Album Surfboards

trifish

Billy Hamilton status
Sep 23, 2009
1,522
4,249
113
Shred City
Seems fitting for this thread

 

chilly1

Nep status
Jan 4, 2010
758
1,165
93
Anyone have a Vesper? Curious how you size it.
I got one based on how Margo was sizing but a little shorter he is 6'1 riding 6'8, and I am 6'4 on 6'9, Matt recommended 7'2, I don't need another mid, and feel I sized well for what I wanted it for, more paddle power in a shorter package. After riding it I think you could go way shorter tho as well, notice margo on 6'4 s now.
 

nickpheous

Michael Peterson status
Apr 8, 2008
3,433
298
83
Huntington Beach
I got one based on how Margo was sizing but a little shorter he is 6'1 riding 6'8, and I am 6'4 on 6'9, Matt recommended 7'2, I don't need another mid, and feel I sized well for what I wanted it for, more paddle power in a shorter package. After riding it I think you could go way shorter tho as well, notice margo on 6'4 s now.
Yeah I’m good on mids over 7 as well. I emailed Matt about one as a groveler so something around 5’8. I’m 5’9. But now I’m thinking something around 6’2-6’6 as an inbetweener when not feeling like riding a short hpsb/fish and don’t want to cruise around on a mid. Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: j_mac and chilly1

chilly1

Nep status
Jan 4, 2010
758
1,165
93
Yeah I’m good on mids over 7 as well. I emailed Matt about one as a groveler so something around 5’8. I’m 5’9. But now I’m thinking something around 6’2-6’6 as an inbetweener when not feeling like riding a short hpsb/fish and don’t want to cruise around on a mid. Thanks!
It fits that bill nicely, I ordered mine with a couple of particular spots in mind where early entry is clutch, and usually on 7' step up, but wanted something that rides shorter, this model is perfect, and even if late it hasn't poked yet. Not the best for soft grovel-type surf tho...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aruka and j_mac

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
7,418
18,268
113
San Diego, CA
Yeah I’m good on mids over 7 as well. I emailed Matt about one as a groveler so something around 5’8. I’m 5’9. But now I’m thinking something around 6’2-6’6 as an inbetweener when not feeling like riding a short hpsb/fish and don’t want to cruise around on a mid. Thanks!
The bigger vespers I felt up in the shop seemed like a lot of foam for the length. They have a vesper mini which squashes down the length. Personally, I’d try that and size it like a quad fish.
 

lofatkilla

Legend (inyourownmind)
Apr 13, 2004
444
770
93
VENTURA, CA
Yeah I’m good on mids over 7 as well. I emailed Matt about one as a groveler so something around 5’8. I’m 5’9. But now I’m thinking something around 6’2-6’6 as an inbetweener when not feeling like riding a short hpsb/fish and don’t want to cruise around on a mid. Thanks!
I picked up my Vesper from Varial 2 weeks ago. Got slammed hard with Covid so I haven't surfed it yet. I ordered mine for the exact reasons as you. I'm 6'2 180. Ordered 6'4 x20.5 x2.5. If it surfs as good as it feels underarm I'll be super happy. Even at 2.5 the outline carries generous foam. Has a decent amount of rocker for a fish. Has more of a hybrid shortboard feel to it compared to my Lightbender which leans towards fish. Can't wait to get it into some decent swell.
 
Aug 29, 2014
149
130
43
I got one based on how Margo was sizing but a little shorter he is 6'1 riding 6'8, and I am 6'4 on 6'9, Matt recommended 7'2, I don't need another mid, and feel I sized well for what I wanted it for, more paddle power in a shorter package. After riding it I think you could go way shorter tho as well, notice margo on 6'4 s now.
Sounds epic Chilly1! Did you stick around the stock width and thickness?
 
  • Like
Reactions: chilly1 and j_mac
I got one based on how Margo was sizing but a little shorter he is 6'1 riding 6'8, and I am 6'4 on 6'9, Matt recommended 7'2, I don't need another mid, and feel I sized well for what I wanted it for, more paddle power in a shorter package. After riding it I think you could go way shorter tho as well, notice margo on 6'4 s now.
Yeah, I have a 6'3 x 20.5 x 2.68 XTR (200lbs when on a 5/4) and this is the post I left in the XTR thread when someone asked me about it

In my mind I was acquiring a longer rail fish, I dim'd it a bit longer and narrower that you'd do for a fish and that it would go well in 1'-4' east coast junk. It paddles very well, it can catch almost anything, there is a lot of foam but it needs some juice to get started, it has a bit more rocker than your typical fish. I took it to Portugal and finally dialed it in on some bigger surf... It has heaps of drive and you need to work on generating speed a bit more that I am used to in a quad fish. It releases off the top in a way that I had never experienced, feels like you are ice skating, but not in an uncontrolled way, it releases easily but you can put weight on the front foot to go down and it goes straight to the train tracks again. There is a certain playfulness on being super loose off the top/super drivey when engaged... It's interesting, maybe its the channel? I don't know...
Also fins were something that I had to work on, I tried a bunch of setups and the ones that worked well were futures bamboo controllers for weaker surf and NVS JL large quads for better surf (I think Margo uses this setup). I brought some Bom Dia quads and they felt really stiff.

tldr;
It's more performancy that the marketing memo claims
It's a fun design that gives you confidence (drivey and paddle capabilities)
I wanted to surf like Margo but still far from it
Now it's my go-to on good not top quality waves (3-5).
 

menobrah

Gerry Lopez status
Feb 28, 2021
1,125
2,312
113
am waiting on a 6'1 lightbender...big guy dims...went back and forth - matt tried to sell me on a vesper but I need a board that has a bit of a lower end for the waves around here..glad I didnt go varial lol. pu pe ya kooks.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
7,418
18,268
113
San Diego, CA
... It releases off the top in a way that I had never experienced, feels like you are ice skating, but not in an uncontrolled way, it releases easily but you can put weight on the front foot to go down and it goes straight to the train tracks again. There is a certain playfulness on being super loose off the top/super drivey when engaged... It's interesting, maybe its the channel? I don't know...
It’s the magic channel, bro!

Picked up this used asym quad fish thing, VesperDia. Jizz ropes on the deck but, sadly, no pizza stains. 6’1 bit oversized for the design but nice n smooth n easy. Tried it with upright quads today instead of the recommended fascination (split keel) and it felt like it got up n down the face easier in the steeper faces. Gonna stick with those. It’s kinda ugly (nose especially is between a fish and bomdia): it’s a bit of a Frankenstein mashup of parts from 3 different boars… but it’s pretty damn fun.
IMG_0179.jpeg
IMG_0182.jpeg
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,736
25,117
113
PNW
It’s the magic channel, bro!

Picked up this used asym quad fish thing, VesperDia. Jizz ropes on the deck but, sadly, no pizza stains. 6’1 bit oversized for the design but nice n smooth n easy. Tried it with upright quads today instead of the recommended fascination (split keel) and it felt like it got up n down the face easier in the steeper faces. Gonna stick with those. It’s kinda ugly (nose especially is between a fish and bomdia): it’s a bit of a Frankenstein mashup of parts from 3 different boars… but it’s pretty damn fun.
View attachment 174024
View attachment 174025
let's see those jizz ropes.

how does the channel feel in comparison to a Plasmic?