About 77 kgs. Been on a Jimmy Lewis 10'8 for about 4+years.
9'2 dimensions: 9'2 x 29 5/8 x 4 1/4 126 L
9'4 dimensions: 9'4 x 30 x 4 120 L
9'6 dimensions: 9'6 x 29 5/8 x 4 1/4 150 L
My sill level is intermediate but I want to improve on that. I also don't want to kid myself. Just turned 45 so I'm not looking to get overly aggressive on a board. Just want something that will improve my surfing but also provide good stability.
Tags: Paddle Surf Hawaii, PSH, WR, Wide Ripper, Ripper
Rkoz I have the 9 2 ripper , I am about the same weight as you , a bit older and have been on SUPs about 10 months . I have a Jimmy Lewis striker 9 5 and the 9 2 ripper .
I find the ripper to be a board I absolutely love when the conditions are ideal ( waves waist high and over , no wind or side chop ) , have mine setup now with the shapers Surf FX quads and on the wave it is heaps of fun .But when the wind is blowing or side chop is hitting me I find it pretty tippy .
Good example went out 2 weeks back 3 -4 foot swell 20 knot sidewind gusting to about 30 , fair bit of side current and chop , went for 8 waves caught 2 other 6 either wind or chop tipped me off on take off . Went in grabbed the striker caught about 20 waves no issues .the frustrating thing is the 2 waves I caught on the ripper were the best . 
If you are after stability have tried the 9 2 NSP really fun board with a lot more stability then the ripper . Have heard the Laguna bay customs / Jimmy Lewis kwads both offer really good performance and stability have yet to see then in the flesh .
Good feedback, Taz. That's why I was leaning away from the 9'4 (5% less volume than the 9'2). The 9'6 just seems like too much volume. I will keep my 10'8 for smaller days, rivers and open ocean paddling.
I rode the 9'2 Wide Ripper for many years (at 90kg) it is certainly the pick of those 3 for me. As mentioned it luuuves a wide open face!
The 9'4 WR is a rare board - you must be in the USA, rkozkauai?
I have also ridden the NSP Coco 9'2 until recently and loved it. Super stable and very 'reliable' in all conditions.
I have moved on to the 8'10 JP Pro, which shreds in the smaller stuff. Still waiting for some decent size to come my way to put it through its paces
Very fond memories of my 9'2 Wide Ripper!
Thanks Blane! 9'3 Ripper Prototype. Way ahead of his time- Nov. 2007.
Great feedback, AA.
Yes, I live in Hawaii on the island of Kauai. All three boards are available on Craigslist. The 9'4 is rare. It preceded the 9'3 which is a great board but hard to find simply because no one wants to sell theirs. The 9'6 seems like a good choice but I'm concerned about the volume. Either way, getting used to a 9'2 or 9'6 after many years on a 10'8 will take time.
How did the 9'2 respond in smaller conditions? Also, how did it track / glide for paddling out or just paddling around? I talked with the owner and she's going to borrow it to me for a couple hours to try it out. Hopefully there are some waves.
