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Length &/or Volume --> Getting old...
- Thread starter MrSteve
- Start date
As someone who also suffers from back pain (I do squats and deadlifts fwiw), I found that upping the board with a lot more volume does not help when it comes to popping up and in fact hinders me. I quite prefer board in the lower volume range for my weight , as I feel that I can push the board down easier into the face of the wave / beneath me.
If you do want to experiment with longer boards, then try keep the volume the same, imo. You do ride some seriously short boards for your height fwiw, and might be worth a shot.
P: Chiros are quacks
If you do want to experiment with longer boards, then try keep the volume the same, imo. You do ride some seriously short boards for your height fwiw, and might be worth a shot.
P: Chiros are quacks
My current age/injury board (and/or the one I use to get in a bit early and drive hard down the line in screaming offshore winds like last week) is a Hypto Krypto matching my height. Yes, a little oversized (and I plan to obtain a smaller version in the spring), but the combination of volume under the chest and thin, narrow tail (doesn't take quite as much rear-leg input (which relates to my hip injury)) seems to work and has renewed my stoke to surf on days when the mind is willing but the body less so.
FWIW, a friend of mine of similar age, ability, and sundry ailments describes a Tomo Evo as the easiest board he's ever ridden, and he surfs it really well, like he took a decade off his calendar age.
FWIW, a friend of mine of similar age, ability, and sundry ailments describes a Tomo Evo as the easiest board he's ever ridden, and he surfs it really well, like he took a decade off his calendar age.
For years I added volume
The best option is to move to southern California where its a lot easier to surf than our dumpy crappy beach breaks.
I didn't start to feel it until 45. 50 now and also surfing dumpy NJ beachbreaks. I played the volume game but my findings were that as volume and width goes up getting over the ledge in top to bottom waves gets harder and harder. Knifing a takeoff gets harder too. My thinking now goes to adding length, thickness and rocker while keeping the board relatively narrow. If I were your age and size I would be taking a close look at the outline and dimensions of the 6'6 Channel Islands Black Beauty for our bigger NJ days.
The best option is to move to southern California where its a lot easier to surf than our dumpy crappy beach breaks.
Last winter when I was recovering from shoulder problems I bought a Hypto Krypto. Hated it. Sold it after just a couple of sessions. Paddled great. Caught waves easily. Zero drive. Mine was a thruster and perhaps the same board in a quad might have worked. The one I had was a total dog. Perhaps the worst riding board I've ever had.
Core strength is key.
Adjusting to a board that is 'scaled' up isn't that big a challenge and you may as well start now: you won't be riding sub 6' boards forever. Scaling up length, width and volume for catching waves and popping up without getting too corky... sounds like you need to shop around for an actively surfing local shaper not less than 55 years old. This would be true wherever you surf, but weak dumpy beach breaks sound like an extra challenge.
Adjusting to a board that is 'scaled' up isn't that big a challenge and you may as well start now: you won't be riding sub 6' boards forever. Scaling up length, width and volume for catching waves and popping up without getting too corky... sounds like you need to shop around for an actively surfing local shaper not less than 55 years old. This would be true wherever you surf, but weak dumpy beach breaks sound like an extra challenge.
my (44yo, 210lbs, in good shape) solution:
Have options and live close to the beach:
Some days it's a 9'0 Takayama.
Some days it's a 7'6 flat tracker.
Some days it's a 6'8 vector ( best high/low range of all)
Some days it's a 6'0 stamps TKF or Fuse
Buy some boards used and try them out. You can get all the advise in the world but until you surf it won't help. Also, your body will be different on different days. have a few bases covered and then adjust slightly as you age.
There is no one solution.
Have options and live close to the beach:
Some days it's a 9'0 Takayama.
Some days it's a 7'6 flat tracker.
Some days it's a 6'8 vector ( best high/low range of all)
Some days it's a 6'0 stamps TKF or Fuse
Buy some boards used and try them out. You can get all the advise in the world but until you surf it won't help. Also, your body will be different on different days. have a few bases covered and then adjust slightly as you age.
There is no one solution.
Amazon.com: Surf Survival: The Surfer's Health Handbook (9781616083182): Nathanson, Andrew, Everline, Clayton, Renneker, Mark: Books
Amazon.com: Surf Survival: The Surfer's Health Handbook (9781616083182): Nathanson, Andrew, Everline, Clayton, Renneker, Mark: Books
www.amazon.com
I can certainly see your assessment of the HK as I thought it wasn't for me for a while but eventually something clicked and I suddenly started making a lot of waves (and barrels) I thought I shouldn't have. Now I'm very comfortable on it. I think I eventually stopped trying to ride it as a HPSB and relaxed a bit, letting the board do what it does, somewhat 70's style, drop in deep and late and stand on the tail and pivot turns, but can still swoop cutbacks when the section demands it. It's also over-sized vs. recommended dims, so maybe that rail-line is helping with the drive.
Definitely not giving up my HPSBs, but this has time and place, particularly when my Dalmatian hip is aching.
I'm also riding it with super stiff G10 fins (the NVS Perigrine and Poopies templates), so that might have something to do with finding drive (the Hayden templates, which you would think should be optimal, seemed to lack drive and feel a little squirrelly),
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I think the Hypto would have worked if I normally rode waves where controlling speed was more important than generating speed. I just could not generate the bursts of speed down the line I am accustomed to and that the beach breaks I surf require. At Lowers when its a few feet overhead I'd probably love a board like that.
Key to Hypto for me was removing the tail the pad and turning it from slightly further forward and putting in smaller, less rakey fins. I never had an issue with drive, but I did have an issue with the tail feeling sticky and not wanting to release off the top. Less rakey fins work for me, with smaller rears like the K2.1 set. Also twin + trailers are fun. Those Peregrines look interesting as they are basically stiffer K2.1s. I don't miss HPSBs. Stopped riding and eventually sold the ones I had. By playing with fins I can ride it from about waist high to well overhead.
True. My point though about Lowers is that surfing there you're generally not trying to generate speed because the wave pretty much does that for you. You're not getting to your feet and immediately high line pumping to gain speed and cover ground like most of the spots I surf. At Lowers you've got time to hold off dropping in or to even fade your take off and then its just a matter of linking up turns. Especially on the right.
Turning 60 in January ... surf just about every day. I was surfing a reef break similar to Sunset but recently moved and now surfing fast beach breaks. This is from a few weeks ago ....
I was riding a Barry Snyder 6'8" -WPF model - one of favorite boards ever and this is what happened to it a few weeks ago at this same spot .... seriously bummed but at least it died a hero.
I've got a 6'4" and a 6'10" twinzers on order with Barry - heading back to the states in Jan to pick em up. In the meantime - riding a 6'1" SlaterDesigns Omni, a 6'0" Buckley fish and a 7'2" Barry Snyder mid-length. Haven't had any back issues- but have been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury from a couple seasons ago. Just recently started trying a new workout program - 2 weeks in - Chris Mills - Surf Strength Coach - following his "Free Surf Program" (https://surfstrengthcoach.com/). Good results so far- i was doing alot of static yoga type stretches previously - his program is more movement based mobility and strength exercises and i think that is making a big difference so far. Also - been using a foam roller on the back, shoulders and hamstrings - definitely seems to help with recovering from muscle soreness.
I was riding a Barry Snyder 6'8" -WPF model - one of favorite boards ever and this is what happened to it a few weeks ago at this same spot .... seriously bummed but at least it died a hero.
I've got a 6'4" and a 6'10" twinzers on order with Barry - heading back to the states in Jan to pick em up. In the meantime - riding a 6'1" SlaterDesigns Omni, a 6'0" Buckley fish and a 7'2" Barry Snyder mid-length. Haven't had any back issues- but have been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury from a couple seasons ago. Just recently started trying a new workout program - 2 weeks in - Chris Mills - Surf Strength Coach - following his "Free Surf Program" (https://surfstrengthcoach.com/). Good results so far- i was doing alot of static yoga type stretches previously - his program is more movement based mobility and strength exercises and i think that is making a big difference so far. Also - been using a foam roller on the back, shoulders and hamstrings - definitely seems to help with recovering from muscle soreness.
Central America somewhere?
Lucky man, if you're surfing barreling waves pretty much every day.
Lucky man, if you're surfing barreling waves pretty much every day.
Nicaragua - moved here permanently 2 1/2 years ago. I'm saving longboards for my seventies! LOL
@flyinraptr , you just became the most badass surfer forums member.
for getting into a wave early, length trumps width trumps volume, with length being a clear winner. However I am talking about HPSBs, stubby thrusters and step ups. I have no idea how the mini Simmons or other alternative boards do with those parameters. Ten years ago my back was getting bad to the point where it was threatening my hobbies of skateboarding and surfing. I'm 58 now and my back has been fine for years. My solution was not to modify the surfboard. Instead chiropractor, targeted stretches prescribed by chiro and deep tissue masseuse and core strength exercises. I get a chiro adjustment and massage every 3 weeks even though I feel good. I do core strength exercises and some dumbbell weights once a week. I used to do the twice a week when I was a weekend warrior, but now that I am surfing 3 sometimes 4 times a week thats enough