CI Mid Ride Report…

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,276
113
San Diego, CA
I don't understand the thinking of mid lengths for small days. What can they do on a small day that a stubby groveler or longboard couldn't do better? I currently own one (6'8") and have ridden a couple others and to me they excel shoulder high on up where you have enough face to turn the extra length. A lot of fun on those bigger days. I just don't see the reasoning to want to grab a mid on a small day over something that trims better (longboard) or fits in a small wave face better (groveler).
they saw the videos and think they will be surfing like Devon Howard even though the usual conditions are small and gutless?
They want the paddle power of a longboard, but longboards just aren't cool, man?

No idea what the CI Mid is like and I have no illusions I'll be stylin like Mr. Howard. I just wanna link mushy sections for long rides on small days. Personally, I wouldn't reach for a mid when it's SH and lined up... that's pretty much the sweet spot for most of my other boars (5'6-6'1), which I'd have more fun on. YMMV

When I want a longer boar is when it's knee-high and soft and I can't motivate to get wet on a stubby hybrid /minisim. I always had a longboard that I would ride a few times a year for these conditions, but finally admitted to myself that I just never loved logging. Sold my 9'6 and got a 8'0 Mitsven mini glider and couldn't be happier. It does everything I want on a small/ gutless wave: catches anything, trims from the middle, flies down the line, connects hopeless sections, and is still small enough to carve and turn well from the tail if a shoulder or open face presents itself. Bonus: easily fits in my garage and SUV, so don’t have to mess with racks. Never had a bad session on it and never ridden it over waist high.

I also have a 7'0 darkness that I've only ridden a few times, but this is basically just a smaller mini glider with a similarly flat rocker meant for weak/ small waves.
So, IMO midlengths can be great grovelers... just be realistic about what / how you want to surf and choose wisely!
 
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Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,682
12,216
113
in da hood next to paradise
they saw the videos and think they will be surfing like Devon Howard even though the usual conditions are small and gutless?
They want the paddle power of a longboard, but longboards just aren't cool, man?

No idea what the CI Mid is like and I have no illusions I'll be stylin like Mr. Howard. I just wanna link mushy sections for long rides on small days. Personally, I wouldn't reach for a mid when it's SH and lined up... that's pretty much the sweet spot for most of my other boars (5'6-6'1), which I'd have more fun on. YMMV
When I want a longer boar is when it's knee-high and soft and I can't motivate to get wet on a stubby hybrid /minisim. I always had a longboard that I would ride a few times a year for these conditions, but finally admitted to myself that I just never loved logging. Sold my 9'6 and got a 8'0 Mitsven mini glider and couldn't be happier. It does everything I want on a small/ gutless wave, flies down the line, connects hopeless sections, and is still small enough to carve and turn well from the tail if a shoulder or open face presents itself.
Bonus: easily fits in my garage and SUV, so don’t have to mess with racks. Never had a bad session on it and never ridden it over waist high.
I also have a 7'0 darkness that I've only ridden a few times, but this is basically just a smaller mini glider with a similarly flat rocker.
So, IMO midlengths can be great grovelers... just be realistic about what / how you want to surf and choose wisely!
quit being so sensible in ur posts duuu
 

tbuc

Legend (inyourownmind)
Jun 12, 2006
533
50
28
I picked up a Gary Hanel 7'2" mid and gave it a several month test run last winter. Board is really well made and
has a great outline, with better dimensions, in my opinion than the CI. But... couldn't really get it to go. Tried the
standard single with side bites set up, as a big twin, twin with trailer, got a FCS box adapter and rode it as a straight thruster.

I really think as some have stated that it's a board for better conditions, but then you've still got to accept
its limitations. I ride a variety of shortboards and have a couple traditional LBs. With the mid I was looking
for more speed and glide, which i couldn't seem to find. Still eyeballing the Hanel and might give it another go or you'll be
seeing on craigslist.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,859
11,267
113
San Diego
Imo Gh egg rocker is for good days. Can otherwise feel like plowing water getting in.

once going, even at knee high, they’re good.
 
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jory

OTF status
Aug 13, 2006
270
277
63
UK
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they saw the videos and think they will be surfing like Devon Howard even though the usual conditions are small and gutless?
They want the paddle power of a longboard, but longboards just aren't cool, man?

No idea what the CI Mid is like and I have no illusions I'll be stylin like Mr. Howard. I just wanna link mushy sections for long rides on small days. Personally, I wouldn't reach for a mid when it's SH and lined up... that's pretty much the sweet spot for most of my other boars (5'6-6'1), which I'd have more fun on. YMMV

When I want a longer boar is when it's knee-high and soft and I can't motivate to get wet on a stubby hybrid /minisim. I always had a longboard that I would ride a few times a year for these conditions, but finally admitted to myself that I just never loved logging. Sold my 9'6 and got a 8'0 Mitsven mini glider and couldn't be happier. It does everything I want on a small/ gutless wave: catches anything, trims from the middle, flies down the line, connects hopeless sections, and is still small enough to carve and turn well from the tail if a shoulder or open face presents itself. Bonus: easily fits in my garage and SUV, so don’t have to mess with racks. Never had a bad session on it and never ridden it over waist high.

I also have a 7'0 darkness that I've only ridden a few times, but this is basically just a smaller mini glider with a similarly flat rocker meant for weak/ small waves.
So, IMO midlengths can be great grovelers... just be realistic about what / how you want to surf and choose wisely!

The thing is, Mid length is a convenient on trend hashtag marketing term but it actually covers far too many variations of boards to be accurate. Anything that's 6'8 - 8'11 gets lumped in there when in reality theres a huge amount of things you can shape a board to do in that range.

The CI Mid is basically a (perhaps badly named) speed egg. Generally eggs that are 6'8 to early 7's, especially ones with rocker or foiled out are going to be designed for drawing lines on a bigger face and wont grovel well.

Your 8' mini glider is a different board, flatter, probably wider and probably less foiled. At that length it has some inherent trim to it. Its designed to surf more laterally and given the extra foam and different shape, will happily trim and pivoty turn on a small gutless wave>its essentially the trimming bits of a log without the noseriding bits if you think about it.

Just because its named a midlength, it doesn't mean people can turn their critical thinking off about matching the board design to the shape and size of wave at hand.

this is a good example of a 7'10 mini glider working just as you say....... looks hella fun

Thick Lizzy | NobodySurf

Everyone note how different it looks to a CI or one of those shortboard shapers midlengths ( chilli etc)
 

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
38,644
27,988
113
The thing is, Mid length is a convenient on trend hashtag marketing term but it actually covers far too many variations of boards to be accurate. Anything that's 6'8 - 8'11 gets lumped in there when in reality theres a huge amount of things you can shape a board to do in that range.

The CI Mid is basically a (perhaps badly named) speed egg. Generally eggs that are 6'8 to early 7's, especially ones with rocker or foiled out are going to be designed for drawing lines on a bigger face and wont grovel well.

Your 8' mini glider is a different board, flatter, probably wider and probably less foiled. At that length it has some inherent trim to it. Its designed to surf more laterally and given the extra foam and different shape, will happily trim and pivoty turn on a small gutless wave>its essentially the trimming bits of a log without the noseriding bits if you think about it.

Just because its named a midlength, it doesn't mean people can turn their critical thinking off about matching the board design to the shape and size of wave at hand.

this is a good example of a 7'10 mini glider working just as you say....... looks hella fun

Thick Lizzy | NobodySurf

Everyone note how different it looks to a CI or one of those shortboard shapers midlengths ( chilli etc)
Those waves are way better than what I was riding the other day.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,276
113
San Diego, CA
The thing is, Mid length is a convenient on trend hashtag marketing term but it actually covers far too many variations of boards to be accurate. Anything that's 6'8 - 8'11 gets lumped in there when in reality theres a huge amount of things you can shape a board to do in that range.

The CI Mid is basically a (perhaps badly named) speed egg. Generally eggs that are 6'8 to early 7's, especially ones with rocker or foiled out are going to be designed for drawing lines on a bigger face and wont grovel well.

Your 8' mini glider is a different board, flatter, probably wider and probably less foiled. At that length it has some inherent trim to it. Its designed to surf more laterally and given the extra foam and different shape, will happily trim and pivoty turn on a small gutless wave>its essentially the trimming bits of a log without the noseriding bits if you think about it.

Just because its named a midlength, it doesn't mean people can turn their critical thinking off about matching the board design to the shape and size of wave at hand.

this is a good example of a 7'10 mini glider working just as you say....... looks hella fun

Thick Lizzy | NobodySurf

Everyone note how different it looks to a CI or one of those shortboard shapers midlengths ( chilli etc)
Thanks for the echo. LOL You successfully comprehended my post. :shaka:
 

flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
113
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
they saw the videos and think they will be surfing like Devon Howard even though the usual conditions are small and gutless?
They want the paddle power of a longboard, but longboards just aren't cool, man?

No idea what the CI Mid is like and I have no illusions I'll be stylin like Mr. Howard. I just wanna link mushy sections for long rides on small days. Personally, I wouldn't reach for a mid when it's SH and lined up... that's pretty much the sweet spot for most of my other boars (5'6-6'1), which I'd have more fun on. YMMV

When I want a longer boar is when it's knee-high and soft and I can't motivate to get wet on a stubby hybrid /minisim. I always had a longboard that I would ride a few times a year for these conditions, but finally admitted to myself that I just never loved logging. Sold my 9'6 and got a 8'0 Mitsven mini glider and couldn't be happier. It does everything I want on a small/ gutless wave: catches anything, trims from the middle, flies down the line, connects hopeless sections, and is still small enough to carve and turn well from the tail if a shoulder or open face presents itself. Bonus: easily fits in my garage and SUV, so don’t have to mess with racks. Never had a bad session on it and never ridden it over waist high.

I also have a 7'0 darkness that I've only ridden a few times, but this is basically just a smaller mini glider with a similarly flat rocker meant for weak/ small waves.
So, IMO midlengths can be great grovelers... just be realistic about what / how you want to surf and choose wisely!
I think the key here is "small and gutless" conditions. IMHO - a good mid-length needs a better wave. It doesn't have to be shoulder high or above as long as it has decent form and some energy behind it. I've had a lot of fun sessions where it was waist to chest high but firing. Having multiple fin options helps as well ... if conditions are smaller - i will drop the fin size in order to squeeze a little more paddling glide out it. I also rarely go with the 2+1 setup.
 

trifish

Gerry Lopez status
Sep 23, 2009
1,339
3,792
113
Shred City
I think the key here is "small and gutless" conditions. IMHO - a good mid-length needs a better wave. It doesn't have to be shoulder high or above as long as it has decent form and some energy behind it. I've had a lot of fun sessions where it was waist to chest high but firing. Having multiple fin options helps as well ... if conditions are smaller - i will drop the fin size in order to squeeze a little more paddling glide out it. I also rarely go with the 2+1 setup.
Are you mostly on a single fin?
 
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flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
113
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Are you mostly on a single fin?
Yes ... rotating between 4 boards right now .... 6'10" channeled single - my go to, 7'2" single pin tail, 6'10 - twinzer and a 6'4" twinzer. Yesterday ... i was on my 7'2" pin tail ... running a Greenough 4A 7.5" single .... conditions were a couple feet overhead on the sets ... with a lot of moving water ... light side shore wind and quickly draining tide. I got one really good bomb on a right .... the feeling of making the drop and pulling in on a wave like that riding a single fin mid-length is addicting. I was hoping to get a few more but the tide dropped out super fast and it got too drained out. Looks like tomorrow morning is potentially going to be good ... still in the HH-OH range.
 
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