Da Suplove Giant 8'6"

An carbon friendlier Stand Up Paddle Board

Written by Stuart Murray

Da Suplove Giant is a custom 8’6”. My design brief was specific, short, loose, good in small waves and onshore winds. I designed it for me, so riders around 84kilos, 6 foot in height with solid skills. I also wanted the feel good angle of riding an environmentally friendlier Sup and I chose Dave Porter from Treehouse Surfboards.

Da Giant is unconventional. The plan shape, based on a Mcoy makes it easy and forgiving to ride. The rails are a blend of C4 and Mcoy making the board responsive in the surf. I wanted the rocker quite flat to give it some down the line speed when surfing and some paddling glide. It is set up with 5 fins to ride as a quad, to give it that loosness with the centre fin in there for experimentation.

This a fun stable board in waves under three feet, though I have ridden it in perfect surf up to five feet. The board is easy to manoeuvre when paddling due to the quad fins and this means changing sides to keep it paddling in a straight line. A trade off I am happy to take as it is designed for surfing not long paddles.

I set it up with some small curvy future fins and the first day I rode it with no wax or grip in perfect small rights (because I was waiting for grip) and I liked the feel of the board straight away. It was stable and loose just like I hoped. I think the wide tail has added to stability. I found shifting my back foot further back onto the kicker pad did two things. Off the bottom of soft shapely waves the board wanted to go more vertical and in soft shapely waves the board would slide, very interesting. This has allowed me to practise controlled tail slides off the top in softer waves

Do expect to get noticed with this board. It is beautifully finished in Tasmanian plantation timber and sports Australian recycled hardwood in the nose and tail. The board has a natural glow that is eye catching. More technical information and full specifications are included at the bottom of this review.

Da Giant is a board that continues to surprise me and I am sure this SUP shape will continue to evolve. Do you remember how short board’s design has evolved in the last twenty years? Well SUP board shapes and performance will follow a similar path of innovation by pushing the boundaries. This board holds true to the soul of SUP, respect for the environment. In the same way SUP paddler’s honour sharing oceans, Da Suplove Giant celebrates sharing the ideas, innovations and inspirations of many.

Suplove your Core

Da Giant design specifications

HD EPS stringerless core (recyclable / contains no isocyanates)
UniCarbon reinforced spine and rails
Tasmanian Blackwood (plantation grown GECA and AFS approved) / glass composite skin
Recycled Australian Red Cedar nose and tail reinforcement
UV stable epoxy
Organic Whitewax polish
Dave Porter Shaper / Laminator
Treehouse Surfboards

I dig the name
Suplove