Hey guys I've been surfing every weekend since May and am starting to see some good results. Starting to ride down the line at least 30-40% of the time, instead of taking it straight to the beach. I got myself two boards and tossed out my soft top. First board is a 7'6" funshape and second is a 6'8" egg. I find both to be a blast but the volume on the funshape makes it easier in the small waves. ANYWAYS to my question. I'm looking to get yet another board just for the hell of it. Looking at these two options: 1.) Santa Cruz 6'4" x 19" 7/8 X 2" Tuflite http://images.craigslist.org/00T0T_1Zg7YR9Z4xz_600x450.jpg http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/spo/4551000131.html 2.) Old School board, New Surfing Image (NSI) 7' http://allentown.craigslist.org/spo/4511224233.html http://allentown.craigslist.org/spo/4511224233.html What do you guys think? BTW I'm sittin at 175lbs and 5'8". Thanks in advance
You're at a fun stage but a new board is not going to help your surfing right now. The boards you're on should suit you in most conditions. Get a friend to get some video of you surfing and study that. Spend your money on a carver so you can learn how to generate speed using your fins vs. floating ahead of the whitewater. You'll be amazed what your "beginner" boards can do when you're not a beginner surfer.
Why don't you refer him to your pal, that Cackalacky yahoo who supposedly shaped a gnome trailer-plank?
Clemmy, are you nuts? Having 14 different sticks has most certainly expedited my progression towards ripper status. The bigger your quiver, the better the surfer. Fact. Any less than a dozen and I'm not sure I'd be able to pump down the line by now. Kander29, why'd you get rid of the soft top? Do you read the posts I do of the vets who say they dig taking the softie out for a rip now and then? If anything, hold onto the beginner boards and wettys you go through on the way up so buds can use them when you want to get them out in the drink. You should be fine for a while on the two sticks you've got now. Those other two you gave links to will be a lot skatier with those winged tails, plus the 6'4 has less volume = much harder to get takeoffs and rides. The 7' is a single fin and from what I understand that's a whole different ride, that and I don't think you'll be charging barrells anytime soon. If you're looking to blow some money and have it benefit your surf progress then do the right thing and get a Carver like Clemmy said. I'm just short of the 1.5 year mark in full-time surfing and I'm getting back up to the lip consistently on a 5'10; without the Carver I can't say I'd be smackin anything at this point.
If you're getting either of them it should be the old school single fin. Learn how to ride that and you'll be a good surfer. Although if you want to progress get a longboard. You already have all the shorter length boards you need for being at the stage you are at. And emass, in my opinion you dont need a bunch of boards. Learn to use the one you have in everything. If you find theres things that it doesnt work in then find one that can do that, and learn to ride it in everything. 4 boards make up my quiver: longboard, shortboard, fish, semi-gun.
leetymike bro I was poking fun at myself and the ridiculous quiver I've compiled. Of course you don't need a dozen. I ride 3 now: 5'10 shortboard, 5'10 fish, and 7'7 mid-length quad. It's not like I'm in any waves on a regular basis that require a step-up, then again we are hoping for some sustained cane activity over the next 4.5 months. What sucks is that the two sticks I have out at buddies' cribs in SoCal and Seattle are a 6'2 Pod and 7' thruster. Good to have more length for WC waves but I've got no such in-between board out east now. Maybe I'll trade an extra groveler or HP for something to shott barrells in. But yah bud, my post to Kander was one of self-deprecation. Making light of my heavy board obsession. If anything, I was telling the OP to slow down and be less like I was and instead progress faster by putting more time into stable, high wave count boards. Nahmeen bro?
OOOOOOHHH my bad. Now i am reading it that way and its a bit more humorous! But if Kander read it the way i first did he may have been susceptible to peer pressure and bought BOTH the boards and the carver!!! We cant have that...the poor guy. And i havent used my semi gun (by choice) in 2ish years. There isnt much i wont take my shortboard or fish out in.
If you already have 2 boards you feel good about, there is always the option of renting to try out something new. If you have a cool shop by your place that has some rentals other than nsp's to try out; well thats a cheaper way to figure out what you might like. For 20 or 30 bucks you could try out a few shapes. Just a thought towards a more well informed decision.
Okay okay you're talking some sense into me. I just have two Ron Jons and want a sweet board. I guess it's like a new driver getting a Cadillac, bound to funk it up eventually. When you say carver do you mind like a carver skateboard type thing? I'll be sure to look into that.
Maybe the NSI, just cause in the future, when you are a better surfer, that would be a nice one to pull out and have fun on.... But neither of those boards will help you. Don't get the tuflite. Trust me.... Just wait for a 6'3, thurster with some volume that is considered a "small wave" board. Nothing wrong with grinding it out on a shortboard. That is what I did coming up. Never stepped on anything over 6 feet of board until I considered myself somewhat advanced, then we you get on a long board, or the egg, you will feel like a king. You will feel like guys riding long boards and fun shapes are "cheating" because they become so easy.... Don't get to big for your britches though. You wave count will drop substantially moving to a short board. That is just life. If you have the cash laying around, grab a new stick, but you will feel like you are riding a piece of loose leaf at first and it will NOT help your surfing for a long while. If you don't live by the beach and you aren't going to surf every swell, all year, don't waste your time in the water missing waves. Keep with what you have, or get a longboard. At the beginning stage, its all about wave counts. Do you want to go out for two hours and get 2 waves? Or do you want to go out for 2 hours and get 30 waves? We all went through it, but there is NOTHING uglier than a beginner on a true shortboard. It makes puppies cry.
Carver skateboards aka surfskate. Yes. Not a "carverboard" or "carveboard". Those are just crappy old longboards and Carvers ain't no longboards breh. http://www.carverskateboards.com/ Dis one Just look at those puppies.
I'd actually like to get a longboard foamy. I tossed the soft-top to pay for the two new boards. Sold it for $200 and got to new ones for $225. Spending only $25 for two used boards was too good to pass up.
Bro. You read my posts. I'm working on smacking lips (albeit in mushier EC waves) 1.5 years in. Don't think that would be the case if I was not ripping pave on the Carver with regularity. I ride the Carver more than you sleep each night. Get a Carver. Get stoked. Green Room 34" is the regime. Boom.
IMO, based on my limited 22 month surfing experience, would be to stick with the two boards you now have. Many recommend starting on a longboard, but if these boards are working for you, then that's great. I'm assuming that you've only been at this for a couple months and just on weekends. Maximizing wave count is what you need to be doing at this stage. Also paddle experience/conditioning and getting more familiar with the breaks you go to and the ocean environment are very important. This comes with time on and in the water.
