***The Official Mid-Length Thread***

[One-Off]

I rode a friends 6'6 CI Mid (2 + 1) and it went really well. Felt smaller than 6'6. Not sure how it would go in weak surf. My experience with mids is that they tend to want a little more wave. Not really a long board substitute although i use mine that way sometimes.

I think this is important to note- mids are not longboard substitutes until you get to around 8-0 (and then is it still a mid?). For me mids need at least shoulder/head high, open face, then you get the nice swooping carves. Under that and there is not enough room for the turns...unless it's really down the line and you're not trying to go vertical at all, jumst pumping roller coasters...

IMHO YMMV

 

[Maz]

I have a mate visiting from Aus, on a business trip with no boards. I gave him a choice of boards to borrow, and he took my 7'2 Chilli Mid Strength.

I love that board and how it goes, but always feel a bit self conscious putting it under the arm on an ok day, because it feels all blobby. Well, f me it looks good in the water, and my mate was raving about it. OH point surf first day, shoulder to HH sandbar peelers the second.

He's used to a CC Nautilus, which he loves, but said the Mid Strength was much more alive and responsive.

 

[Retropete]

I think this is important to note- mids are not longboard substitutes until you get to around 8-0 (and then is it still a mid?). For me mids need at least shoulder/head high, open face, then you get the nice swooping carves. Under that and there is not enough room for the turns...unless it's really down the line and you're not trying to go vertical at all, jumst pumping roller coasters...

IMHO YMMV

There's mids designed specifically for smaller conditions. My 7' Outlier is the outlier to your take on mids. It's a stubby with elements of hull, fish, Simmons and shortboard combined.

 

[Retropete]

I have a mate visiting from Aus, on a business trip with no boards. I gave him a choice of boards to borrow, and he took my 7'2 Chilli Mid Strength.

I love that board and how it goes, but always feel a bit self conscious putting it under the arm on an ok day, because it feels all blobby. Well, f me it looks good in the water, and my mate was raving about it. OH point surf first day, shoulder to HH sandbar peelers the second.

He's used to a CC Nautilus, which he loves, but said the Mid Strength was much more alive and responsive.

Imagine if you told James Cheal the exact opposite to your last sentence. He'd have an aneurysm on the spot.

 

[Maz]

Funny thing is he's almost JC's neighbour, but hadn't ridden his boards before

 

[Retropete]

Funny thing is he's almost JC's neighbour, but hadn't ridden his boards before

It's fun spreading the stock on boards when you lend them out and the person is frothing over them. Sounds like he'll be driving slowly past JC's house from now on in the hope that the garage door is open and he can catch a glimpse of whats inside.

 

[rgruber]

I've been eyeing a 7'0 Outlier on CL for awhile for just this reason.

There's mids designed specifically for smaller conditions. My 7' Outlier is the outlier to your take on mids. It's a stubby with elements of hull, fish, Simmons and shortboard combined.

 

[Retropete]

If there was a house fire and I could only save one of my boards it would be my 7' Outlier that I'd be saving without hesitation.

 

[Havoc]

If there was a house fire and I could only save one of my boards it would be my 7' Outlier that I'd be saving without hesitation.

Wonder if Ryan engle can make me one? He’s in Oceanside.

 

[Retropete]

There's a custom inquiry button on the website.

OUTLIER PLUS - CJ Nelson Designs

“I ride the OUTLIER PLUS constantly in just about everything. One of my favorite feeling surfboards of all time. The two plus one version I built specifically to excel in subpar conditions. If it’s a little funky or windy, I always enjoy my surfs because of their design. If you can imagine a...

cjnelsondesigns.com

Getting one made with XTR or Venereal would be good to retain the choad's liveliness.
If I lived there I'd hit CJ up for a demo (like you'd ride a Firewire...LOL).
@Havoc
Edit: I was cleaning the outlier this morning since I can't surf and with the board out in the bright sunlight was able to read the fine print on the Thunderbolt sticker on the tail of the board.
I was dismayed to read its country of origin...bloody China. Which means at least all of the Thunderbolt red and likely the other more expensive and more complex Thunderbolt builds are made there too.
I'd always assumed it was manufactured in Thailand and as you know have a softness for it as a country of origin due to my family ties despite the conundrum of being made by non surfer labour.
But I draw that line at buying Chinese made products of any kind when I can so Thunderbolt boards are now off my interest list.

 

[One-Off]

Wonder if Ryan engle can make me one? He’s in Oceanside.

"...almost low performance rail." (00:56)

 

[Retropete]

"...almost low performance rail." (00:56)

It's a high volume hullesque board made for small waves so he's looking at it and comparing it to a hull with pinched rails in the video. The rails work for its design brief.

 

[Retropete]

Looks like boards like the Chilli mid strength have some company in the fuller planshaped/more performance end of the midlength spectrum with the DHD interceptor.

Interceptor

Darren's version of a mid length, the Interceptor is designed for the surfer who wants an easy paddle, smooth line's and tighter turns for avoiding traffic in the lineup. Ability — Beginner to Advanced Ideal Wave Size — 1 to 6 Ft Wave Type — Small to Double Over Head

dhdsurf.com

 

[Aruka]

Looks like boards like the Chilli mid strength have some company in the fuller planshaped/more performance end of the midlength spectrum with the DHD interceptor.

Interceptor

Darren's version of a mid length, the Interceptor is designed for the surfer who wants an easy paddle, smooth line's and tighter turns for avoiding traffic in the lineup. Ability — Beginner to Advanced Ideal Wave Size — 1 to 6 Ft Wave Type — Small to Double Over Head

dhdsurf.com

I like the outline more than the mid strength. Its probably a good board since DH knows what hes doing. That video was mad cheesy though and not very helpful.

 

[rgruber]

Personally, once you add the "high performance" to it I'm out. I like a mid length with more resitance that facilitates flow rather than slash but I agree that this one looks better than the Mid Strength or the Mid Length Crisis for that matter and DHD makes a really nice board. If I wanted something in this category, this would be the one I'd go with.

I like the outline more than the mid strength. Its probably a good board since DH knows what hes doing. That video was mad cheesy though and not very helpful.

 

[Havoc]

I like the outline more than the mid strength. Its probably a good board since DH knows what hes doing. That video was mad cheesy though and not very helpful.

my stamps sultwinn is even more pulled in and foiled out with much less vol than that. pretty hp for what it is.

 

[Aruka]

Personally, once you add the "high performance" to it I'm out. I like a mid length with more resitance that facilitates flow rather than slash but I agree that this one looks better than the Mid Strength or the Mid Length Crisis for that matter and DHD makes a really nice board. If I wanted something in this category, this would be the one I'd go with.

Im pretty much with you. I dont have a ton of experience with "HP" middys but Ive found them to be a little bit of a confusing experience. The mid 6 for instance, it needs somewhat of a quality wave, it doesnt catch waves especially well, it wants to be pumped for speed. I dont totally hate it in certain waves, like big mushy outside reefs, but its definitely not the most natural and easy board ive ridden. It feels like it wants to be surfed hard off the tail like a hpsb but I feel silly doing so.

 

[oeste858]

Im pretty much with you. I dont have a ton of experience with "HP" middys but Ive found them to be a little bit of a confusing experience. The mid 6 for instance, it needs somewhat of a quality wave, it doesnt catch waves especially well, it wants to be pumped for speed. I dont totally hate it in certain waves, like big mushy outside reefs, but its definitely not the most natural and easy board ive ridden. It feels like it wants to be surfed hard off the tail like a hpsb but I feel silly doing so.

I know we’ve discussed before but I feel like the conditions these boars would shine in, there’s other boars in my quiver I really rather ride- we don’t get decent/good waves often enough. I guess I wish they had more versatility and range.
As I told Havoc, I really wanted to love the longer Plasmid to battle/kill the crowd… but I just felt like it does a bunch of things alright… but nothing great. so I prefer the 5’9 asym which does everything better and still catches waves well.
I’ve tried a few but I guess I’m just not a midlength guy. I’m certain in a few more years, I’ll be back asking for the best HP mids as my DD.

I will say, the twins make these longer boars exponentially more fun (to me). Much more interesting (to me) than thruster or single + sidebites (training wheels). YMMV

edit: the other thing that makes me doubt/scoff at these HP claims: It’s extremely rarely that I see these boars ridden well in the water. And pretty much never by average joes- it’s only local former/semi pros who could rip on anything. Like the guy who tests all the recently-released mid models for R.

 

[estreet]

Im pretty much with you. I dont have a ton of experience with "HP" middys but Ive found them to be a little bit of a confusing experience. The mid 6 for instance, it needs somewhat of a quality wave, it doesnt catch waves especially well, it wants to be pumped for speed. I dont totally hate it in certain waves, like big mushy outside reefs, but its definitely not the most natural and easy board ive ridden. It feels like it wants to be surfed hard off the tail like a hpsb but I feel silly doing so.

I sold the Mid6 I had just the other day. A 'performance midlength' doesn't really make much sense I discovered.

I'd still like to get mid-length for lazy days in junky waves. Something like the CI Mid Twin around 6'6-6'8 and around 36L. I figure that will be an easy paddler and work in small to larger weak surf.

I feel like the conditions these boars would shine in, there’s other boars in my quiver I really rather ride- we don’t get decent/good waves often enough.

Exactly.

 

[Northern_Shores]

mid-length for lazy days in junky waves.

Bro, I got you covered.