thinking folk, are often extremely close-minded when it comes to alternative forms of surfboard construction and production. What I'm talking about here is the steadfast commitment of some to the old standard 'poly' surfboards along with their complete degradation of other techniques such as 'sandwich' construction, vacuum-bagging, EPS/epoxy, XTR/epoxy, etc. Don't get me wrong...I've been plently happy with the resin-tinted, gloss & polish 'poly' boards I've been getting of late and think many simply prefer the feel of what they've grown up with and are used to. I just think there are so many cool new forms of technology in the surfboard industry that haven't quite caught on due to the reluctance of many to try something new. I read an article recently where Bill 'Stretch' Reidel (sp?) was quoted praising Surftech's technology, and it made me think about how much these 'popouts' are slammed by so-called purists. I've had 2 boards in Surftech technology, and both were really fun, positive feeling boards. I owned another board (Cobalt) in a similar technology that was one of the funnest longboards I've ridden. While I understand (and agree with) many arguments that surfers should support their local shapers, I find it pretty ironic that just about every other product most of us use while surfing is made elsewhere without so much as a whisper of the contempt shown towards 'popout' surfboards. I dunno...just something that strikes me as odd. Needless to say, I'm plently happy with the 'poly' beauties I've been getting from my local shaper. I think there should be a bit more open-mindedness towards alternatives at the same time. Just my $.02.