Evening all,

Currently not getting as much time on the water as I'd like to...work travel is kicking my ar5e...

I've been looking at ways to try and get my balance improving when I'm not able to get out on the SUP (for reasons mentioned further down), and wondering if:

A) Has anyone used the 'Indo Board' style balance boards (or similar i.e. boards on a roller etc) at all, and;

B) If so, have you found the balance improvements gained are relatable to the movement when you get back onto your SUP, and give a decent result?

I'm thinking of stepping down from a 10'0" x 33" Naish Mana (190L) to a custom 'Stretch' Minion by Deep (somewhere around 8'4" or 8'6" x 32" at about 145L - if Simon will shape one that big!) but I have concerns that the significantly lower volume and 18-20" less length may be too big of a shift. I totally get that the parallel rail plan shape of the Minion makes it inherently stable for a board of its length, but would this be too big of a step down from the Mana?

Wanting to get into a shorter board for manouverability getting onto waves, but don't want to spend all my paddling time battling to just stay upright, and I think options like the Naish Hokua X32's, with their more traditional shape, might not be what I need in order to improve.

I'm 6'2" and ~112kgs, intermediate flat water paddler, novice SUP surfer on knee to shoulder-high waves (former prone surfer when younger), and wanting to get better - any advice would be appreciated!

Have a nice weekend all!