57yrs, 5’11 and about 185lbs.
My DD for the most part over the last 6-7 years has been a 5’11 VS Shadow(I have had 2) - no volume given.
Through the same period I also rode a 6’4 slimmed down VS Time Machine - no volume given and a 6’3 Roberts Black Cobra(also slimmed down) - no volume given, as step ups
I have been riding a 5’8 CC fish a lot the last 2 years - no volume given. It has glassed on swept back keels. I love it. I also bought another 5’8 CC fish with futures boxes off the rack recently and hated it. It was the polar opposite of my first one and I could not surf it. Sold!
I also had a CC 6’7 Long Phish for a spell recently - no volume given
My most recent purchase was a 6’6 MOTE Fiji - No volume given
Quite a few years back(6-8) I was riding a Lost Quiver Killer 6’- 33.25l and before that a 5’10 CI Pod @ 31.4l
I think volume is over rated. I give the shaper my dims and a little info about my surfing and they make the board. Funnily enough Simon Jones wanted to know my foot size. Thats interesting! For the most part they have worked very well. I gelled with all of the above boards in certain conditions with the exception of the Long Phish and the second CC fish. The test 6’6 LP I rode felt considerably different than the custom I ended up receiving. I think CC shaped the actual test board and the Oz ghost shaper my board.
Width, rocker, thickness, contours, shape, length and the type of waves you are surfing are more important than volume.
My two Shadows have identical dims but surf slightly differently. Some times you luck out with a magic board and on occasion you bomb out and miss. I have been very lucky for the most part.