I have over the past few months started kiting in the surf and really enjoying it - time for a surfboard ! Currently still riding a twin tip that I learnt on 136x40 and was hoping for a bit of advice on what surfboard size to get.

Based in Qld and kite mainly on the Gold and Sunshine coast in 3-4ft waves with mainly cross-on or sideshore winds. Kite wise I am using an 11.5 delta and will be DEFINATELY be getting either a 9.5 or 7.5 once the spring/summer wind kicks in (that will be the next thread). Weight in at 75kg and am just under 6' in height. I have seen some really nice boards around, but am not sure about the kite surfboard sizes. I have heard the try before you buy thing floating around, but in reality I don’t think that will happen. I would like to get a board, real soon, that will see me thru the next 2 years (or so) whilst hopefully having some good wave fun. Looked at 5'8" board on the weekend and it looked really great - would this be too small (or too big) ? For you purists out there - it will be strapped !

I do surf without a kite but don’t "shred" and really don’t want to destroy my current surfboards. Any advice out there before I blow dollars on something totally wrong.

Cheers

When kitesurfing with a surfboard I find that you don't need as much volume as when you do paddle in surfing. For paddle in I use a 6'6 or a 6'4 and for kiting I find a 6'0 with straps is perfect. I think at 75kg that a 5'8 should do you just fine.

Hi fly, my main advice would be. Don't just go "I'm gunna be strapped". You've gotta sort this with the benefit of experience. You have a lot more freedom unstrapped, especially in lighter conditions where it's a great benefit to move forward on the board to get upwind. Switching feet is much easier unstrapped. The alternative, leaving your feet on one tack you'll find it awkward to control the kite & trim the board efficiently. Personally I think strapped suits a smaller board & higher wind, although in the end I've chosen unstrapped all the time. The board will suffer more damage unstrapped while learning, mainly from the spreader bar. You surf already. My advice would be, 1st, get an old board, 6'2" - 6'4" & play around, flat water is a good place to start. Light wind will become a buzz when you would only have been boggin' down on a TT anyway. There's a lot to learn before you'll be hitting the faces.
cheers
Col

Lots of good advice on here already. When i started riding a surfboard, i just garbed a old 510 fish we had lying around and gave it a try strapless and it was great. The fish had a little extra width and good volume on it making it easy to learn to turn and switch your feet. with no straps i found i could still hold the same size kite as with a tt. I now have a kite specific surf board with straps the FOne custom 6ft its sleek fast and has good pop so you can still throw in some freestyle. But as a surf board i realy like the feel of the fish without straps it just has a lot more freedom. I havent tried the FOne strapless yet but i am going to should be a blast.

Best tip is get what you can afford for your first board as it will take some knocks and will end up with some patch up jobs on it. Anything that you would normaly surf will be fine or check out the second hand rack. Get a feel for it and work out what you want out of your riding and get a board to suit

Thanks for all the great advise guys. I have decided to go the waxman route and ride my older 5'10 fish for a few sessions and then have another look at a dedicated kiteboard in the windy season. Cheers