Next board chat

Hi all

I've got an 8'10x30" JP Surf 128l which i love (its 7.4kg). & i jist sold an 8'6x29 JP Surf 113l which i loved when it was clean (which was 8.5kg as older). I used it in smaller & cleaner days & for balance training, which meant I can ride the 8'10 in pretty much any wind, chop or size & all day - whereas the 8'6 i would start to tire on after an hour or so.

So - now looking at my next board to pair with it. Something a little different (I've had 4 x JPs so far), slightly less volume, but not too much = about 120l. I'm thinking of either:

8'2 x 29 118l starboard pro (I've been offered a 2022 8x29 121l pro in ltd construction )

SMIK hipster twin (either the 8'3 x 31 123l or 8'0 x 30.5 118ll)

Any suggestions / experience of using any of these boards

I'd like both (obviously). I like the idea of less than 30" which would help with balance training for when I'm on the JP.

I've had an infinity new deal which I loved , but i prefer shortboard style surfing really, & only one I'd really look at is the blurr ( but they come in wide for my preferred volume).

Any chat appreciated
Thanks

What kind of waves and size do you want this board for? walling points, hollow beachies etc... up to 1.5OH etc?

What is your preferred surfing style? slashy tail slides everywhere possible? drivey bottom turns and snaps? cruisy mid board high lines? airs?

Do you like how twin fins surf? or prefer Quads? do you want a hip in the outline to help square off turns? do you want something super fast and loose? or with drive and hold?

Do you get your back foot right over the fins? or surf more 1 ft in front of the fins?

It's not simply - i like shortboards, which one is best...- there are a lot of considerations to make the right decision.

If you don't want to elaborate here, talk to Scotty @ Smik, Bert @ Sunova or Simon @ Therapy and they'll either steer you towards a stock board or draw up a custom. But the more info (like the above) that you know the better the result will be.

For a 2-board "shortboard-only" quiver, I can see 2 options:

[1] two similar shapes, one a bit bigger than the other. Having 2 JP pros. This way the transition between boards is seamless. But the bigger board may be subject to the cork effect.

[2] one "pro" shape (pulled-in nose and tail) and one "friendly" shape: similar to a pro but with wider nose and tail.
This way you do not have to oversize the "friendly" as it is naturally stabler and avoid the "cork effect": the volume is more spread out, keeping the thickness low, especially in the rails.

I would say the JP Pro is a "pro" shape and the JP "Surf plus", SmiK hipster twin "friendlies".

In Starboard: pro / spice or twinfin

In Infinity: Blurr / b-line or escape pod or wide speed

In Gong: Alley / Karmen

etc...

Since you say "Something a little different", I'd go [2], thus the Hipster twin. The 8'3" x 31 x 123L to not double

Smik spitfire or infinity blur V2 or V3, the Smik has heaps of sizes to get closest to requirements or you can get custom if you have time. An email to Scotty and you'd get the time frame ??
Both solid allround performance shapes. If your looking for progress and coming into summer, less wetsuit weight, small is better for performance and then you've go 6mths to dial it in before your adding 4-5 kgs of wetsuit into the mix, depending on were you live.

I have one of the combos you are thinking about - Smik Hipster & JP Surf. It's an excellent combo with 2 boards designed for 2 types of waves.

Most of the time I'm on the Hipster Pin and absolutely love it. Very stable because of the shape. Really fast and so much fun in smaller waves. It turns so easily. Once the waves go overhead and have more power I use the JP. Earlier entry into waves, can handle steeper drops and doesn't require nursing through turns. Nicer to paddle longer distances as well. Both boards do exactly what they are made to do - JP Surf excels in larger, meatier waves while the Hipster excels in smaller or fuller waves. For reference I'm 90kgs & use the 8'6 JP Surf (113l) and the 7'10 Hipster Pin (109l).

Like Colas listed above, most brands have similar options in their ranges. Would be great to try them all but I am very happy with what I have.

I would do the groveler/pro combo- the wide tailed boards are so fun in smaller or softer waves, cause you can go down 6" or so and more easily get to the tail, and they can go fast on weak waves. Or get something like infinity B line, etc that can hopefully do it all OK.

Sounds like you have it sorted.
FWIW...
Yep, as mentioned, I think the board volume is the first place to start - what suits your weight and skills. Then width and board outline to suit your balance and conditions where you surf. Then outline (ie board speed) and rocker (relative to steepness) to suit the waves you ride.
I've had a Fanatic Surf Pro 810 (very similar to the JP Surf) and JP Surf Wide 8'2 - great combo - both around 124-126L.
Now I ride a Smik Spitfire 8'6 122L (less stable (narrower outline), excels in steep waves (more rocker)) and Hipster 8'3 123L (more stable (fuller outline), prefers less steep waves (flatter rocker)) - quite different rides for different conditions. This combo far exceeds the Fanatic and JP boards in terms of performance and range. However I find the Spitfire the most versatile as it catches waves easier than the Hipster, including less steep waves (IE if I was to have one board). But if its a little lumpy or high tide I take the Hipster. If its low tide and/or smoother I take the spitfire.
I also have a 8'0 Hipster which is 118L - like you, I use it to dial in my balance and its amazing to use on those smooth days. This feels tiny under your feet and is so much fun in summer.
For bumpier days with a good swell or super tiny (1-2) I use a Spitfire 8'8 which, at 129L, is so stable it doesn't make sense! This means I can get out on days I previously couldn't.. and it's super performant and will catch anything from 1ft up easier than any board I've ridden.