Looks like there might be a pretty decent sized swell hitting New England next weekend around 6-8 ft. Wondering if i should pick up a 6'4 step upish board off of craigslist. Or would I be fine with my 5'10 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/4 shortboard. Feel like i should get a bigger shortboard for when it picks up larger than the usual. Thanks!
I like having a step up board for east coast. Sometimes it's not how many feet the waves are but the conditions in general. I rode mine last week b/c so much water moving with heavy rips and strong off shores. Extra board helps.
At 6-8 foot I'd ride my normal shortboard. 8-10 foot is when I go for something bigger. I would have liked to have a stepup for yesterday.
Well step-up boards are rarely needed on the East coast, depending on what you define as a step-up. But I think both JadD and LBCrew have it right. I have found that most of the step-ups I have owned end up being travel boards. Right now, my step-up is a board by shaper Tim Bessell in California--7-6 "pocket rocket" model. It is way too fast for waves here, but works well on all waves in PR.
everyone has their preferences.lol for example I know theres no jjf or Kelly slaters on here,but they surf 12ft pipe with 25ft faces on a 5'11,i think a 6'3'' is the biggest board jjf rides when its maxed out.its either do u want to sit right in the bowl and have late drops or a longer board that u can paddle long before the wave starts to crest.i ride the same board in all conditions,i don't believe in the need for a step up on the eastcoast
depends on the shape of the wave, and the shape of the 6'4" your looking at. Extra board length can just get in your way if the takeoff is super critical. If its a big roll-in type open faced wave (Pt. Judith i.e) then yeah the 5'10" x 18" 1/2 might not cut it. my 2 cents
like barry said a step up isn't needed for the east coast. Def not for NJ at least. What you need this time of year is something that has the floatation that can support all the extra weight of your wetsuite. Also, a tapered in tail (round tail is nice) for hollow waves such as we had yesterday. I try to ride as short as possible but that's my preference.
Potential for well-overhead surf that will include a lot of moving water, you in a full wetsuit, hood, gloves, etc. I going against the grain on this one and say something a bit longer and thicker would be a be solid suggestion. Plan shape, rocker, etc. all matter...but If you have the money and found something used similar to your daily driver then I would say get it. No need to exhaust yourself...a bit of length and foam will only improve your experience in winter imho. Check out this link...may help...LINK
A step up is only 2-4" larger than your everyday shortboard When you are wearing 15 lbs of rubber with 20 Mph offshore winds a step up is absolutely a good board for NJ and the EC We are not talking about semi guns just a board with a but more beef for prime and/or tough conditions.
I'm both bigger and older than average... 6'1, 190, 52 years old. I ride a 6'0 fish for most surf up to about chest to shoulder high. If it's chest high and good (hollow, fast, has some power) I'll ride a 6'6 hpsb, and I'll ride that up to about 2' overhead. Once it approaches DOH I ride a 7'0 build specifically for NJ bombs... especially if it's winter and I'm in full 5mil regalia. I'll push the 6'6 up to about 10' if it's a summer 'cane swell with no rubber. If I had a "step up" it would be a 6'8 rounded pin and I'd ride it in the transition range of 8-10 feet.
You aren't going against the grain. People who say that a step up is never needed in Nj or the east coast don't know about modern board design.
That a depends on an individuals size, age, etc But yup--it is a "step-up" for sure. Bessell classifies my board as a gun. Have only used it a few times here in the north, and that was solely for the purpose of getting used to it. Once in PR when big; awesome for me.... Great travel board though.
Yea, no need for guns on east coast. I'm talking similar dims but a bit more volume and length. Live4truth hit the nail on da head. Improve your experience. Slater at pipe on a 5'11" is sick. Board design is very different than my 5'11" for the east coast. My 6'4" rounded pin works good to get my aging shoulders into some larger pits.
This is pretty good advise. I think it depends on your definition of a step up board. I feel like I just started hearing ppl talk of step ups about 10 yrs ago- personally I don't like that word to discribing a surfing bort. It's miss leading. When someone says step up - I think gun, but that's not what they mean. Generally it's a board a few inches longer then their standard thruster. Which makes no sense to me since there is many other shape characteristics they are over looking- adding a few inches will not get you into the wave earlier or make the drop. Anyways- like a lot of guys said- a gun isn't really needed on the easy coast. I have one and barly ever ride it- and when it's big and I take it out I'm not comfortable on it since the last time I surfed it was two years ago Anyways I don't even know what I'm saying... I think what your looking for is a "winter board" with a bit more volume to compensate for the extra wetsuite.
I'll jump into this conversation. Iv made some changes to my quiver very recently. As far as a "step up", I consider it a board with more volume than your standard SB. It dosn't necessarily have to be longer. Although, when it's pumping, it's generally pretty hollow and critical, so a board that's pulled in at the tail and not super wide is preferred. Meaning a step up usually is a bit longer and thicker. But it dosn't have to be. Whatever works for you. My standard everyday SB is 5'8 x 19.75 x 2.5....29L My step up is the same exact board 6'1 x 20 x 2.75...35L I also have a mini gun that I don't really ride unless it's BIG and not hollow, since I barley ride it. More of a novelty board really. The step up just gives me more umph and confidence in bigger conditions, and since when it's big I'm not going for huge turns, so the added stiffness and down the line speed is welcomed. With that being said, I don't need it. Iv ridden the 5'8 in big stuff with full winter gear. It's all mental in my opinion Any who that's just my thoughts on the subject. Do you buddy EDIT: by the way, both boards have fairly low rocker. Which some will say is not a good thing for bigger surf. But it's what I like. Point being, what's "normal" isn't important. What's important is that your comfortable on your equipment for the given conditions
I do believe in the right board for the right condition . East coast does have a little punch to it when the conditions meet .But a true step up may not be needed. Usually those days , the water is moving so much that my normal 5 '8 or 5 10 does not paddle fast enough , and volume has a factor in that too . so having a board 3 or 4 inches longer than your normal board stretched out Helps out on those days of trend mill paddling with the 543 on . Mini step up per say . i think ten inches from normal shortboard height is a true set up , maybe I'm wrong wrong on that
Step-up boards need not be just "bigger". Example.....a surfer spends most time on a mid size board, say 7'8" because area surfed delivers mostly mush. Big surf rolls in, breaking top to bottom, the surfer reaches for 7'4" faster, slimmer board. That too is a move to a step-up. Design, not just size, can be a stepped up move as well.
