looking to move to a surfboard style board for mainly small waves after approx. 14 years on twin tips.
Noticed the newer styles eg 2015 North whip ,pro series Naish skater all look like giant twin tips with the wide noses and tails.
Whats the opinions on these newer shapes compared to the older style eg North nugget or traditional surf board shapes?
Peoples opinons on what would be a good start for user friendleness/ performance in chop and small waves.
Is it best to learn to ride toeside or is gybing an easier option.?
Thanks in advance on any suggestions.
You want performance or bombproof longevity?
This is the real question when choosing a surfboard.
Why? A change is as good as a rest?
Have you tried wave TT's and mutants?
Mutants rock small waves and chop. I see little point being on a surfboard in those conditions. Particularly for someone who isn't surfing orientated.
Just grab an old surfboard and see how you go before opening the wallet for a kite surfboard, nothing will really feel close to a twin tip. I'd learn to gybe first as it will come in handy in the waves and also it's harder to learn, so the more time you spend trying to get it down pat the better. I prefer doing a quick gybe to my preferred side over riding toe side on a wave.
Select to expand quoteBrohan said..
Just grab an old surfboard and see how you go before opening the wallet for a kite surfboard, nothing will really feel close to a twin tip.
I tend to agree. The only difference is the weight and rigidity of the surfboard built for kiting compared to a real surfboard. Real surfboards are really light, denty and dingy, breakable. So, going from a surfboard to a kite surfboard will feel weird.
And please keep in mind that straps on the kite surfboard are not there to lock your feet in. They're there to help you, yes, but not to water start and ride in them 100% of the time! A friend of mine got 8 screws in her ankle after thinking the straps need to lock her foot in there. You need to walk on the board and move your feet almost constantly!
I have also been a TT only kiter for years. Recently bought a Nugget. And thoroughly enjoying being out there in next to nothing wind, learned gybes and tacks (well still in the process of doing it consistently). It's great fun if you enjoy the actual learning process. Strapless is obviously safer and more fun and you need the space on the board to move your feet around. Waves will be the next step which is when the Nugget might become a bit too chunky. But then at least the technique will be solid. Toeside is easy as you will have done it on the TT already I am sure. But it is more fun to have the option changing feets when you want to rather than having to ride toeside all the way unless you choose so. I am sure any surfboard will work but a lightish wind board like the Nugget or similar seems to make the strapless learning process easier. For me this opened up a new world and it is great to pick the sb or the TT depending on the conditions, or both in one session 
I have the Nugget, the Skater and the North Whip (full nose and blunt nose) .....
1. The North Nugget (5.5) is a really good light wind, small wave device. Goes upwind super well and can be jumped/boosted. Handles fine in big wind conditions for the larger gentleman.
2. The North Whip (full nose) was used when the wind was up. Doesn't go upwind as well as the Nugget but can be jumped/boosted.
3. The North Whip (blunt nose) was used when the wind was up. Doesn't go upwind as well as the Nugget but can be jumped/boosted. Is a little corky and needs front foot weight.
4. The Naish Skater (Blunt nose) is not quite as light wind as the Nugget, but not far off. Doesn't go upwind as well as the Nugget.. It is very very fast but also can turned on a dime. A really nice board to ride. I am using it as my strapless board and it seems to stick to the feet like glue. I jump it off the little ramps at Umina and seems to handle the landings without any issues. It is a very thin, light board.
My preferred boards are: The Nugget for everything strapped, The Skater for everything unstrapped.
I mostly ride a mutant. Axis Twin Wave in the surf. Also have a Shinnster which is a whole new world of fun especially in light wind .
I think, it depends on what you want to do. If you jump you will need straps and a shorter strong kite specific surfboard. If you are a surfer, you will want to have that feel, so you want similar board to what you surf. The new truncated boards, those I tried, are more for skate style, and more fun strapless. They are a bit tricky to jump, because of the rigid and wide tail, and, forget the hype, they don't turn or behave like a surf board. Demo a few... and see what clicks.
As others mentioned, jybe on a shorter board is a skill you will never regret to spend time learning.... yes horses for courses...
Select to expand quotedkeating said..
looking to move to a surfboard style board for mainly small waves after approx. 14 years on twin tips.
Noticed the newer styles eg 2015 North whip ,pro series Naish skater all look like giant twin tips with the wide noses and tails.
Whats the opinions on these newer shapes compared to the older style eg North nugget or traditional surf board shapes?
Peoples opinons on what would be a good start for user friendleness/ performance in chop and small waves.
Is it best to learn to ride toeside or is gybing an easier option.?
Thanks in advance on any suggestions.
... I was a long time twin tip rider and was having so much fun even in waves I thought I'd never change,,,, but out of curiocity I got a directional kite specific board and never looked back. I thought you could not blat around (skate park style) like you could on a TT but after a few years, I know you can. The biggest thing was that they don't jump like a TT and you kind of can't load and pop but its a small sacrifice for the other fun you can get. And I figured out, they ride waves much better than a TT.
I agree with bigtone677, the Nugget style of board is a ripper first board that does a lot more than just light winds. The only thing is, if you treat it like a TT then your gunna break it. I got a blunt nose board too as my jumping board and as you'd expect, the less nose is better because of the less windage.
Out of all the directionals I've tried, the Vanguard blunt nose style of board is the most twin tip you will get without loosing too much of the surf board feel. I got a 2015 North whip which I put the straps on and for me isn't the same whippy slashy board like the Nugget for waves is, but for me the Whip is a better jumping board as I can load it up better.
If your going to jump and use the board like a TT then your better off getting a kite specific board as they tend to last longer than a surfboard. The first time I tried a surfboard with glassed on fins the damn fin tore off.
Oh, and learn to gybe both ways. Toeside is easy enough to learn on a surf board, easier than a TT, but if you don't practice gybing both ways now you tend to get lazy and then you will never do it. Most people have a prefered direction so practice both but in particular, your off side, until it feels pretty natural. If you do this, you will be comfortable riding waves left or right and it won't matter if your goofy or natural,,,,, mind you given a choice I prefer lefts and riding goofy but either way is cool.
Demo a nugget/vanguard style board if you can, most people love em!
Robbie
thanks for all the feed back and ideas.
I can try to demo something or if a something as suggested comes up as a good buy in the buy and sell I may do that.
I really like the Shinnster/Paipo boards. They do great in light wind and good Wind. In average, junky surf they're fine. I found it easy to learn to switch my feet on that type of board because they stay on the surface of the water at very low speed without sinking. And the best part is they're bomb proof. These boards don't break down. I like not worrying about breaking board on a hard landing. And, they're really fun.
