Dumster Diver or Neckbeard ***the big debate***

I have both and I agree with what your saying... The dd is not the best groveler, the neck beard is much more versatile, and having the quad option is pretty cool. My only regret is I didn't get the neckbeard a little shorter (got a 5'11 and I should have probably gotten a 5'8), but hell, that just means it floats even better when the waves are cabbage.

 

Where do you surf and what's your height/weight?

 

you should try the MYSTO or the FU it will blow the both of those boards out of the water 1-3 ft surf
http://westsurfboards.com/Boards-mysto.html or
http://westsurfboards.com/antifish.html

http://http://westsurfboards.com/Boards-mysto.html[video=youtube;Y4Fjun21KBw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4Fjun21KBw&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

that board just looks awful for him for the wave hes on. It may be a good groveler but here you can clearly see the lack of drive, the too pinched in back rail which led to him almost catching rail for the bottom turn into the barrel, it looks mighty slow and seems too small for him (you can almost see him sinking it), anyone that is average could pull into that awesome looking wave on some sort of thruster. and why would you show a video of a board for '1-3'ft waves where a dude is getting barreled at gas chambers on a 3ft HAWAIIAN scale wave? Woah, that seemed harsh, i mean in in the least harsh way, if thats possible.

Back to the topic at hand:
I have a 5'6 dumpster diver, I like it a lot, I don't love it. It catches waves effortlessly, It's not bad even when theres some size (biggest I rode it has probably been shoulder high then I usually move to my standard shortboard), It seems a little slow to get moving, but once I get it moving I fly (I am no dane reynolds obviously since i struggle to get speed off the takeoff). It holds its line surprisingly well, especially I've noticed on a backside bottom turn (I can do much more quicker and vertical backside bottom turns on it than on my performance board), and i have found much more success on it releasing fins and getting a air revo motion down (have yet to land one, yet). I do wish I got a 5'5 cuz theres lost of hidden volume that you don't notice when your holding it.

I wouldn't even consider to get a neck beard - seems like a marketing ploy by Channel islands to see how many people will buy what ever dane is riding. I got the DD because I really liked the shape. the neck beard from what little experiences I've had holding it is a bit thinner (less volume) throughout, straighter rails, and of course that uber-wide abrupt cut off tail. The tail will make you have less drawn out turns and seems harder to bottom turn (thats what I personally think).

For me, I have to hold a board, and I usually get a vision in my head what I think It will ride like, and thats how I know if it will be special or if ill like it.

I'd suggest for you, since I'm assuming you dig CI Surfboards, the motorboat for sure. Its kinda perfect for what you described and it has some high performance elements for sure like sharper turns and what not. It will cruise as well and fly through the dead spots of a wave us east coasters see on pretty much every wave. I'm typing so much because I'm studying for finals and trying to find anything to get my mind off of it. Aloha.

 

I surf mainly in VB, but I always take one or both of those boards with me to obx (regardless of how good or bad its suppose to be). I'm 6' and around 155-160

 

I've never surfed either CI board mentioned above. I have (and LOVE) a similar board to the neckbeard. I bought it in 2001, surfed it for about four years, put it up in the rafters in my garage and then bought another board by a different shaper. I soon realized that the dinged up yellow board in the rafters was the best board I've ever surfed in knee-chest high NJ waves. I pulled it down and have been surfing it to this day. Yup, 10 years. It's taken a lickin' and keeps on kickin'. I recently checked the manufacturers website and saw that they are still making them. I plan on ordering a new one soon. Check it out for yourself. I inquired about the cost of a custom shape and got a quote back of $495 plus delivery (approx. $100 FedEx). A lot cheaper than a CI for sure. The board is called the "Tail" (because of the wide flat tail) by Surf Prescriptions. It has a flat deck and round rails. The thickness remains just about the same from rail to rail. I am 5'9 and 170 lbs. I ride a 5'10 x 19.25 X 2. Due to the flat deck a board with 2" thickness is equivalent to a domed deck board that is 2 5/16 thick. Mine is a thruster but I'm pretty sure they make them as quads too. Definitely worth a look. www.surfprescriptions.com Good Luck!

 

i love my biscuit and ride it from knee high to head high with no problems. easy speed, floats like a long board and still turns like a shortboard.

 

Talk to your local shaper, he'll make you a board that looks like a DD or MB but actually works in your local conditions. Adjustments in volume distribution will make the board 100X better for you.
~Brian
www.greenlightsurfsupply.com
Shape Your Surfing Experience

 

"that board just looks awful for him for the wave hes on. It may be a good groveler but here you can clearly see the lack of drive, the too pinched in back rail which led to him almost catching rail for the bottom turn into the barrel, it looks mighty slow and seems too small for him (you can almost see him sinking it), anyone that is average could pull into that awesome looking wave on some sort of thruster. and why would you show a video of a board for '1-3'ft waves where a dude is getting barreled at gas chambers on a 3ft HAWAIIAN scale wave? Woah, that seemed harsh, i mean in in the least harsh way, if thats possible"

Wow " GNARACTUALLY" i did not know that you are on the TOUR with your speed surfing and Air REVERSEs. i am just an AVERAGE KOOK, but the board works insane in 1-2 ft surf, as well in a 3 ft wave. I also shape the RANDAZZO INDUSTRIES surfboards www.randazzoindustries.com , Chop Suey Wii & Pork Frog you shoud check them out out 7th Street, or KONA in NJ. but deal is none of the these boards are made for small surf , they are made for in the pocket surfing,

here is Chris Kelly & Sean Santiago on their Randazzo's Chris is on Chop Suey Wii & Sean is on Pork Frog
http://vimeo.com/29105533

 

I prefer the Mini sims in anything under chest. Was out last weekend in RI(knee-waist), surronded by Longboards but still catching waves at the same time the LB's were. BTW i'm 220lb on a 6'

Where are you in Newengland?

I am in boston if your looking something custom. Thicker/fatter boards for the short period swells we get here and the extra weight of a 6/5 ..

www.chinosurfboards.com

 

Dumpster Diver firsthand experience

I am going to add to the confusion by saying that the DD is currently my favorite east coast board! Here\'s are a couple of items:

1. The DD is not really a groveler. It is a blast in waist high and I have ridden it up to 1 ft overhead and like it in both. I do not like it in knee-high, but then there aren\'t many boards that make knee high very fun.

2) However, the DD will catch ANY WAVE you paddle for. I like that it has good float without having the horrendously bulky rails that you find on many CI models.

3) As a former competitive surfer, I think the DD is geared more towards vertical surfing than either the Neck Beard (I agree with the marketing gimmick statement) or the motorboat. If you\'re an advanced surfer that likes to go top-to-bottom, the DD is your call. If you\'re intermediate or lower, then the others might be more forgiving.

4) Finally, FINS!!! I was riding my DD with the standard Merrick template fins and decided to invest in something radically different. I bought the Nexus-H3 (FCS) and HOLY *crap* did it enhance the drive of the board. And don\'t think you have to drop $100 on fins. Just pull out your power sander and sand the rake (evenly!) off of them until they are giving you the snappiness you\'re looking for.

If you decide to pick up a DD, go a solid 2 in shorter than your normal board.

Cheers!
The PhiloSurfer

 

Westsurfboards - i apologize, that post was super late night and i've been studying for hours. I'm sure the board is killer, and I've seen guys on the Randazzo boards.

I also agree with what PhiloSurfer said, I am roughly 5'8.5, around 155 (college+beer=stockier me). My standard shortboard is 5'10 x 18 x 2 and my DD is 5'6. could have gone 5'5.

 

i would go with the lost sub scorcher. i picked this board over the dd and neck beard. best choice I've made. its an amazing grovel board and rips even better when the summer flatness goes away. highly recommend the sub scorcher

 

brah, the sub scorcher is literally just losts version of the DD, Kolohe even quoted it in the description "I wanted something like what dane rides" and they even call it "the trashcan lid cuz you don't need to go dumpster diving to find one of these". Same damn thing in theory. Every company has a DD (well technically it was first roberts "white dove" which started the stubby high performance groveler fad which i love). Just go to a shaper and say "i want a shorted board than my average shortboard that is good for typical east coast summers but can still do turns" and you'll get what you want

 

obviously their the same thing. everyone knows that. I'm saying if your looking for a high-performance grovel board the subby is your golden ticket bro

 

No no worries GnarActually, i love a lil hazing every now and then, it keeps me on my toes... haha but truefully the CI are good, no dout, be neither are true grovel boards and you nailed it in the last post, FU board is a hybri and is really a different board, but the Mysto is a true grovel board as twin , tri, quad, it is fast, entry rocker starts at 3.5 anf tail 1.92 (1 7/8). the thing catches waves like crazy, and say that after surfing it mushy Oside Harbor, and that is slow, i actually can sit out pass the longboards, it crazy.

 

what did you think of the DD in knee-thigh high surf? as i just placed an order with jimmy keith for his DD model the QA2.

 

If you can't chose which board you want, go with the Neck Beard: New Tail Option. It also has a five fin set up so you can use it as a thruster or a quad. http://cisurfboards.com/surfboards/neck-beard-by-dane-reynolds/