Boards for bigger surfers vs smaller surfers

[ZZ Soft Top]

Well start sending me the links because it seems there aren't any of those around here.

Or if there are they belonged to a fatso.

Will do. These just sold:

Lost / Lib Tech 5’8 Beanbag Surfboard for Sale in Los Angeles, CA - OfferUp

Used (normal wear), Comes with Lib tech RRrips Twin fin w/ trailer and leash . Less than a year old , no dings or pressure spots . Specs: 5’8” 22.0" 2.63" 38.0 cl Original price $749 . Make an offer!;

offerup.com

Lost Sub Driver 2.0 5”8 for Sale in Newport Beach, CA - OfferUp

New, Lost sub driver 2.0 light speed series 5”8 26L Board is brand néw. Took it out for 5 minutes and it was too small for me for what I was looking for.my loss your gain I paid $850 for board plus the pad. 600 firm no less. Also have a 5”3 puddle jumper (libtech) new condition. 500$ for it ...

offerup.com

I actually have a 5' 8" Bottom Feeder I was going to put up for sale this weekend.

 

[feralseppo]

What do you ride feralseppo?

My smallest board right now is a Stu Kenson Twinzer egg. 6’4” x 22” x 3” I have a Lost Driver that is 6’6 x 21.75” x 3”. 45 or 46 L. Also have a Rusty twin fin 6’9” and 51L. Smallest board I’ve had is an older Tomo MPH 5’10”. It was ok for small waist high beach breaks but if I ever leaned into the rail the board would stop dead in it’s tracks. I’m 50 and don’t surf every day either. So there’s that. Everything else is between 7’4 and 8’1”

 

[freeride76]

generally speaking the American surfer is larger than comparable counterparts in Oceania/Asia/Africa due to a higher obesogenic environment.

I hardly see any surfers around here bigger than 6'0" 200 but it feels like every second American could play linebacker.

 

[Mr J]

generally speaking the American surfer is larger than comparable counterparts in Oceania/Asia/Africa due to a higher obesogenic environment.

I hardly see any surfers around here bigger than 6'0" 200 but it feels like every second American could play linebacker.

that sounds like nonsense freeride! I am not sure if surfers are representative of the general population, but according to the Aus govt website, about two thirds of adult Australians are overweight or obese and almost one quarter of 5 to 17 year olds are overweight or obese . Do you have figures to back up your statement or are you just trying to wind people up

 

[302PD]

To me, its important to find a shaper who has shaped for bigger guys because a lot of times the "big guy" shapes are just the same shape with thickness all the way to the rails. You end up with a super thick railed board

 

[casa_mugrienta]

it is interesting to compare notes, what is your height and what do you ride for a HPSB? What sort of waves?

I'm 5'8 / 145.

Typical dims are 5'8, 18.25 -18.5, 23.5-24L

I like waves with curve and I'm always looking for the punchiest stuff possible so I drive a lot to get it.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

generally speaking the American surfer is larger than comparable counterparts in Oceania/Asia/Africa due to a higher obesogenic environment.

I hardly see any surfers around here bigger than 6'0" 200 but it feels like every second American could play linebacker.

Interesting, I've always felt the opposite.

Still, average height for American men and Australian men is 5'9.

And

Even looking at generational height stats for guys 18-30 the average American and Australian height is still 5'9.

However, at 5'8, I'd say most (all) of the adult Australian surfers I meet are a good 3-4 inches taller than me. So with the average surfer being white, my guess is non-whites bring that average height down.

 

[sdsrfr]

I thought aussies are bigger, stronger, and better surfers who could take any one of us in a scrap?

must be the vegan diet.

 

[Lohena]

I'm 6'4 and my boards have gradually gotten shorter and wider. 6'0 - 6'3 now for DD/ HPSB. But like an inch wider than my old 6'4 DD.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I thought aussies are bigger, stronger, and better surfers who could take any one of us in a scrap?

must be the vegan diet.

They're definitely better surfers.

Good waves tend to have that effect.

 

[20W-50 and blood]

On average, bigger surfers can hammer down with more force on a carve exponentially than say, a Nole Salsa type character. you want to jump in here?

iii't explain why and only on a goadydo i get ashde of that going...but it is ridiculously true. put a 200 lbs guy cna surf at a decent/average level on 7'6 and he'll still hit the lip anddddddlay some good rail. th same situatiooooobut a guy at 150...he'd have much more trouble on 6'6 wnormal thickness than the big guy on a meaty 7'6.

there's a INY clip somewhere of cole simler riding a 6'6 or a 6'8, maybe even 6'10 in normalish ca waves...standing a hair further forward than many woudl say is a good idea...use severy bit of baord for the pumps, and solidly brings that sh!t around like any manw oudl be proud to.

thnk it revolves aroundbgger guys knowing how to make our weight and needed foam work forus...whereas the lightweight crowd is more likely to gear theri surfing for the nimble factor

 

[bird.LA]

I'm 6'4 and my boards have gradually gotten shorter and wider. 6'0 - 6'3 now for DD/ HPSB. But like an inch wider than my old 6'4 DD.

This is definitely the call for tall and thin surfers.

I'm 6'6" and ride boards in the same length range you do. They're wider (and shorter) than what I was riding 15-20 years ago, but more narrow than a shaper's average guy-sized model would be if just blown up from a 5'10" to a 6'1".

2005 DD: 6'4" x 18 3/4" x 2 3/8" (weighing in around 175lbs)
2021 DD: 6'1" x 19 5/8" x 2 1/2" (185lbs)

 

[need 4 speed]

iii't explain why and only on a goadydo i get ashde of that going...but it is ridiculously true. put a 200 lbs guy cna surf at a decent/average level on 7'6 and he'll still hit the lip anddddddlay some good rail. th same situatiooooobut a guy at 150...he'd have much more trouble on 6'6 wnormal thickness than the big guy on a meaty 7'6.

there's a INY clip somewhere of cole simler riding a 6'6 or a 6'8, maybe even 6'10 in normalish ca waves...standing a hair further forward than many woudl say is a good idea...use severy bit of baord for the pumps, and solidly brings that sh!t around like any manw oudl be proud to.

thnk it revolves aroundbgger guys knowing how to make our weight and needed foam work forus...whereas the lightweight crowd is more likely to gear theri surfing for the nimble factor

Can I get some spell check here? I think I agree
GG isn't a big guy and make some of the nicest well proportioned big guy boards I've seen

 

[Meeks]

I will momentarily derail this thread somewhat, but regarding bigger guys, it's not always the case they
are power surfers. Big guys that really use know how to use their weight, strength and back foot require
a board that will offer a bit of resistance; gives them something to push against. A properly designed board for a powerful bigger guy will always retain a bit of energy and flow. Let's take Tai Vandyke for example. Tai is about 5'11" and 240 lbs. And knows how to use all of weight in turns...His go to shorty is 6'3" x 20" x 3". It's 39.94 liters, it's got medium full rails, thickest point is 1 1/2" ahead of wide point. Got more width from center to nose, as Tai is pretty big in the chest. It's got deep single concave all the way through. Most importantly, the tail is obscenely thick. The tail block is 3/4" thick. Tai has told me on several occasions , the boards I shape for him are fastest he's ever ridden, and the only boards he can put his full weight into turns with. No nursing turns........Having said all this, a bigger guy that isn't a true power surfer would struggle to bury the rails on one of Tai's boards. Here's Tai, doing an extremely nasty turn on said board.

 

[Mr J]

...Most importantly, the tail is obscenely thick. The tail block is 3/4" thick.

Meeks, is that thickness at stringer at the very end of the tail or some other metric (e.g Rusty takes his tailblock measurement 1" up from tail). How about thickness at stringer say 1' up from tail and 1' down from nose - is the tail measurement thicker than the nose measurement?

 

[griffinsurfboard]

My Modern Fishes are 1" + at the tail ;-)

Everyone has been happy with that - another post and review coming

Constant regurgitation of "Marketing" as design knowledge bothers me abit

 

[20W-50 and blood]

Can I get some spell check here? I think I agree
GG isn't a big guy and make some of the nicest well proportioned big guy boards I've seen

not spelling. touch of momentary sobriety does weird things!

 

[Meeks]

Meeks, is that thickness at stringer at the very end of the tail or some other metric (e.g Rusty takes his tailblock measurement 1" up from tail). How about thickness at stringer say 1' up from tail and 1' down from nose - is the tail measurement thicker than the nose measurement?

Yes, the very end of the tail is 3/4" thick, Thickness 1' from tail tip is 2". Thickness 1' from nose is 1 15/16", so yes, the nose is 1/16" thinner than the tail.

 

[20W-50 and blood]

I will momentarily derail this thread somewhat, but regarding bigger guys, it's not always the case they
are power surfers. Big guys that really use know how to use their weight, strength and back foot require
a board that will offer a bit of resistance; gives them something to push against. A properly designed board for a powerful bigger guy will always retain a bit of energy and flow. Let's take Tai Vandyke for example. Tai is about 5'11" and 240 lbs. And knows how to use all of weight in turns...His go to shorty is 6'3" x 20" x 3". It's 39.94 liters, it's got medium full rails, thickest point is 1 1/2" ahead of wide point. Got more width from center to nose, as Tai is pretty big in the chest. It's got deep single concave all the way through. Most importantly, the tail is obscenely thick. The tail block is 3/4" thick. Tai has told me on several occasions , the boards I shape for him are fastest he's ever ridden, and the only boards he can put his full weight into turns with. No nursing turns........Having said all this, a bigger guy that isn't a true power surfer would struggle to bury the rails on one of Tai's boards. Here's Tai, doing an extremely nasty turn on said board.View attachment 103057

not a derail all. at 5'10, when I was 240, those have been money dims. I dont surf 1/4 of that good...but get it. the meaty tail speed and allows us the speed to get and them our weigt to set.

 

[Mr J]

My Modern Fishes are 1" + at the tail ;-)

Everyone has been happy with that - another post and review coming

Constant regurgitation of "Marketing" as design knowledge bothers me abit

My 2021 build tail block is 1/2" at the tail, but then I don't really know what I am doing