So I’m in the market for a new DD-type shortboard. I’m in NY and I do 80% off my surfing in waist high to a bit overhead punchy beachbreak and I’d like to have just one board to cover this range. I have been using a pyzel shadow and pyzel gremlin, switching at about the shoulder-high mark, but they do surf differently and I’d like to have to think less about my boar and just have one go-to for anything vaguely rippable.
Also considering ordering a second board at the same time. 1-2” longer and a bit narrower with a round tail, as a hpsb/mini-stahp/good wave board. We don’t really get “good” waves here very often so this board is ideally also user-friendly and can handle slightly challenging/weird conditions. I’m not even sure how much I need this but it feels weird to have nothing between a DD and my R. blackbird. Right now a ghost occupies this slot but I wouldn’t mind a refresh as it's fun to try new things.
Me: I’m 5’10 160# 33yo. Been surfing (off and on) my whole life and know what I’m doing on a shortboard, but in no danger of going pro. By NY standards I’m pretty good but I’d hesitate to call myself “advanced” around a group of hawaiian locals, if that makes sense. Still, I’m mostly looking for a pointy thruster around my height (5’9-5’10) and ~27L. Not looking for a twin (sorry!!) or anything really stubby.
Considering some options I could get through XTR:
Pyzel: Pyzalien 2 + Ghost (swallow?). P2 looks like a great board for my needs and I already know the ghost works well when it turns on here. A swallow might give it a bit more bottom end range so I end up reaching for it more. Got no problem continuing to support Pyzel but I’ve had a bunch of their boards so it would be cool to try another shaper.
Sharpeye: I72 + ?. The range of the I72 is what really got me thinking about this, and I’m not opposed to ordering another in custom dims despite my QC issues with the board I have. I don’t know what the second board would be though, the #77/#77+ seem like boards for better surfers than me in waves I don’t get to surf. Don’t know much about their other sb models but they seem very pro-level oriented.
CI: (two) happy (everyday) + ?. The happy everyday looks interesting but stock dims are pretty stubby, not sure how it would go closer to normal shortboard dims. I’m still not clear on whether the 2H is a DD or an HPSB lol. They were calling it a groveller and then released a step-down from it a year later…
A couple of wildcards:
Arakawa: Prophet/Scream + rt amplifier. I’ve almost bought a scream a couple of times, seems perfect for board #1. Available in XTR but pretty pricey for that or even E-poly + additional shipping costs (and carbon considerations) coming from HI make this kind of a low-value/$ option.
Stamps: Grinder? + Scarecrow rt?. I guess I’d look like an SD transplant and the waves I surf are pretty different from SoCal... but I’ve seen enough positive comments on Stamps from you SD people that I’d be willing to give him a try. Bonus that varial is an option though not clear what the pricing looks like. Grinder-type models and the scarecrow have caught my eye.
Fully open to other options!! Throw out some ideas!
cheers if you read all of my rambling I swear I tried to keep it short
Also considering ordering a second board at the same time. 1-2” longer and a bit narrower with a round tail, as a hpsb/mini-stahp/good wave board. We don’t really get “good” waves here very often so this board is ideally also user-friendly and can handle slightly challenging/weird conditions. I’m not even sure how much I need this but it feels weird to have nothing between a DD and my R. blackbird. Right now a ghost occupies this slot but I wouldn’t mind a refresh as it's fun to try new things.
Me: I’m 5’10 160# 33yo. Been surfing (off and on) my whole life and know what I’m doing on a shortboard, but in no danger of going pro. By NY standards I’m pretty good but I’d hesitate to call myself “advanced” around a group of hawaiian locals, if that makes sense. Still, I’m mostly looking for a pointy thruster around my height (5’9-5’10) and ~27L. Not looking for a twin (sorry!!) or anything really stubby.
Considering some options I could get through XTR:
Pyzel: Pyzalien 2 + Ghost (swallow?). P2 looks like a great board for my needs and I already know the ghost works well when it turns on here. A swallow might give it a bit more bottom end range so I end up reaching for it more. Got no problem continuing to support Pyzel but I’ve had a bunch of their boards so it would be cool to try another shaper.
Sharpeye: I72 + ?. The range of the I72 is what really got me thinking about this, and I’m not opposed to ordering another in custom dims despite my QC issues with the board I have. I don’t know what the second board would be though, the #77/#77+ seem like boards for better surfers than me in waves I don’t get to surf. Don’t know much about their other sb models but they seem very pro-level oriented.
CI: (two) happy (everyday) + ?. The happy everyday looks interesting but stock dims are pretty stubby, not sure how it would go closer to normal shortboard dims. I’m still not clear on whether the 2H is a DD or an HPSB lol. They were calling it a groveller and then released a step-down from it a year later…
A couple of wildcards:
Arakawa: Prophet/Scream + rt amplifier. I’ve almost bought a scream a couple of times, seems perfect for board #1. Available in XTR but pretty pricey for that or even E-poly + additional shipping costs (and carbon considerations) coming from HI make this kind of a low-value/$ option.
Stamps: Grinder? + Scarecrow rt?. I guess I’d look like an SD transplant and the waves I surf are pretty different from SoCal... but I’ve seen enough positive comments on Stamps from you SD people that I’d be willing to give him a try. Bonus that varial is an option though not clear what the pricing looks like. Grinder-type models and the scarecrow have caught my eye.
Fully open to other options!! Throw out some ideas!
cheers if you read all of my rambling I swear I tried to keep it short