hi guys just looking for some advice,
I've come to the realisation that I would buy a SUP and he just be happy to take it on 1-2 foot surf and on the lake is not the reality
im 5,10" 80 kilos and my current board is a Hobie Colin McPhilips longboard series SUP 9,00" 30 inch wide , 4,1/2 thick and 137 litres , i really like the board , very stable , great at catching waves but I used to ride short boards I'm wanting a board I could throw around a bit more
im really leaning to Naish and been looking at either the Hokua GT 8'5" or Hokua x32 GT 8,3" or mabe even the 7'10" or am I best off looking at the Mana 8'10"
thanks for any advice you guys can give
I think you need to demo them. They are all nice boards but without trying them you really won't know which one suits you best. The 8'3" x32 would be a good starting point for you but you might progress from that quickly and be wanting to go narrower and more high performance. Where in NSW are you?
I'd suggest going down at lesst one full foot in size.
What kind of waves are you riding?
I ride small boards, and thus am biased, but at a similar height/weight to you think that you can set your sights on quite small boards. If you keep the 9' board, which would be a good idea for the time being, you can add on a board much smaller than you're used to. Just use it on calmer days at first then work your way up. That's progression.
Thats why I recommend used boards as well.
Dont get a 32 wide board. That's going in the wrong direction. I'd set a goal of the current Naish LE 7'8. That's a good looking board - and with 96L is a good match for an 80kg rider.
I think you need to demo them. They are all nice boards but without trying them you really won't know which one suits you best. The 8'3" x32 would be a good starting point for you but you might progress from that quickly and be wanting to go narrower and more high performance. Where in NSW are you?
Hey Zeusman I live on the Central Coast, so surf between Avoca and down to Umina , want to keep the longboard sup for small days but when it gets 3+ , want a smaller short board SUP
I would second JeanG
If you are dedicated, and already know how to prone shortboard, going shorter will be a revelation for you.
Learning how to paddle a short board will take time, but it is doable if you practice on flatwater. But then on a wave, all your surfing roots will click into life again!
So trying them can be misleading. The board that will suit you well may seem impossible to ride on the first try.
I personally would have recommended a 6'6"x30 110l wide tailed board to learn the ShortSUPs ropes in small waves without being disgusted, and then be able to set up your sights on a narrow 96l board, especially if the planned 3+ conditions for it are a bit rough (chop, rips, backwash, ...). 96l for 80kg is doable but does not provide a lot of tolerance to mistakes, the progression will be hard compared that a board that will bring insane fun in small sessions.
