I've just spent 5 weeks in the maldives. We scored some pretty fun little swells and I thought I'd give you degenerates a ride report of the boards I was bringing.
I'm 6'2 at 195lbs, 36 years old and identify as a male. Dadbod, but reasonable fitness level still and have been surfing for about 20 years. I live in Germany so only clock 2-3 sessions per week on average. I like to go fast and do turns, my skill set doesn't allow for any action above the lip. So sit back, grab your favourite drink and enjoy the show.
Ghost 6'2 stock
This is my second ghost, so no suprises. Surfed it in headhigh+ waves. Best session was probably at well overhead honky's. No barrels, but about 8 big turns on every wave. My legs were sore afterwards haha. Paddles great, surprisingly easy to generate speed on and you can push as hard as you want in turns. Definitely one of my all time favourite boards, will always have a ghost in my quiver. I like it best as a thruster with smaller (but still size L), neutral fins.
7/7
Pyzalien 2 6'0 stock XTR PC
Had a 6'0 PU a year ago that I loved, so I was familiar with that shape too. Rode it in waist to head high waves, mostly as a quad. Best session was at head high Chickens. Racy outside section, then some open face carves (pic below), then some turns when the inside stood up. Whilst this is marketed as a step down it pretty much served as a hpsb in my quiver. Probably one of the easiest to surf, most versatile pointy nose boards out there. This was my first XTR, and I had mixed feelings about the construction. Very responsive, but there were some moments where the rebound of the board felt a bit out of control, couldn't relate that to bigger or choppier conditions, just random occurence. I also bogged rail on a few occasions. Can't really recall that happening on the PU one I had. Board was a bit small for me, swapped it with a guy on a boat (hi andy in case you're on here) for a wills fish (see below) that was too big for him. Debating whether to replace the pyzalien with another PU one or to try something new.
5/7 (PU was 7/7)
LM Wills Fish 5'9 stock Varial
The board swap happened after a run of pretty decent waves. When the swell went 2ft at 9sec I did not get the small wave blues but was grinning like an idiot. Crazy fast and has ridiculous flow. Holds the rail really well when you focus on it a bit, and has a really fun release when you put the board flat again. There is a ton of vee out the back, and you really can tell when you apply weight to the back foot. Feels great rail to rail despite the width. I did not mind surfing tiny waves on it on my frontside, on the backhand I found it a bit harder to grovel. This is my first board with varial foam, of all the "alternative" constructions I've tried I think I like this best. Feels lively, but less nervous than XTR or EPS. Too bad this will be my first and last
I only rode it with the lovelace keels, felt no need to swap fins.
7/7
Sharp eye cheat code 5'9x 19.88 x 2.63 Polyola
Surfed it in thigh to head high waves. Best session was during a low period swell at chickens with wedgy peaks everywhere. Decent paddler, fast, whippy. Preferred it in smallish waves with a bit of curve, it went a bit squirrely when I tried it in some bigger open face waves. I have noticed that there's conflicting information about the concaves out there - some sharpeye sites say it's double through the back, the sharpeye US one says it's single. Mine is just single. I found it to be a bit fin sensitive, didn't like it with AMs (unpredictable), a bit stiff with MFs, good with H4s. Got to try it with some more upright fins, did not bring any. Unfortunately they forgot to put quad rear plugs, I got a discount but now regret not having that option. Might install some plugs once it's a bit more beaten up. Overall a really solid board and certainly a great DD for the average beach breaks that are omnipresent in Europe. The polyola foam is holding up really well, noticeably less pressure dings than on my regular PU boards. A bit stiffer and heavier though, so I won't order it for another small wave performance board.
6/7 (different built likely 7/7)
Lost cali twin 5'9 stock
Neglected this one a bit. When it was smallish, I tended to gravitate towards the wills fish, when there was a decent shape to the waves I went cheat code. Doesn't mean that it doesn't go though. Super easy to generate speed on it, pretty snappy in the pocket. Frontside I'm much more of a carve than a snap guy, but I did some really fun little hacks on it. Power twins +1 felt a bit stiff, MF twins +1 drivey and thrustery but sometimes a bit awkward, MR twins +1 probably best overall. Does not work as a twin for me, way too loose even with the BMTs. @flyinraptr pointed me towards AMKs, I'll try to borrow a set somewhere. It's a shame that I don't like it with more upright twins as a straight twin as this was my preferred setup for the RNF. That training wheel always robs you of some speed. My other little complaint would be that the board felt a bit wide, but thin. Will get a TC Sinner soon, hoping to solve both those issues.
5/7
I'm 6'2 at 195lbs, 36 years old and identify as a male. Dadbod, but reasonable fitness level still and have been surfing for about 20 years. I live in Germany so only clock 2-3 sessions per week on average. I like to go fast and do turns, my skill set doesn't allow for any action above the lip. So sit back, grab your favourite drink and enjoy the show.
Ghost 6'2 stock
This is my second ghost, so no suprises. Surfed it in headhigh+ waves. Best session was probably at well overhead honky's. No barrels, but about 8 big turns on every wave. My legs were sore afterwards haha. Paddles great, surprisingly easy to generate speed on and you can push as hard as you want in turns. Definitely one of my all time favourite boards, will always have a ghost in my quiver. I like it best as a thruster with smaller (but still size L), neutral fins.
7/7
Pyzalien 2 6'0 stock XTR PC
Had a 6'0 PU a year ago that I loved, so I was familiar with that shape too. Rode it in waist to head high waves, mostly as a quad. Best session was at head high Chickens. Racy outside section, then some open face carves (pic below), then some turns when the inside stood up. Whilst this is marketed as a step down it pretty much served as a hpsb in my quiver. Probably one of the easiest to surf, most versatile pointy nose boards out there. This was my first XTR, and I had mixed feelings about the construction. Very responsive, but there were some moments where the rebound of the board felt a bit out of control, couldn't relate that to bigger or choppier conditions, just random occurence. I also bogged rail on a few occasions. Can't really recall that happening on the PU one I had. Board was a bit small for me, swapped it with a guy on a boat (hi andy in case you're on here) for a wills fish (see below) that was too big for him. Debating whether to replace the pyzalien with another PU one or to try something new.
5/7 (PU was 7/7)
LM Wills Fish 5'9 stock Varial
The board swap happened after a run of pretty decent waves. When the swell went 2ft at 9sec I did not get the small wave blues but was grinning like an idiot. Crazy fast and has ridiculous flow. Holds the rail really well when you focus on it a bit, and has a really fun release when you put the board flat again. There is a ton of vee out the back, and you really can tell when you apply weight to the back foot. Feels great rail to rail despite the width. I did not mind surfing tiny waves on it on my frontside, on the backhand I found it a bit harder to grovel. This is my first board with varial foam, of all the "alternative" constructions I've tried I think I like this best. Feels lively, but less nervous than XTR or EPS. Too bad this will be my first and last
I only rode it with the lovelace keels, felt no need to swap fins.7/7
Sharp eye cheat code 5'9x 19.88 x 2.63 Polyola
Surfed it in thigh to head high waves. Best session was during a low period swell at chickens with wedgy peaks everywhere. Decent paddler, fast, whippy. Preferred it in smallish waves with a bit of curve, it went a bit squirrely when I tried it in some bigger open face waves. I have noticed that there's conflicting information about the concaves out there - some sharpeye sites say it's double through the back, the sharpeye US one says it's single. Mine is just single. I found it to be a bit fin sensitive, didn't like it with AMs (unpredictable), a bit stiff with MFs, good with H4s. Got to try it with some more upright fins, did not bring any. Unfortunately they forgot to put quad rear plugs, I got a discount but now regret not having that option. Might install some plugs once it's a bit more beaten up. Overall a really solid board and certainly a great DD for the average beach breaks that are omnipresent in Europe. The polyola foam is holding up really well, noticeably less pressure dings than on my regular PU boards. A bit stiffer and heavier though, so I won't order it for another small wave performance board.
6/7 (different built likely 7/7)
Lost cali twin 5'9 stock
Neglected this one a bit. When it was smallish, I tended to gravitate towards the wills fish, when there was a decent shape to the waves I went cheat code. Doesn't mean that it doesn't go though. Super easy to generate speed on it, pretty snappy in the pocket. Frontside I'm much more of a carve than a snap guy, but I did some really fun little hacks on it. Power twins +1 felt a bit stiff, MF twins +1 drivey and thrustery but sometimes a bit awkward, MR twins +1 probably best overall. Does not work as a twin for me, way too loose even with the BMTs. @flyinraptr pointed me towards AMKs, I'll try to borrow a set somewhere. It's a shame that I don't like it with more upright twins as a straight twin as this was my preferred setup for the RNF. That training wheel always robs you of some speed. My other little complaint would be that the board felt a bit wide, but thin. Will get a TC Sinner soon, hoping to solve both those issues.
5/7
