Rusty Muffin Top

Having a LB in the quiver will change your life, in a good way. You will surf so much more and catch so many more waves.

It will help you work on your style and flow, letting the wave do the work along with your footwork, then when you jump back on the SB it’s like you were swinging with a weighted bat, you will toss that SB around so easy and you will draw new / different lines than before.

 

I agree with DP 100%. A LB is needed in every quiver.

But just to play devil's advocate, a mini sims is an excellent choice too. Now I'm not saying a mini sims can replace a LB. They are two totally different things and styles. But since getting mine a little over a year ago, i hadn't rode my LB once. There were some TINY days were out would of been a better choice. But I'm able to surf small crappy waves without feeling like i NEED an LB. And the plus side is you can still surf somewhat aggressive. Maybe not aggressive. But they carry momentum so well that cutbacks and little closeout floaters or smacks are doable. They fit a small wave better. A LB can do the same but i find on small days the LB is to long for those sort of maneuvers compared to a LB. I actually feel a LB really comes alive in bigger stuff. In small stuff they just happen to work.

Not saying you should go any one way. The choice is yours. Both have there place. Both are great. Just saying of your a SB sort of guy a mini sims is a good choice (not substitute). And i mean a mini sims, not some beefed up "grovler".

 

Yeah Bassmon, I agree, the LB isn’t just a small wave board, it’s really fun in bigger stuff too.

I rotate between my 9’ HPLB, 6’4” Fish / HPSB hybrid, and my 6’ HPSB. I also have my 8’1” mini log and 6’10” FunFish, but I hardly ever ride them these days.

I need to add a groveler / mini Simmons type boart and a big wave boart to my quiver, I have the small - mid range surf more than covered with what I’m riding now but I only ride the LB when it gets waist high or smaller.

I do also want to ride a smaller boart in smaller surf sometimes instead of the LB, and I need a proper boart for big long period ground swell. The two extremes. That’s my next two boart purchases.

 

I'm with the masses. I'm still looking for a beater longboard just to have on those small summer days. I have a 6-0 groveler that will work once they get a little juice (waist high and up) but on those smaller days I watch those boats cruise on by wishing I had one.

 

Yeah man. I'm actually in the market for a new LB as mine is a bit of a "all rounder". Fun in bigger stuff. Would like a more traditional nose rider for the smaller days.

The big thing in my opinion when it comes to small wave SBs is the shape rather than volume. My mini is 32L i believe. I got boards bigger that don't perform as well. But that flat bottom/rocker let's it just fly. Iv never owned a fish but it seems like it should work just as well as a mini. The thing i like about the mini is because its so short, you can still whip it around. You can go allot shorter than you would originally think. Iv had it out on days where even LBs are struggling and it works man. Absolutely doesn't replace a LB but it feels good to be able to do turns oon weak days while the LBs are basically just cruising/coasting.

My point is that even though I'm a mini sims advocate, its not the only choice. "Pods" or something like that, a fish, they can all fit the bill. The key is the overall shape and bottom/rocker. I personally feel allot of boards labeled as a "grovler" miss the mark. On bigger weak days they work, but in small gutless stuff they don't. At least not for me. But as you said, its the Indian not the arrow. So who knows haha. Just my opinion

 

replied without seeing your comment DP, get on the grovelor train. I love mine (lost couch potato) and have used it on even HH days. When it gets bigger the rocker and rounded nose can be a bit of an issue but if you pick your days you'll get your money's worth for sure. It's pretty versatile for EC fickleness

 

I'll second that. My mini is fun in big stuff. Almost to much speed. But trying to wrangle it in is a fun challenge. Not easy but fun and when you get the good ones its totally worth it. I feel riding a LB in bigger stuff really helped with being able to get used to the mini in bigger stuff quicker

 

I’ve been looking at the Von Sol Flying Manta a lot lately, their Potato Blaster looks fun too. In fact, I like a lot of their shapes.

 

I do not own a long bort. I do have a surfing bort in the 7'0 range. A WRV fun shape that catches any crap wave the Summer throws at it. My Kona fish works well in said conditions too. Even at 55, I'm just not feeling the longboard. Yet. I'm not anti-longboard by any means, just aint my thingie.

 

First boart was a 7'2 WRV single fin I picked up with my profits from selling middies in HS.

Recently bought a 7'0 single fin that's been very fun in small waves. keeps me happy. Gonna try it out on a big day, starting to dial it in.

 

The flying seed just looks like it would be a vacuum out there:

http://vonsol.com/flying-seed/

I'm not sold on the amount of foam by the tail, but I could see this being a blast on small glassy days.

 

Another option. Just to throw it out there. DP is right about riding an LB helping your SB game. We had a good conversation about that a few years back on here i believe. But of your not feeling an LB, a SB single fin has a similar effect. Not quite the same, but with a SB single fin you got to approach the wave differently. It's almost like a delay in response. You need to anticipate what the wave will do, so you begin your turn anticipating the section. Whereas with a more modern SB the reacts much quicker and you don't need to anticipate to the same degree as a single fin. At least that has been my experience oon the only single fin SB i own.

 

Yeah that looks like a wave catcher. With the right fins she probably turns great.

 

If your talking about the board DP posted, that was my first thought exactly. Looks fun but the tail looks a little narrow. If we are strictly talking about waves under waist high and weak, that would make me question its ability. Although I'm just looking at pictures so maybe it's wider than it looks. Regardless it looks like a fun board in the right waves

 

I just looked a the The Shadow model--interesting for me at 7'

 

That’s an interesting shape, what do you think about the channel down middle? How about that tail? Could be fun!

 

Barry, this one looks more like your style based on your quiver, what do you think of the Time Machine?

 

Seems good to me. But, as you said, it matches my quiver, which I am trying to change a bit.