Hi SUPers, I need advice on what to buy. I currently own a 9'6" x 32" SUP that is designed for still water/surf about 60/40. It's very stable but not the most manoeverable in the surf. I come from a surfing background [ currently own a 9'4" mal] but for 4 weeks have been taking the SUP out into small surfs, and I'm stoked! I can't believe I've waited this long to try this. I no longer arrive to a small surf and get the grits and head home. So now I want a more surf-oriented SUP but can't make a decision. I'd like to stay in the 9 to 10 foot range to catch the small to medium swells easily. If it gets bigger than that I still prefer the mal. [Yes, I know...that could easily change.] My mates say that a Naish or Sunova would be good choices but I have no idea which models in either might suit me. Both the Sunova Speeed and the Style look great and almost every Naish seems suitable. I'm 5' 10" tall and weigh about 70 Kg, maybe a bit more since Xmas. I'm also on the wrong side of 60 but surf nearly every day so am pretty fit. The board would also be OK to use in still water for the family, about 10% of the time. Hope someone with experience out there can help. I'm open for any advice I can get before I fork out considerable bikkies for another SUP. Cheers all.
If you are going to keep your 9'6" then I would suggest that you focus purely on surf - a good surf SUP won't be great for still water paddling.
I can vouch for the Speeed. ?It has some mal-like qualities. ?It is fast and tough. ?Like a mal you can get towards the nose and you have to get over the fins to make it turn fast. At 70 kg you can go for a small board, but I would not push the limit when you are new to SUP. An 8'10" x 29 (130 L) speeed should be OK. ?You always have the existing board to fall back on and to build leg strength/balance.
Can you demo one?
Thanks cantSUPenough. My problem is I don't think I can find a Sunova to trial. I'm also wondering if the Speeed at 29" wide might be a bit too unstable for me. [Fit and over60 is not the same as fit and around50 I've found.] Does anyone know of anywhere on the NSW south coast that demos Sunovas?
I own a 9'2" Speeed and wouldn't recommend it for small surf - due to the parallel rails and aggressive tail, you need some push in the waves to get it turning, if you are riding about waist high or smaller you'll need to stand forward on the board to keep it trimming, then step right back to turn it - the problem is when you try and do an aggressive turn - it'll want to turn off the wave. I will add however, when the surf is head high and bigger - it rocks.
There are lots of great options out there... Do you want a Mal type SUP or a shortboard type SUP?
Depending on your answer: i would recommend - either long and narrow or short and wide for smaller surf:
Sunova:
a 9'6" STYLE - beautiful noserider with super fine rails.
a 8'3" skate - it's wide so it is stable - slash type turns
a 8'10" flow - plenty of curve in the outline to turn from the middle and will squirt off the tail
I bought a custom Sunova Surf for small stuff - 10'4" x 28 x 4...
Naish:
Nalu LE 10' - another Mal type that rocks but $$$$$
Atlantis:
Runway noserider 10' - don't underestimate this one!
Vex Pro 9' - shortboard surf shape with a flat-ish rocker
Good boards, especially for the $$ - you could get one of each for less than the price of one of the others.
Jimmy Lewis:
STRIKER 8'11" - probably the best all rounder available today. You will not see one bad word spoken about these.
Smik:
Short Mac 8'7" - similar to a Speeed but with more outline curve so will turn from the middle in weak stuff
Starboard:
Converse 9' - traditional surf shape
NUT 9' - different to anything else here - but it works so well
I've put in capitals my favourites for you mate.
Good luck>
Thanks Mike for the lead to NN. I'll ring them later.
Hoppo...You're a legend! I was considering the Style 9'6" and the NaishNalu Le. Thanks for the confirmation on these two. All I have to do now is test drive a couple.
I've already ridden a Striker, but I think it was around 9'2". I liked it a lot but the surf was almost non-existent that day so it wasn't a great trial.
Cheers all from CaptainJimbo. The advice has been better than I expected...and Faster!
C.Jimbo we have the 8'11 Striker in demo and 9'6 Style in stock (10' in demo) if you are in and around Sydney. Cheers AA
Thanks AA. I don't get to Sydney too often but hope to be there March 2017. I'll certainly contact you if I'm still in the market.
Thanks all . I'm almost convinced that the Sunova Speeed 9'2" or 9'5" will be my pick. I now just have to test drive one. [And sell a couple of items to pay for it} Thanks for all the advice...What a great forum!!!
HI Pete, I've been talking to Kent at NN [who has been really helpful] and they have Speeed demos. I live about 4 hours from them so I'm lining up a demo day sometime in the new year. My wife and I are on Grandparent duties for much of January so it'll be sometime early Feb I hope. I'll post when I've tried the Sunovas.
