Sometimes I wish I was hobbit size..

Sick looking board and great video , I'll start my diet tomorrow.

I am 5'11.

Don't have to be small to ride these. One just has to enjoy the challenge. And these are challenging no matter your size.

that wil work over here.

Two times a year.

goatman said...
It's funny now I am back on short boards, that thing looks massive. Personally, I came to the conclusion that riding small under bouyant SUPs was harder work than paddling a short board without the performance benefits. I am lucky though that I don't have any shoulder issues that stop me paddling prone.

Each to their own and good luck to the dudes that are young and fit enough to ride them. I rode my wife's 10 footer (SUP) the other day in fat point surf that would have been hopeless for a SB and had a ball, so that will be my SUPing these days.

Yes, I agree. I think most of the guys persevering with very small SUPs have a windsurf rather than surf background because there gets a point as you say where you are better off paddling prone, and even the best SUP shortboarding is woeful in performance terms compared to shortboard surfing in decent waves. But where I live we don't get decent waves often, so a SUP makes a lot of sense. So for me, SUPs are most in their element for longboarding and crap or otherwise inaccessible waves, and the further you depart from that, the less advantage they have over prone surfing, up to the point where you are actually hobbling yourself by paddling out standing and holding a paddle.

Area10 said..

Yes, I agree. I think most of the guys persevering with very small SUPs have a windsurf rather than surf background because there gets a point as you say where you are better off paddling prone, and even the best SUP shortboarding is woeful in performance terms compared to shortboard surfing in decent waves. But where I live we don't get decent waves often, so a SUP makes a lot of sense. So for me, SUPs are most in their element for longboarding and crap or otherwise inaccessible waves, and the further you depart from that, the less advantage they have over prone surfing, up to the point where you are actually hobbling yourself by paddling out standing and holding a paddle.

Seen "The SUP Movie" yet? It's on iTunes and well worth the money to see some good surfing.

Edit...But I do agree that going too small is stupid unless you are young and keen to take on the world competition surfing. Way more fun to get on the water for hours at a time while not struggling to stand up. I'm a fan of ride what you are comfortable on and try to surf that board to its limits. I also hate the look of the new fridge door shapes...rekon they aren't a good look but they do go really good! I will end up with one I'm sure.

goatman said..
It's funny now I am back on short boards, that thing looks massive. Personally, I came to the conclusion that riding small under bouyant SUPs was harder work than paddling a short board without the performance benefits. I am lucky though that I don't have any shoulder issues that stop me paddling prone.

Each to their own and good luck to the dudes that are young and fit enough to ride them. I rode my wife's 10 footer (SUP) the other day in fat point surf that would have been hopeless for a SB and had a ball, so that will be my SUPing these days.

Goaty sums it up pretty well. Great fun experimenting and finding limits for yourself and equipment..

Plenty of Suppers, especially larger, older, less fit ones going back to prone or bigger, funner Sup boards. The effort, for anyone gets a bit ridiculous on the tiny narrow boards. Personally the fat, short wide ones don't get in the parts of the wave or behave like I like to ride or like watching. But at least you can stand still, paddle over foam etc on them and have fun.
Yesterdays SPSC comp was a great example of where the sport is going. 20 min heats are very different to free surfs! Pretty much everyone on the low volume boards fell in quite a bit and prone paddled some of the time. The guys on the bigger boards made it look easy and fun. Two very fit, lighter, younger, highly skilled guys schooled the rest of the blokes in one foot mush. Great surfing by the young sponsored boys getting vertical, on rail and in the air. For those guys, in yesterdays waves I would think they chose perfect equipment. Probably would have had less fun on shortboards due to lack of power in swell. For the rest of us mere mortals the 10ft + probably funner choice. The women went unreal and generally had sensible amount of foam.