How much importance should be emphasized on the weight of a board? I'm on the search for my second SUP and this is a topic I continue to hear. Light is good and heavy is bad is the most common comment. But can there be too light of a board? If I get too light of a board will I get "bullied" by winds and ruff surf. Could buying a board in a middle weight class provide a more sturdy ride?
The big three (Naish, Fanatic and Starboard) are all similarly made and continue to push for lighter boards. I know the pros prefer ultralight but I have to buy my own stuff and want it to last. Would some of the middle brand boards be a good idea? They are heavier but not by much and cost a little less.
Any thoughts on what the appropriate weight should be for a "Surf Specific" SUP and how that might effect the durability and sturdiness?
A surf specific. Something under 10ft. My question/topic relates to relative weight and if going with the lightest board am I sacrificing durability and sturdiness.
My apologies if I'm being a bit open ended. My experience with bicycling has drawn my question. I got talked into an "ultralight" road bike and spent extra money for it. In the end the weight only helped my on the hills but I got pushes around in the wind and on the flats.
I'm not an expert but not a true beginner in the sport either. Coming from All Arounder and want to add to my quiver.
Some weight makes the board more tolerant to rider mistakes. An ultralight board will stop dead in a turn if the rider feet stop driving it forward (I recall also reading this from surfers that experimented with ultralight boards). An heavier board will carry the speed in turns more steadily and smoothly.
Ultralight boards will help a lot when your technique is perfected, and want to impulse sudden directional changes (aerials, slashes, late take offs...)
I'd advise getting a board not too heavy, to still be able to put in on the car and carry it without being a chore. Lighter than that is not needed. And get lighters boards later on, for the one(s) in your quiver you want to surf agressively on. Also the quality of a board comes more from the shape than from the weight (I recall Kai Lenny boards were not very light some time ago), and reducing the length will help more than reducing the weight.
This said, I love light boards. But I have also heavier boards in my quiver, for chop and when the lighter boards are being repaired :-)
Brilliant! That was extremely helpful. Once I zero in better on the length, width and volume range best for me I'll focus on weight in an appropriate middle weighted board.
I totally agree with Colas comments regarding carrying speed through turns & compensating for mistakes. It definitely helps in the learning process in terms of handling a SUP on waves & in the water in general.
I also find that a "Midddle weight" board is better for paddling into a wave in strong off shore winds & certainly in wobbly/choppy conditions.
Spot on! I've been hesitant to head the advice of lighter is always better. It seems the ease of catching the wave in the first place might be an issue with an ultralight board paired with an average SUPer. Would a sub 9ft board also present difficulties with "yawning" and catching a wave easily. Pardon my desire to make catching a wave as easy as possible. I do enjoy the challenge but I also like success and the right gear means more success and enjoyment.
Part of the reason I think all SUP surfers start riding SUP boards IS being able to catch waves easy. The shorter/lighter thing comes later I think. That being said, most guys, myself included, that move on to shorter & shorter/lighter & lighter boards, still keep a big long & heavy board in their quiver. & yes going shorter increases yawing.
Very Light boards are easier to carry. Thats about it. Id rather spend the extra grand on another board!
I never had any wave ridding vehicle (surfboard/windsurfer/wave ski/SUP) with reasonable durability that I felt was too light. In
many water sports, marketing convinces people that weight is a good thing...and as with a lot of these things theses days, say something often enough, add a charismatic delivery and you will convince the herd of your premiss regardless if its true or not.
When you gain enough experience in the water, riding a heavy board feels like you riding with seaweed wrapped around your fins after coming off a light weight board of similar design.
Select to expand quoterghdc said..
When you gain enough experience in the water, riding a heavy board feels like you riding with seaweed wrapped around your fins after coming off a light weight board of similar design.
I would disagree with the comparison. An heavier board has more inertia, so it is slower to move, but once moving it keeps moving.
For instance on take off, with a 6kg board, you can just take off in one paddle stroke, with a 9kg board of the same length, you will need to accelerate through two paddle strokes. But a bit of chop can prevent your 6kg board to take off on the wave, unless you are adopting the proper stance (well bent forward fence) and focus to continuously drive the board through chop by your body weight.
Heavy boards have their advantages, depending on the goal. Although lighter boards are mandatory for the surfing demanded in current contests, heavier boards can be more fun for free surfing when you want to work your style, survive chop, or are not in the mood to be agressive. I have for instance a 8.8kg 8'3" for choppy conditions and relaxed moods and a 5.9kg 7'11" for aggressive moves. Getting a more expensive lighter 8'3" would not have made sense. Save your money for the boards you plan to ride aggressively.
When supping I think I will buy the lightest board I can afford. I just got sucked over the falls on a low tide beachbreak. I tried to kick out at the last second and am wondering if a lighter board or maybe shorter too would have allowed a quicker escape. I broke my paddle and got pushed into the sand on my head. This brings up another question. I have bounced off the bottom twice holding the paddle and seem to hurt my back both times. I never had this problem regular surfing. Does holding the paddle during a bad wipeout cause more stress to the back and neck? I think I might let the paddle go if have time. Has anyone had this experience?
Great example of situational SUPing reentry and how the right board for specific conditions, breaks and rider are important. I won't put my self out there and say that in your situation a lighter board would kick out "dramatically" faster saving the hit. Bumber you hit bottom and hope you recover quickly.
In my experience a shorter board might give you more maneuverability and ability to escape this situation in the first place. Bigger boards move slower and can't always react to quick demands from the rider. Of course with a shorter board comes lighter weight. For a more experienced surfer light can be their best friend as they have more developed balance, vision and ability.
I'm not a "seasoned" surfer and the ultralight boards I've tried didn't connect with me. I ride an all arounder which feels stable and flows in the surf (I'm a flow style surfer and don't surf overhead). So far I have been lucky enough to kick off in situations similar to yours and land feet first. I am looking for a surf specific (between 9ft and 10ft) board around 1 kilo per foot in length. Any lighter and I loose the "flow" I am after. Of course shape is the greatest of importance and weight comes next for me. Some of the real experienced surfers on this forum will have a preference to go as light as possible and for them it works perfectly.
As for the paddle I always try to hold on to it. If I let it go it could easily come back and hit me or worse someone else. If I hold on to it I can try and control it from not hitting me and a greater chance it doesn't hurt someone else. In your situation if you are aware others are no where near you and the break is running out you'll have to make that decision in a slip second. Not sure there is a right answer here but I hope my personal experience is helpful.
Yup, having the paddles in hand means you are less able to get out of harm's way in SUPing compared to surfing. My advice is try to be more cautious than in prone surfing, and avoid risky situations if you do not want to get hurt. And I second WarehouseBob,: you will react more quickly to situation changes with a shorter board.
As for getting over the falls, I don't know what really happened, but my advice would be to avoid all the situations where you have no speed relative to the water speed, and thus have no leverage to jump far from the board. Most of the time, the key to survive the lip lies in the bottom turn.... try to get as much speed out of your bottom turns to come into the lip with speed, this will keep all your options open, and allow for a last second "ejectable seat" escape in case of trouble...
Since the water in the lip has a lot of speed, you need to gather more of it in the bottom turn to avoid "standing still" relative to the lip in the top turn.
On the subject of the weight, I stumbled upon a VERY interesting post on the great "Zen Waterman" Blog: "Is Lighter and Thinner Really More Maneuverable: A Personal Story "
Please read it at: zenwaterman.blogspot.com/2012/06/is-lighter-and-thinner-really-more.html
In saying that though I wish I could reduce the weight of my boards when walking back up the hill after a 3 hour session!!!!!!
l personally prefer mid to heavy.
Thanks, but all the merits belong to the article author, I am only pointing to it. :-)
Although lighter boards are great to carry on long distances, that's for sure...
Colas, no patronizing, no undue merit, just credit where credit is due. Sometimes my bizarre sense of humor is misinterpreted. I apologise. 
I truly enjoy the knowledge of design you share in this forum even if I don't always agree with it or think its applicable to Aussie conditions. Hey I only called you a zen master, not Buddha !!!!!!! Ben Apia is a hero of mine from 40 years ago. He proved along with Clyde and Eddie Aikau that you didn't have to be a stick insect to be a serious surfer. 
Thanks for the article Colas. I love to read about keeping an open mind and how the right board for the right rider equals the best enjoyment.
To unofficially quantify weight class I would say that 1kilo/foot of board is average. Anything noticeably less is "lightweight". anything more is "heavyweight". The appropriate weight is of course up to the rider, style and conditions.
