lessupsolutions said..
3. Not being able to position yourself because you can't see the sets coming

For me, that's the main point surfers do not realize when saying "If you are SUPing with such a small board, why aren't you just prone surfing?". The vision and awareness of your surroundings.

And it is not just for the efficiency of catching more waves. I find that I enjoy being in the ocean tremendously more when having a nice view of it... and with foiling, you are even higher :-)

Souwester said..
Its good to switch gear around to give perspectives and to push yourself a bit, makes you appreciate your go-to board or type of craft a lot more.

One major thing I found on the SUP is not having to sit with a crowd, being able to roam and explore peaks is a joy that is hard to let go of once you discover it!

Yeah. Now that you mention it, I surf kingscliff main Beach on low tide and can paddle up and down the point if the winds are west but on a shorty at that place in a south swell you get sometimes seconds on a spot before the rip destroys you. Fighting sweeps is a massive advantage.

Souwester said..
Its good to switch gear around to give perspectives and to push yourself a bit, makes you appreciate your go-to board or type of craft a lot more

I do like the idea of mixing it up. Often I take 2 craft down to the beach (prone foil board, surfboard and/or bodyboard). I tend to use what I am most pumped about first (currently its prone foil) then often I will have a mini session on the other craft. Switching things up makes me appreciate the relative merits of each craft. Also, I can stay out longer as if I get tired from paddling the foil board I can switch to bodyboard or surfboard and continue to surf.

I am just a prone foil beginner but it does allow you to really enjoy crappy surf mostly away from where people are, so my wave count is very high and the ride lengths tend to be longer. My stress level is lower on the foil board as you are not in a pack of people.

www.instagram.com/p/CZ9hsLdl0ta/

As you already have good sup skills I would definitely explore sup foiling, downwinding on the sup looks next level.

lessupsolutions said.


Yeah. Now that you mention it, I surf kingscliff main Beach on low tide and can paddle up and down the point if the winds are west but on a shorty at that place in a south swell you get sometimes seconds on a spot before the rip destroys you. Fighting sweeps is a massive advantage.

I hear you brother !!!!

lessupsolutions said..
Finally been back on the shortboard after a good 6 years with varying injuries keeping me off it.

I have been able to sup nearly the whole time. After getting back on the shortboard, so many things I mever noticed while riding the shortboard before....

1. Waiting for ****ing waves. Surfs have gone from 1 hour to three hours. And I still don't get the same amount of waves as an sup!!!
2. Rage. It's way more frustrating. Having to deal with crowds.
3. Not being able to position yourself because you can't see the sets coming
4. Improving is so, so much harder because your time on the wave is dramatically reduced.


That's about it. For you foilboarders out there or wing fowler's out there, how is the comparison for the wing foil compared to a sup, benefits wise?


I think I did this post a while ago come to think of it.

Having bought a shortboard again myself recently, i totally agree

thedoor said..

Souwester said..
Its good to switch gear around to give perspectives and to push yourself a bit, makes you appreciate your go-to board or type of craft a lot more

I do like the idea of mixing it up. Often I take 2 craft down to the beach (prone foil board, surfboard and/or bodyboard). I tend to use what I am most pumped about first (currently its prone foil) then often I will have a mini session on the other craft. Switching things up makes me appreciate the relative merits of each craft. Also, I can stay out longer as if I get tired from paddling the foil board I can switch to bodyboard or surfboard and continue to surf.

I am just a prone foil beginner but it does allow you to really enjoy crappy surf mostly away from where people are, so my wave count is very high and the ride lengths tend to be longer. My stress level is lower on the foil board as you are not in a pack of people.

www.instagram.com/p/CZ9hsLdl0ta/

As you already have good sup skills I would definitely explore sup foiling, downwinding on the sup looks next level.

Haha. **** I did this out the points on Monday and dusted off the cobwebs on the bodyboard. Pulled through the back of a closeout and hurt my neck. The right side of my face and arm was numb for a couple of days lol. How do you go transitioning from foil to shortboard ?

Souwester said..

slsurf said..
I had some great shortboard days a little earlier in the year, but usually opt to sup. Chronic back and other issues have limited my prone surf to the select days that are really good for that and too washed out for sup. My favorite short surfboard feels like a rocket on a good wave, so easy to turn, duck diving to get out, so many great things. Its pretty funny how I over commit my turns on it after sup. Yes the good shortboard spots are usually crowded but at least you don't feel like you are in a tribal war with the other people (most spots).

If I could go back in time I would have taken up SUP earlier though, works better for me in many conditions and opened up less crowded spots. SUP is a great balance challenge that complements other surf disciplines really well and helps me train for other sports too. I just wish I could ride closer to pro size sup for easier turning, I might try it if something comes up used but for my typical wonky conditions I feel like I'm at my limit.

Same deal for me in regards to what got me into it, pretty average back as a result of a few things and the SUP was a shining light in some dark times and I just went on with it. I shortboard particular waves and conditions and have a big softy for crappy days so I can still have a bit of fun in onshore or really crowded conditions.

Have found that footwork and fins play a big part in turns as opposed to it being just about the size of the board as well, there is a mountain of good info on footwork here so I wont go back over it suffice to say it is an eye opener once you crack the code.

I had a board that was pretty big and thought I wouldn't be able to throw it around and thought I made a mistake in the purchase then put time into footwork and was amazed with it - timing and practice come together and its a beautiful thing to have dialed!

Agree on the footwork, its probably more productive to focus on technique than board. For me the cutback is the problem, moving the foot to the rail and back helps a lot for sure but this has reminded me to try some paddle switches too. It's a lot of things to do in the short time you have transitioning between turns, got to be quicker!

Always been a shortboarder and came to supping because I love the difference in riding a wave. It's like having two lovers
Always take both down to the beach and have even supped and surfed the same break-it's a worthwhile thing to do for ***ts and giggles.
There's loads of difference between sup and shortboarding which is why we're so lucky to have both. My skills are much better on surfboard due to 40+years at it and the standout difference is barrels, getting tubed, pulling in, covered up and spat out.
For me I don't even try and surf a sup like a shortboard so there's no point comparing manouverability. I love the diversity of difference in manouvres between the crafts, that's the point.
I'm only recently into supsurfing and it's influenced me to have a crack at midlength shorties to add a bit of glide to that flow and yeah having a lot of fun. Also a good weapon for catching more waves when it's crowded or getting into them earlier if needs be. So change your fins, boards, location but if you can do both then go for it. For me it's a win/win I reckon