Tim Stamps - Shaper of the Year

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
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33.8N - 118.4W
Looks like they fill the carbon lam with with epoxy/cabosil. I wonder if the vac bag infusion leaves more weave texture thus necessitating fill?
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
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San Diego
Looks like they fill the carbon lam with with epoxy/cabosil. I wonder if the vac bag infusion leaves more weave texture thus necessitating fill?
I was wondering about how they deal with the weave texture as infused lam is also much higher vacuum than typical bagging, no?
 
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Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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i've been combing through this thread and tim's site trying to scheme up a two-board quiver for my tall, lanky self. what do you dudes think of these ideas?

mostly gutless point waves with occasional sections that pop up for a flash
Allz i want is that glidey and twitchy, responsive feeling. I've been on a quantum quad in these waves which def has that glide... but at 21" wide she's a boat; and lacks that super reactive twitchy feel. especially when you're flying. i was thinking about a skinny fuse or decibel. it seems like this thread is fully flared, and i was considering that but i was also assuming most of you are riding them in different conditions like fun socal beach break.

punchier reefs and beaches
Imperfect chest to overhead surf with push, with occasional flat spots and warble. Would love something fast that can project out in front of wave and keep speed into a turn. There's generally current, so paddling would be important. The Spark Plug, Giggle Box or Habanero were looking noice.
Habanero is basically a standard hpsb. Quite a bit of rocker and pretty foiled rails. Its a great design but its not going to have amazing paddle power or project out of the pocket very well.

gigglebox has a bit more cheat factor with lower rocker and a fuller foil up front. it handles overhead surf well due to it's fairly normal tail width and vee out the back.
 

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
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The OC
Giggle Box holds much better in larger surf than the Gx in my opinion, but it’s less twitchy in shoulder to head.

Gx is more user friendly than Habanero, which requires a more active on point high performance style to maximize. Noel Salas has a good review of the Habanero.
 
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Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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Giggle Box holds much better in larger surf than the Gx in my opinion, but it’s less twitchy in shoulder to head.

Gx is more user friendly than Habanero, which requires a more active on point high performance style to maximize. Noel Salas has a good review of the Habanero.
agreed on the GBX vs. GX in larger surf. on paper you wouldn't think there would be such a difference or that the GX might even have the edge in juice with the extra rocker. i think the bottom contours are the key. mellower concaves and vee out the back just keeps the GBX so stable feeling in the juice. I've pushed mine in legit 1.5 to 2x overhead surf with great results. with the beak nose it has quite a bit of paddle power for it's length which helps it in larger surf as well.

GX has the edge for small/medium wave pocket thrashing for sure. the settled feel of the GBX just isn't quite as exciting in weaker surf although with the right fin setup (large upright sides, small center or quads) it's still quite capable. my GBX is sized at my own height and I'm sure a shorter/wider one would have better low end but I think it still wouldn't be able to compete with a scooped out concave bottom board like the GX or Hab.

another option to consider if the GBX is a little too abnormal with it's beak nose and 80's foil would be a round tail version of either the Flare or GX. I've had both of those are they are superb in the chest to overhead range.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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my gbx felt fast and loose in the small stuff
what finz did you run?

i didn't mean to imply it wasn't good in small surf. it's just not quite as lively and willing to go vertical n turn tight in the pocket as a modern hp grovel design like the GX IMO.
 
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bird.LA

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Jul 14, 2002
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LA
i've been combing through this thread and tim's site trying to scheme up a two-board quiver for my tall, lanky self. i know that most of this thread is fully flared, but was thinking these conditions might warrant something different.

mostly gutless point waves with occasional sections that pop up for a flash
Allz i want is that glidey and twitchy, responsive feeling. I've been on a quantum quad in these waves which def has that glide... but at 21" wide she's a boat; and lacks that super reactive twitchy feel. i was thinking about a skinny fuse or decibel.

punchier reefs and beaches
Imperfect chest to overhead surf with push, with occasional flat spots and warble. Would love something fast that can project out in front of wave and keep speed into a turn. There's generally current, so paddling would be important. The Spark Plug, Giggle Box or Habanero were looking noice.

anyone have experience with any of these boards?
In my quiver, Fuse and GX are exactly what I would go to for these conditions.
 
Aug 29, 2014
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another option to consider if the GBX is a little too abnormal with it's beak nose and 80's foil would be a round tail version of either the Flare or GX. I've had both of those are they are superb in the chest to overhead range.
I asked Tim Daddy for a RT Flare/GX mash up based off my Flare Swallow. Came out great, same deck lines as my Flare but a bit more refined.
 

bird.LA

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Jul 14, 2002
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Ive had two squash tails. One at 6-0 × 20 and one at 6-2 x 19.5

I think i preferred the longer one just for versatility. The short one was plenty fun though.

My gx rt was 6-3 which felt just right.

Im 6'3 x 180
As another tall lankster I can weigh in here too.

I've had:

6'0" x 20" x 2.4"
6'1" x 19.6" x 2.4"
6'1.5" x 19.5" x 2.4"

All squash tails.

6'0" was wider than I want. 6'1" & 6'1.5" both good (and in my current active quiver.) Wider one more forgiving and a bit more user friendly, longer narrower one more HP/capable of tighter shredz in small pockets and is my go-to board most of the time in day-to-day LA surf.
 
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Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,682
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in da hood next to paradise
As another tall lankster I can weigh in here too.

I've had:

6'0" x 20" x 2.4"
6'1" x 19.6" x 2.4"
6'1.5" x 19.5" x 2.4"

All squash tails.

6'0" was wider than I want. 6'1" & 6'1.5" both good (and in my current active quiver.) Wider one more forgiving and a bit more user friendly, longer narrower one more HP/capable of tighter shredz in small pockets and is my go-to board most of the time in day-to-day LA surf.
u spelled tiger and shedz wrong
 

ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
1,710
3,118
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S. Redondo
Second day on my 5'6.5" Fuse carbonara Venerial. It's been super chunky shoulder high+ with lots of current and having to tic-tac to make sections the last two days. Bort has dented easier than my other three (two poly, one epoxy) Varials, but the extremely light weight has been interesting in the jumbled-up conditions. I've been riding it as the thruster with MF larges (FCSII) and it's had moments of magic.

Surfing with Magno Pacheco (top 100 on the QS/Challenger Series) this morning made me try to step up my game. The light weight makes it so sensitive and it's easier to make micro-adjustments off the bottom and in the lip since it feels like I can sense every movement in the water. I caught a left (frontside for me) where I air-dropped a few feet, got a decent pump and landed one of the bigger blow-tails I've done in a while off of a lumpy lip. I got a solid shaka and a Portuguese-heavy "sick one" from Magno which felt reaffirming at 51.

My wife and daughter were watching and while they understandably mentioned Magno's ripping (pretty ridiculous how many good turns he can fit in on sh^tty waves), I got a "you didn't look like a kook surfing next to him" from the fam. I'll take that!

Can't wait to get the bort in some clean waves! This is my 3rd bort from Tim (all Varial) and they're all slam dunks. It's hard to choose a favorite and decide what I'm going to ride when it's under HH+.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
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San Diego, CA
Second day on my 5'6.5" Fuse carbonara Venerial. It's been super chunky shoulder high+ with lots of current and having to tic-tac to make sections the last two days. Bort has dented easier than my other three (two poly, one epoxy) Varials, but the extremely light weight has been interesting in the jumbled-up conditions. I've been riding it as the thruster with MF larges (FCSII) and it's had moments of magic.

Surfing with Magno Pacheco (top 100 on the QS/Challenger Series) this morning made me try to step up my game. The light weight makes it so sensitive and it's easier to make micro-adjustments off the bottom and in the lip since it feels like I can sense every movement in the water. I caught a left (frontside for me) where I air-dropped a few feet, got a decent pump and landed one of the bigger blow-tails I've done in a while off of a lumpy lip. I got a solid shaka and a Portuguese-heavy "sick one" from Magno which felt reaffirming at 51.

My wife and daughter were watching and while they understandably mentioned Magno's ripping (pretty ridiculous how many good turns he can fit in on sh^tty waves), I got a "you didn't look like a kook surfing next to him" from the fam. I'll take that!

Can't wait to get the bort in some clean waves! This is my 3rd bort from Tim (all Varial) and they're all slam dunks. It's hard to choose a favorite and decide what I'm going to ride when it's under HH+.
You got thruster only boxes, right? I bet smaller trailer fin would rip in smaller/ crappier surf. Boar looks so rad.
I’m dying to ride my Varial carbon Insanity, but trying to wait for decent waves.It’s waxed and padded.
 

ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
1,710
3,118
113
S. Redondo
You got thruster only boxes, right? I bet smaller trailer fin would rip in smaller/ crappier surf. Boar looks so rad.
I’m dying to ride my Varial carbon Insanity, but trying to wait for decent waves.It’s waxed and padded.
Yeah, thruster only set up. I have an AM set that has the smaller trailer. I have two 2+1 sets (AM’s & MR’s) I’ll give a go once I get familiar with the bort.