hi i have been kiting for a year nowon a twin tip but wanting to try a surfboard now mainly flat water chop and small waves just wondering what board would be a good choice to start with any help appreciated
North Whip or Wam would be sweet. Probably Wam for fun in small waves, WAMs faster, big surf.
i learnt on an old surfboard, Just as good a s an $800 board.
Use ebay, get a board 2 inches smaller than you are roughly.
5'10- 6-0 low volume Some cheap webbers TUFFLITES etc. great for a first starter. You will put your bar through your board, dont be precious. Epoxys sucK as they dont flex, but you get the basics.
Anything.
Seriously, almost any board is going to be good to get your bearings and work out what it is you need to do!
To be more specific though, preferably something between 5'4 and 6'3ft and probably no wider than 21inches and no thicker than 2 3/4. But any old board you can find for cheap is going to be a lot of fun and help you learn. Also if the board costs nothing then you are not afraid of wrecking it, which is pretty likely to happen in the early days.
Once you get better you will have more idea of what you might like and will be dependent a lot on your size and what conditions you want to surf. I have a few different boards and change between them a bit.
I'm 6'3ft and weigh 82kgs and a good allround board I like for my size is - 6ft x 19 x 2 3/16ths. But numbers don't really mean to much, it's all about the shape and rocker etc.!
I have found.a.board 5ft10 19 x 2 1/4 swallow tail single.to. double.concave New on eBay for 340 delivered tx the 5 fins removeable prob Chinese made would this do the trick
its a shame it didnt see this post sooner...
i woulda said get anything that is not a 'kite surf' board.
go down to cashies and any board on their rack will out perform your North Wam.
Just saying...
Nothing wrong with a North WAM mate and will last way longer than "any board from cashies"
sorry, thats just my strong view on kiting on surfboards.
hell, some people must like them; the big brands seem to sell a few.
is it because of board performance or due to board longevity.
i believe the latter...
just me but i buy a board for how it rides, i don't care if it looks like crap in half a year. and i certainly wouldn't expect it to withstand everything i throw at it without sustaining damage.
ohhh, and i own a mulcoy and love it.
pretty sure its because its not of 'tuflite type' construction...
) Clearwater surfboard that was shaped for me 7yrs ago and it still goes hard? And in that time I have never even come close to putting my bar through my board, yes, it has been dumped in the shore break, smashed onto my shins/knees and blown up the beach a few times but "bar through my board" how?
Any board on the rack don't really see how.you could.say that I have surfed.most.of.my life.and.know.a.bit.about.boards.so you must think the Sam is really crap but I read some.good.reviews.on.it for what I want it for.any way
) Clearwater surfboard that was shaped for me 7yrs ago and it still goes hard? And in that time I have never even come close to putting my bar through my board, yes, it has been dumped in the shore break, smashed onto my shins/knees and blown up the beach a few times but "bar through my board" how?
hey surfingboye - curious how many PU boards you are snapping/creasing a year? i've noticed your riding style and opinions in the forums a bit, and it probably aligns with my own at times to some degree.
i'm coming more from the perspective of whether others are snapping as many boards as i am?
i've pretty much spent the season this year re-inventing my approach to riding every month or so as i keep running out of equipment
fyi the casualty list this year - split a rail/creased a 2011 north kontact at some stage either jumping strapped or on the way back out in overhead outer reef waves, strong gusty winds
split an epoxy BWS resin8 in half (quite liked the feel of the board, super light for upwind airs and ok in bigger beachies, but still a little stiff) riding strapless only pretty much every session for 3 months - admittedly probably shouldn't have been going for grabs and trying to stick every one regardless of likely landings - but you gotta practice them sometime right?! haha
6'2" older PU, multiple fin plug blow outs, creased nose and rail damaged....all self repair jobs to get back out on water. tried a period of no airs (or minimal) with this board, but still got the damage!!! so i'm heading back towards just riding however i feel and need a board as such. mostly unstrapped, strapped only for solid bombies and reefs.
also the timing of all these damages varies (ie not sequential as written), and i'm not trying to brand bash, just showing that all types of boards have their drawbacks and aren't bullet proof. hence for the fella whose thread i'm hijacking, i reckon you'll be right on the wam til you get your board chops up - then half the fun is experimenting mate.
i'd throw out again to the forum - any opinions on something people have found bullet proof, that surfs alright and you can punt on strapless mostly?
am wanting to check out the axis board to replace the underground kipuna, so if anyones tried it, please throw out a review! otherwise, considering a tufflite next, but nervous about the cost for new, if it is just as snappable as other epoxys
cheers
maz
I'm in the market for a surf/directional type board as well, mainly for light wind as well as for our Bay mush/slop (2-3ft I guess).
I've been thinking something North Nugget like, than came across the Firewire brand (I'm not affiliated with them, they just seem pretty progressive and have some kite specific models which are supposedly pretty tough).
Being completely new to surf boards I'm figuring something wide like the Baked Potato (I'm figuring straps is easier to learn/start with?):http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/kitesurfing/quiver_boards.php?boardid=kitesurfing
Has anyone had any experience with these types of boards?
hey bakz
had a go on a mates 5'9" dominator on saturday, just cruised around and rode waves etc. felt ok, preferred the drifter i demo'd recently and thought it had a lighter, better feel and flex being PU - but may just be used to my paddle in surfboards that are all PU, definitely like a swallow tail that releases a bit more so the dominator wasn't my ideal kiting shape - would be preferrable to a north nugget for me though.
but i could only see the potential of a firewire until my mate took it off me and put his heel through the deck within an hour. also know of a friend who snapped a pivec in waves, not doing airs. all just more food for thought, as i have weighed up firewire vs tufflite considerably as well.
After much umming and ahhing I've decided I'll drop my coin on a Cabrinha Subwoofer (EPS):http://www.cabrinhakites.com/surf-boards/subwoofer.html
They're pretty new and there isn't a huge amount of info on them. Though looking at their specs they're pretty similar to the Firewire and North Nugget boards (just longer at 5'8 instead of 5'0/1) and have plenty of volume.
The 2013 Nugget is too hard to get a hold of and the Firewire looks like too much hard work (I'm lazy and don't want to have to sort out deck pads, straps, etc).
Before I hit the order button, can anyone see any issues with using this as a directional learning and light wind board?
Cheers
I would never buy equipment i would grow out of. Buy A north Whip shape or similar. Something that is ready for all conditions, that you will grow into. those ultra fat boards are silly noob gear, waste of money and not fun in surf as you can't turn on them very well.
Yes i've ridden them.
You want a shortboard with a little extra width.
My suggestion: 2 inches shorter than you, North Whip shape or similar. Skillit is ok,
Rather than start a new thread, i've come across a 6'3 x 19.5 x 2.x epoxy surfboard that i think will suit me as a beginner for a while to have a play on.
Once i remove the deck grip & wax i assume the easiest way to go is the surftech pad / strap stick on set? I know Airborne sell them for about $150 which seems like reasonable value?
