Need Advice Smaller Board

[Matixsnow]

Not sure where to even begin...I am looking to buy a smaller board to expand the wind range of my SS 11m and 15m kites...

Currently riding a 144 Ignition. Looking to find something smaller that would be a good all around board.

What size is a good smaller board size? 136? Seems like there are sooo many brands to choose from.

Just briefly looked at the SS Lunacy and SS Misfit. How do these ride compared to their sizing? Big, small, true to size?

Any thoughts would be great. Thanks!

[Tighe]

yes lots of great boards out there. Might be helpful if you describe the ride you're looking for. Do you like to do wakestyle tricks. Do you like to surf the swell, Do you like to go big? Like an aggressive fast ride or a like cruising and playin a bit in the swell? There are some boards that do it all pretty well, but most are a bit specialized.

[RobH]

Take some boards for a ride if you can. If your interested in any of the Cabrinha boards hit me up. I typically will have a 133 and 136 Caliber with me that your more than welcome to take for a quick spin. As Tighe mentioned it depends what your looking for and what kind of water you will be riding. If your riding big water with waves and allot of chop you will want some rocker and a board to handle those conditions.

[Matixsnow]

Thanks Rob! I have been looking into that Cab board as well. What are your thoughts on it? What size do you prefer?

Anyone have any experience with the new SS slider binding system? The SS Darko? Is it compatible with other pad/straps?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Denis]

One way to choose a new board is to look at the tricks you are doing right now, and the tricks that you're working on. Get a board that will help you learn your new tricks. For example, if you're learning to boost, you can go for good freeride board (not too stiff) that will let you edge hard against the kite without being bouncy. If you're starting to learn unhooked tricks, get a slightly larger stiff board for better pop off the water.

My progression on boards was:
Learning to kite and jump: Old Naish Twin tip, 6ft (big and floaty)
Learning bigger boosts and kiteloops: SS Misfit 122 (better edge and control)
Unhooked tricks: Nobile 666 127, then Lunacy 132 (bigger pop)

The rails on the Darko will only give you two attachment points on each footstrap. Most other footstraps have 4 attachment points. So it's probably not compatible with other footstraps.

If you want to try my Lunacy, just give me a hollar.

[Geo]

And what one person prefers for a specific type of riding might not work for you, so it is good to try if you can. I thought for sure I was going to go w/ the Lunacy, and I can see the appeal, but for me it tended to stress out my crappy knees because of the way you have to ride it.

[johnz]

I started on a Misfit 146. At 210 lbs, it was a really great all around-er. Don't forget that you're weight is really an important factor. What the 140 lb kids think is a big board is more like a flip flop for us ...

As Denis was saying, I wanted to work more on backloops, jumping higher, etc., so I got the Lunacy 135 as my 'small' board. LOVED IT. It was much more maneuverable, and really jumped well.

Then, I switched to a Darko 135. I thought I'd be giving up the massive pop of the Lunacy for something that was a little more forgiving, but I really don't think that was the case. I love the Darko! The positionable footstraps are really solid and very easy to take off for travel or move around. The board itself is definitely smoother than the Lunacy, but just as poppy, if not more.

Of course, everything is changing for 2011 with Slingy, I think both the Misfit and the Lunacy are going to be revised.

Best thing to do is try a bunch of them. My Darko is always available for rides - just ask!

[Tighe]

Best advice is to get some good long sessions on different boards. I used to ride narrower boards with curvy outlines, like the SS SX or ignition series. Great allround boards. I had a 147 and a 136 forever. I used the 147 80% of the time and only went to the 136 when it was really really windy. Then I tried the 132 Lunacy. I initially thought this would be a super high wind only board. First impressions were like Geo said, rough ride for sure. Then I learned to ride it and started riding it more and more. It is now my bread and butter board...and I'm on it 80-90% of the time. I NEVER thought I'd be on a 132 that often. I also think it is quite smooth in the water. When you ride it much more vertical than you would other boards, it slices through any chop. Much easier on the knees for sure. The performance characteristics are insane. The shorter boards allow you to cut, load and pop even in our shorts spaced lake chop.

My point is length is only one option to consider. You might think that 135 is fairly short but when I've tried the 135 Lunacy or 135 Darko I thought they were too big for my 200lb/6'1". I actually rode the Darko 135 back to back with my Misfit 146 and thought they felt almost identical, size wise. Todd Hanson bought a 135 and has since cut it down to a 132ish.

The Misfits in the last 2 years have become really cushy performance boards. They feel silky in the water, yet still maintain that aggressive pop. There are a ton of great boards out there, try as many as you can. Width, construction, outline, bottom shape and fins all play a huge roll in the feel of the board.

hope that helps.

[RobH]

To answer your question on the Caliber and the size you can tell from the above posts that it comes down to individual preference/skills on size and shape of the board. When it comes to the caliber I believe it has more rocker than the SS boards, I have riden the 133 and 136 and prefer the larger 136 for better ride in chop, more foregiveness on the landings and overall feel. This is different from what Tighe had posted but it may be the difference in board rocker and shape or just preference. I also ride a small older Nobile 666 in a 132 in the flats and love that size board for that condition, however if I had to choose just one board it would be hands down Caliber in the 136 as it does everythinig well . It wont pop as well as my Nobile or Jimmy Lewis super model due to the softer flex and doesnt have the extra Rocker that the Cabrinha custom has.
The one thing I have noticed about going longer with a Rocker board is I can ride more centered and add more pressure to the tip of the board without concern of the tip going under water or spray in the face - I feel it allows your body to shift more forward on the board for playing in the surf and freeriding.
Again I think you need to look where you ride, Flat water, waves with chop or just plain chop. For example when I go down to Clear Lake Iowa they get bigger chop and reflection from the sea walls like a big washing machine, my board of choice down there is the Jimmy Lewis mod 3 or the Mako's as they handle the chop really well.
Good luck