I am after a new board and can only find info for beginners on board size.
I am at an intermediate level (I can do a few spins, grabs and carves) and am still riding a 140cm board which is very old and quite heavy - time for an upgrade.
I am 6'1 and weigh in at 92kg. Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers.
Big fella? Hahahahaha sorry dude, but I am about 6'4 and just over 100 kg. I ride a 135 lunacy and have just got my new 140 custom I have set up with boots. I have heard awesome things about the new 135 north Jaime, I know a couple of lads riding them, and they rate them highly. Really if u look around at something around 135 you should be sweet.... But as they say, demo everything u can...
Hi jwillo,
Hardly that big eh? 92kg is a 135 as Max said. I'm ~87-88 kg and ride a 135 now, but have been riding 132's since the beginning of time. The 135 will suit you perfectly.
We have some great mid sized performance boards in demo.
What are the water conditions you ride in most commonly?
Spins and carves, sounds to me like freeriding, if you are into freestyle as well, or at least plan on getting into freestyle, that changes things a bit in the way of recommendations.
For pure freeriding I'd recommend the North X-Ride 136. This is our most popular board for sure and suits almost every kind of riding except freestyle load and pop type tricks. Smooth, comfy and outrageous grip when riding fast and powered.
For freeriding and a bit of freestyle, I'd recommend the 136 Cardboards FR. It freerides beautifully, handles chop, spins, carves etc and will do some freestyle as well. It has really good pop for a freeride board and is still smooth through the water.
The Jaime 135 is also really nice freeride board with good freestyle capacity without too much sacrifice in the comfy ride. Excellent for a good blend of both styles.
For Freestyling and a bit of freeride, I'd recommend a Cardboards Tempo. The Tempo is a bit stiffer and has massive pop for load and pop tricks and has larger than normal rocker combined with 5 concaves/channels so landing tricks is REALLY easy even in choppy water. The North Jaime 135 still also fits this category but is not as hard core as the Tempo. The Tempo is more wake style oriented.
With the Cardboards you can have custom build and graphics/colours.
I'm stoked anytime I get to ride these boards. Yes we have them all in demo!
DM
xenon laluz 135 just ask wax head seems to be the answer for everyone.
no seriously you should demo one i am just under 90 kgs 6ft and really love the laluz i have been on it for the last 4 months and am really stoked had it out in all conditions and really impressed how versatile these boards are but as they say demo demo
Fella, you're the same size as me.
I ride a 144 x 42 Cardboard custom Twin tip.
This board works in all winds (I dont bother kiting until it is white capping/15knots)
The board trucks upwind, easy to ride thru chop and lands blind well.
Most production boards are made for someone else in another place.
Your board length is from the ground to under your arm.
Height fully dictates leverage on the tips. This length is right.
I have ridden 90cm-170cm TT boards.
Basic rule of thumb, Shorter boards than armpit length stall too much and trip over chop.
Go a wide stance. Narrow stance will over power you and throw your potential leverage out.
Width depends on your weight. I dont recommend wider than 44cm, without moon boots you will go blue in the face trying to pop from toeside.
I don't recommend thinner than 40. The board will have no shape to carve off the rail and will feel stiff.
27-28 wide on the tips. Wider tips throw water in your face and crap to turn on.
Make sure your board has a cool graphic, I have always had autobarn bikini girlie stickers on the top of mine and it has consistently helped with performance.
^^^sounds like some advice i got about 5 years ago on boards, a lot of things has changed and the technology may not have filtered up to Gero yet. They like there New gear but i think Aks is more on the money with board advice. People in tha past few years were all riding small boards but now people are going for slightly bigger but for your size going over 138 would be a mistake i would think that 135 by 41 would be ideal. Best bet is to demo if you can.
I ride a 130 x 40 stonker ,(6'2 97kg) have been for about 4 yrs ,its an awesome board suits flat and surf, and its indestructable ,sold my last one and just got a new one for a change of graphic, have tried a heap of other boards from 133-138 found them slower to throw around in the surf, 40-41 wide is ideal wouldn't go any wider.
The problem with Nj's stinky arm pit board sizing chart is that leverage in not only about distance but weight and how it is distributed. and in most cases a shorter fatter guy can cause the same amount of leverage as someone that is tall and skinny and weighs the same. The shorter guy is normally overweight for his size and has a bigger upper body set of manboobs etc making his centre of gravity a lot higher than some one taller with a average body build. The affect this has means they can both ride the same board. as they both end up having the same amount of leverage.
A 144 -42 is not going to be a good board for you unless you really like ridding underpowered i'm not sure what new kites NJ's using but maybe should grow some bulls and get powered up. I thought it was windy up in Gero?
A 144 X 42 sounds insane to me unless your riding in 9-14 youd have to be a gorilla to hold the edge even it 20 knots unless you were on a 7 ,biggest board i ride is a 139 x 41 and it has to be light as.
I'm 105 kg and my current board is a 135, it's fine when it's 15 knots + but my next board will be a 137 and a bit wider to get a bit more low end and to help get me to my smaller kite a bit sooner.
If you can try a couple sizes 132-137. the width and outline will have a big effect as well. imo bigger than 137/8 is just too big unless it's a LW board.
well I must agree with Porn star , today I rode a 140 x 45 in Geraldton smoking 30 knotts , it changed my opinion of bigger boards , I now beleive as Im a bigger kiter ( XL Harness ) you need a board around 140 , I tip the scales at 110 kg & I have been riding a 135 which after today I beleive was to small for my size.
The only reason I have had the opinion that I need to ride smaller boards is due to the location I live in , I also beleive after today the last time I rode a big t/t was some time ago and the R&D into bigger boards has progressed in leaps and bounds.
I have seen guys riding surfboards at the same time other guys are riding Twin Tips.
You guys are worried about these tiny little 139cm boards being too big?
dude look at the boards a little wider as this will help you through the lows in the wind.
135x 42 would be a good size for a big dude.
Happy days
Thanks heaps for everyones advice and opinions, very helpful and much appreciated!
Have a look at the Ocean Rodeo MaKO'S 150X40 and Mako King 165x45 ... even the 140 x 40 is a great board - not too heavy - all have about 18mm of concave thru-out ... eat chop & go upwind well ... real easy on the knees, due to the 'cusioniong' affect of the deep concave ... they can also be used, and very much enjoyed, in sloppy or smaller waves ...
I'm 85~90kgs and about 6"1 and just love the Mako ( i have the 134 x35 older model as well )
Do a search on that other Euro/Yank/Pommie kiteforum ~ heaps of posts about Mako's
if ony it was a permanent break
