Golden Mean Machine 2

[sdsrfr]

XTR feels like it's something in-between poly and EPS. However, the short stature of this board does not do you any favors when trying to cut through lump and bump.

this is my first xtr I’ve surfed since the foam was 6, iirc. i think the last one I owned was 4, so it’s been a while... back when they used to still have little pin holes and sounded almost like tuflite when they’d smack the water.

my only complaint thus far is that xtr carries no momentum compared to poly paddling around.

Sizing is subjective and based on skill level, the region you surf, ect, but you can size these things all over the place and they still work. Probably best to target something a couple inches less than your height.

I'm 5'9 and 160. My first one was 4'10. My current one is a 5'1. This upcoming order will be a 5'5. Same volume as my hpsb but you can up the volume a couple liters if you want.

mine is 6” under my height and about a liter and a half more than my short boar vol.

I don’t think adding foam would make it a better paddler at this length. It’s awkward to paddle a door, I don’t know a bigger door helps, lol. I don’t think shorter/wider does favors in this regard either.

up surging, I think it’s sized perfectly for me.

 

[jkb]

this is my first xtr I’ve surfed since the foam was 6, iirc. i think the last one I owned was 4, so it’s been a while... back when they used to still have little pin holes and sounded almost like tuflite when they’d smack the water.

my only complaint thus far is that xtr carries no momentum compared to poly paddling around.


mine is 6” under my height and about a liter and a half more than my short boar vol.

I don’t think adding foam would make it a better paddler at this length. It’s awkward to paddle a door, I don’t know a bigger door helps, lol. I don’t think shorter/wider does favors in this regard either.

up surging, I think it’s sized perfectly for me.

I've never felt that paddling an XTR carried less momentum when compared to a poly, but I've been riding them for a long time now so maybe I'm just used to the feeling.

Yes, paddling a GMM2 around is a bit awkward until you get used to that feeling. I rode a lot of Tomo shapes around that time so it didn't feel like a departure. And since I've had a GMM2 in the quiver for so long now, it feels like an old hat. It probably helps that I ride it 98% of the time in Summer and come Fall, Winter, and Spring I'm on something else 98% of the time. So I'm not going back and forth very often.

But I look forward to experimenting with a longer version. The 5'1 that I own now feels too short for my current line-up. If I was still in OC or NCSD, then the shorter version would still be fine, most likely. I'm not as young as I used to be so that might be part of the motivation to go a little longer.

 

[sdsrfr]

I've never felt that paddling an XTR carried less momentum when compared to a poly, but I've been riding them for a long time now so maybe I'm just used to the feeling.

Yes, paddling a GMM2 around is a bit awkward until you get used to that feeling. I rode a lot of Tomo shapes around that time so it didn't feel like a departure. And since I've had a GMM2 in the quiver for so long now, it feels like an old hat. It probably helps that I ride it 98% of the time in Summer and come Fall, Winter, and Spring I'm on something else 98% of the time. So I'm not going back and forth very often.

But I look forward to experimenting with a longer version. The 5'1 that I own now feels too short for my current line-up. If I was still in OC or NCSD, then the shorter version would still be fine, most likely. I'm not as young as I used to be so that might be part of the motivation to go a little longer.

i fully admit part of my learning curve is getting used to trimming the square nose. I was foolishly thinking I should keep it above water but it does much better with just the very tip barely coming up for air.

ive also been mostly on albums with hefty front half foils.

none of this affects getting into waves, just for positioning in the lineup. smallest of bumps and I’m in early and planning ahead for the first turn.

fun boar that is weird, not a weird board that is fun, if that makes sense.

 

[EastCoastBrah]

do you struggle to go back to a normal board after riding?

one of the reason i stopped with quads is felt like there was an annoying adjustment period when i went back to thruster. first few waves of a session adapting back.

 

[ReForest]

View attachment 173122

Pretty much! lol.

 

[ReForest]

As a caveat, I would advise to size the width 1/2 or more smaller than what you would normally ride. I think you could even order 5/8 or 3/4 less width than your normal HPSB and be okay. The tail on this board is so wide that if you go a little more narrow it doesn't feel like a door as much. lol. [the door analogy was perfect @sdsrfr ].

I felt like I was paddling around a sheet of plywood or a wooden gate at times. lol. Reflecting back, I always felt that if the board was more narrow it would have stretched out the design a bit and made the board easier to paddle and more responsive and better. I didn't like the wide nose that much either, so I never pursued a second order. But if I ever did order again, I would definitely go 1/2 or more narrow.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[EastCoastBrah]

As a caveat, I would advise to size the width 1/2 or more smaller than what you would normally ride. I think you could even order 5/8 or 3/4 less width than your normal HPSB and be okay. The tail on this board is so wide that if you go a little more narrow it doesn't feel like a door as much. lol. [the door analogy was perfect @sdsrfr ].

I felt like I was paddling around a sheet of plywood or a wooden gate at times. lol. Reflecting back, I always felt that if the board was more narrow it would have stretched out the design a bit and made the board easier to paddle and more responsive and better. I didn't like the wide nose that much either, so I never pursued a second order. But if I ever did order again, I would definitely go 1/2 or more narrow. I think that ordering nose

Just my 2 cents...

that makes sense if the width is carried through the whole length of the board you wouldn't need as much of it?

I'm surprised they don't publish some standard dims.

 

[sdsrfr]

As a caveat, I would advise to size the width 1/2 or more smaller than what you would normally ride. I think you could even order 5/8 or 3/4 less width than your normal HPSB and be okay. The tail on this board is so wide that if you go a little more narrow it doesn't feel like a door as much. lol. [the door analogy was perfect @sdsrfr ].

I felt like I was paddling around a sheet of plywood or a wooden gate at times. lol. Reflecting back, I always felt that if the board was more narrow it would have stretched out the design a bit and made the board easier to paddle and more responsive and better. I didn't like the wide nose that much either, so I never pursued a second order. But if I ever did order again, I would definitely go 1/2 or more narrow. I think that ordering nose

Just my 2 cents...

i like a stubby hpsb at 19.5 and the gmm2 is 19” wide, fwiw.

wouldnt want it wider.

 

[Goodfish]

As a caveat, I would advise to size the width 1/2 or more smaller than what you would normally ride. I think you could even order 5/8 or 3/4 less width than your normal HPSB and be okay. The tail on this board is so wide that if you go a little more narrow it doesn't feel like a door as much. lol. [the door analogy was perfect @sdsrfr ].

I felt like I was paddling around a sheet of plywood or a wooden gate at times. lol. Reflecting back, I always felt that if the board was more narrow it would have stretched out the design a bit and made the board easier to paddle and more responsive and better. I didn't like the wide nose that much either, so I never pursued a second order. But if I ever did order again, I would definitely go 1/2 or more narrow.

Just my 2 cents...

5'8