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Ideal HPSB Height

K

kool-aid

Michael Peterson status
Aug 28, 2003
3,027
2,619
113
San Francisco
Want to get the collective ERbb wisdom on HPSB height. Normally I ride my DD HPSB basically at my height. I'm a hair under 6'0 (5'11 and 3/4) so I order my HPSBs at 6'0 x 19 1/4 or 19 1/8.

When you look at some of the pros however a lot of times they ride boards that are quite a bit taller than them. Italo for instance is 5'7 (maybe 5'6??) and all the boards shaped for him in STID were 5'10.

It's pretty hard for me to imagine riding a 6'3 HPSB. I think there's something to be said for what fits best in everyday waves and in my experience, being closer to my height means I hit the board sweet spot more often.

Sometimes though when I look at my surfing it seems like my turns can be a little too tight and should be drawn out a bit more. Think I should be riding a 6'1 or 6'2 or this is just a technique gap? Maybe a bit of both?

What's your strategy?
 
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C

claw87

Legend (inyourownmind)
Jan 30, 2017
394
1,428
93
kool-aid said:
Want to get the collective ERbb wisdom on HPSB height. Normally I ride my DD HPSB basically at my height. I'm a hair under 6'0 (5'11 and 3/4) so I order my HPSBs at 6'0 x 19 1/4 or 19 1/8.

When you look at some of the pros however a lot of times they ride boards that are quite a bit taller than them. Italo for instance is 5'7 (maybe 5'6??) and all the boards shaped for him in STID were 5'10.

It's pretty hard for me to imagine riding a 6'3 HPSB. I think there's something to be said for what fits best in everyday waves and in my experience, being closer to my height means I hit the board sweet spot more often.

Sometimes though when I look at my surfing it seems like my turns can be a little too tight and should be drawn out a bit more. Think I should be riding a 6'1 or 6'2 or this is just a technique gap? Maybe a bit of both?

What's your strategy?
Click to expand...
stabmag.com

Deep Dive: Yes, You're Still Allowed To Ride High-Performance Shortboards Like The Pros

A high perfromance surfboard deep dive that does not involve alternative pigs and bog-rail mid-lengths.
stabmag.com stabmag.com

Long story short: short surfers ride their equipment longer than their height, tall surfers shorter.
 
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K

kool-aid

Michael Peterson status
Aug 28, 2003
3,027
2,619
113
San Francisco
Solid resource. Sounds like I probably had it right with the initial dims.

Seems like Italo may be the outlier here and partially influenced by his super wide, squatty stance.

I also have a pretty narrow stance. Stands to reason that if anything I should maybe be going shorter.
 
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oeste858

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
7,022
17,488
113
San Diego, CA
makes sense to me.
I'm 6' 1/2" (6'1 according to racer's scale) 180 lbs., and I used to ride 6'1-6'2 x 19 1/4" HPSB. Nothing about my surfing has been HP for a few years now, but my MPSBs are now 5'11" x 19.5-19.75"x 2.5" like recent P2. I feel like even an inch or 2 shorter helps me whip it around a little easier... like in the old days.
 
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oeste858

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
7,022
17,488
113
San Diego, CA
silentbutdeadly said:
I think you need to state what waves we're talking about. I consider HPSB waves to be chest to two feet overhead with push. In that case I ride pretty much at my height at 6'1" 19 3/4 2/56
Click to expand...
good point. that's the other thing that's changed. I no longer want to ride a HPSB in anything under decent-good waves, like you say CH+. Makes it much more enjoyable not trying to force it.
 
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trifish

trifish

Billy Hamilton status
Sep 23, 2009
1,373
3,878
113
Shred City
I've always liked mine over height being 5'9". Surfed a lot in that 5'10"-6' range. A lot of variables but personally I think longer rail is more pleasing to the eye the way it draws out but I'm sure some would think differently. All preference though. I imagine stance and location plays a role in it also.
 
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paunch23

paunch23

Billy Hamilton status
Jun 27, 2011
1,740
1,056
113
Rep. of Panama, La Barqueta, David, Chiriquí
also wondering about this, what's optimal...
I am 5'9 and ride stub/step downs which I consider my daily drivers (grinder X / CI happyeveryday , kinda thing) at 5'10.
but I guess I'd have to go longer in a hpsb, because those do not carry as much foam as step downs.

Joel Tudor's phrase comes to mind: "...they are 1% of the 1% of the 1%."

Having said that, Italos boards at the ct are not 5'10"s. That length was just for the Stab thing. he rides 5'8's.

anyway, happy to hear more about this topic...:waving:
 
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J

j_mac

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 16, 2020
421
1,585
93
jkb said:
But what are their guild factors?
Click to expand...
haha...They are all riding stock boards, and believe length is the determining factor.
In the CI 2.pro video - there are more custom boards, and going a tad shorter but increasing thickness to compensate.
 
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K

Kento

Duke status
Jan 11, 2002
69,028
21,459
113
The Bar
I need a new daily driver. All those pros above are midgets. 6'4" 195, usually surfed a 6'6" thin rails, no idea of the volume on any of them so hard to judge. Although I did surf this 6'3" Pyzel Ghost which was marked as 34 Liters. Good board to be sure but felt a little clunky for what conditions were, waist-chest/shoulder high waves.

Agreed about the wave height for those type of boards, chest to a few feet OH with push, something that can accelerate quickly and also turn on a dime, while holding through those turns. Yeah, kinda what everyone wants I guess - if it was only that easy, right?

But I do like that wide squash tail with thin rails (a little sneaky volume towards stringer is OK), probably anything from 6'2 to 6'6". Gotta admit after surfing a 6'3", tinier board was kinda nice. Still not sure about literage, is around 31 - 33 on track?

Any OTR models that I should be looking at or that would recommend?
 
M

Maz

Michael Peterson status
May 18, 2004
3,069
4,590
113
Innzid
Seeing that CI list, I suspect a lot of pro surfers are fibbing about their height. When you see CT post-heat interviews, their boards are always a few inches longer that the surfer.

An HPSB relies on rail; I see no reason for riding shorter than your height.
 
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sdsrfr

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,976
11,473
113
San Diego
Maz said:
Seeing that CI list, I suspect a lot of pro surfers are fibbing about their height. When you see CT post-heat interviews, their boards are always a few inches longer that the surfer.

An HPSB relies on rail; I see no reason for riding shorter than your height.
Click to expand...
For every inch under 6’0 subtract a half inch for their actual height.

6’0 claim means they’re 5’11.5
5’10 claim means they’re 5’9
5’8 claim means they’re 5’6
Etc
 
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O

OsideBum

Mar 15, 2022
147
292
63
I’m 5’9, 170#s and a few months shy of 50. I’m not a an HP surfer so my boards are sized accordingly from 5’10-6’2. Could I go shorter, probably, but I’m pretty comfortable where I’m at.
 
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