mini-simmons

[Derekito]

Hey dudes. I ride a Mini Simmons almost exclusively these days. My philosophy is that the wave should always dictate the board and most days a Mini really is the best board to ride because it is so diverse and allows you to up your wave count and get through those flat/slow sections.

You'd also be surprised how they perform, I can get mine vertical and have been know to pop a few fins out the back---but you can just cruise them too. Super fun. Check out the site MiniSimmonsSurfboards.com for lots of awesome info on the sim movement.

These boards are also super fun to shape, you can get really creative with the hulls and tails. Some guys are riding them with no fins or very little fin, which adds a whole new dimension to surfing---I personally think fins are over-rated.

I attached one I just finished with pinched rails.

Peace.

~ Derek

[mitchell]

Agree with the guy above about dont put too much fin on these things...I've got two Mini Simmons and after a year of trying a couple of different sets of keel fins, I finally tried a smaller more upright twin set...Futures T1:



i'm convinced bot of my mini simmons work better with the more upright fins like above...I'm riding mine mostly in 3 foot and smaller surf. All that fin area on the keels felt like tracky overkill trying to do little pocket cutback turns on a waist high wave.

[njsurfer42]

i have a 5'8" bing puck & absolutely love it in anything under about chest high. i originally envisioned it as a summer longboard alternative, since i get bored pretty quickly riding my 9'6" log day after day, week after week in the summer. but it's proven surprisingly versatile; works great in chop or clean, small & punchy or small & soft...anything in the chest high range or bigger w/ some punch behind it & it's a little TOO fast, but as a 90% of the time summer board, it's perfect.
link: http://www.bingsurf.com/surfboards_puck
yea, it's not a TRUE mini-simmons, but it's pretty close...the quad makes it a bit more responsive, i think, than the keels set way back on the tail would. but i've never ridden one, so that's just conjecture on my part. i do know that i'm totally stoked w/ my puck, which is what matters to me.

[mOtion732]

i have a 5'8" bing puck & absolutely love it in anything under about chest high. i originally envisioned it as a summer longboard alternative, since i get bored pretty quickly riding my 9'6" log day after day, week after week in the summer. but it's proven surprisingly versatile; works great in chop or clean, small & punchy or small & soft...anything in the chest high range or bigger w/ some punch behind it & it's a little TOO fast, but as a 90% of the time summer board, it's perfect.
link: http://www.bingsurf.com/surfboards_puck
yea, it's not a TRUE mini-simmons, but it's pretty close...the quad makes it a bit more responsive, i think, than the keels set way back on the tail would. but i've never ridden one, so that's just conjecture on my part. i do know that i'm totally stoked w/ my puck, which is what matters to me.

what is your height/weight?

[njsurfer42]

what is your height/weight?

5'11" & about 200lbs.

it's worth noting that the 5'8" is almost too big for me. i could've gotten away w/ a 5'6", but i took my age (31) & winter gear into consideration when deciding what size to go w/. the 5'8" floats & paddles great even in a 5/4. i'm not so sure that would be the case w/ a 5'6".

[purpleheadedyogurtslinger]

I dont feel like reading this whole thing, and it may have already been said, but..

COMMON MISCONCEPTION: Mini Simmons are not for summer mush. They were invented to get radical in steeper faces and building walls. A way for the long boarders to spread their style in more performance oriented waves. You will not be getting very radical on a sims in this 1ft short period mush. Get a log or wait for a swell. Yeah, you might be able to catch something and get to your feet, but that board, unless tweaked, is designed for waist-head high (and cleannnnnnn) surf. Think of a bunch of long boarders looking at lowers and thinking... if only I could make a few more turns...

[super fish]

I dont feel like reading this whole thing, and it may have already been said, but..

COMMON MISCONCEPTION: Mini Simmons are not for summer mush. They were invented to get radical in steeper faces and building walls. A way for the long boarders to spread their style in more performance oriented waves. You will not be getting very radical on a sims in this 1ft short period mush. Get a log or wait for a swell. Yeah, you might be able to catch something and get to your feet, but that board, unless tweaked, is designed for waist-head high (and cleannnnnnn) surf. Think of a bunch of long boarders looking at lowers and thinking... if only I could make a few more turns...

I am 6'3 225 and had a 6x23x3 and it was better in bigger cleaner surf as mentioned above. I believe it was a bit too small for me though.

[dlrouen]

they look like lots of fun for summer mush, so i've been checking them out - i went into a local surf shop (Hot Wax in Wilmington) to look for one and was surprised that the staff had absolutely no idea what i was talking about (staff: "no, we don't carry that brand"...me:"well, actually it's a shape"...staff: "huh?").

maybe I just went to the wrong shop or maybe the mini-Simmons is more of a West coast phenomenon? anyway, anybody own one? know any local shapers who have experience making them?

I am not going to read all 5 pages of this thread, but if you are looking for a Mini-Simmons, I would check out CB Surfshop in CB. They have a bunch of sizes and brands. They just got in a new shipment of Bings - check out the Bing Speed Square. Not really a Mini-Simmons, but worth looking into.

[Derekito]

mitchell . . agree bro but have you ever tried lower keels? In my experience even the FT1's are too much fin. I'd suggest a shorter and longer keel (my girlfriend wouldn't agree by the way).

check these out: http://www.minisimmonssurfboards.com/mini-mini/

Derek

[mitchell]

Mini Simmons are not for summer mush. They were invented to get radical in steeper faces and building walls.

Just out of curiousity...who "invented" them and made that claim about their intention?
I find they work great (read: better than any other board in my quiver, including longbard) in summer mush and when i want to "get radical in steeper faces" (or at least attempt to!!) i'll probably be riding a different board. This "summer mush" is exactly the kind of wave we get all summer that i am starting to enjoy more now that i have a couple of these Mini Simmons...no comments about the clownish turn!!