It's opposites day!

Horses for courses IMO, there is no one board perfect for all conditions. Pro's not riding them might be a bit more about the conditions they get to surf / film in rather than the design (a quick search on YouTube will show a few pro's enjoying and making these boards look good in less than perfect conditions). If we were blessed with perfect smooth 3'- 4'+ waves all the time, then maybe I wouldn't own one, but for what we have most of the time, I haven't had a more fun board (9 in the last 2 years and quiver is now down to 2).

is slow and never really get onto a plane as a more accepted style of board does.

Here I have to disagree - the 3 different manufacturers versions that I have ridden all accelerate with the slightest pressure on the front foot, it's in fact one of the things I enjoy about this style of board, fast and responsive, then there's the extra stability factor as well.

I can't ride a 7'1" x 24" or even a 7'4" x 25" (maybe should clarify, could probably surf them OK, but would have to be a prone start) zero chance of standing in the line up waiting for a wave but I can stand pretty comfortably on my 7'2" x 27" and have a heap of fun in most conditions.

I believe Zane Schweitzer has been using the Hypernut in most contests of late. And in one of the latest mags there are several pics of him ripping on one.

Towny said..
The pros are all young and ultra fit, they ride 7.0ft boards anyway, I personally reckon these vanguard style of boards suit the middle aged gent that wants a board that's small, easy to handle and can still throw it around in the surf

100% agree with you, Vangard style of boards are the ones to get fun and be radical too.

Curvature of a 9'6 board, stability of an 8'6.

I'll pass.

hilly said..

burleighlocal said..
IMO are average at best and never ridden by the pros for that very reason.

I've now ridden 4 different brands and all are rubbish imo. I know this goes against the usual exurberance often seen on sea breeze but the whole market for these seems more as a result of customer demand rather than a surf design. I watch the way they surf and I see a product that wallows in the water and displaces more water than usual is slow and never really get onto a plane as a more accepted style of board does. The board companies even seem embarrassed by the product as their marketing is low key and their sponsored riders never promote the product.

…then again I could be 100% wrong. Did I mention this is all IMO?

Gold! best post for a while :) Agree 100% they may feel good but they look like sh1t on a wave with anyone less than a pro on them.

Hilly , that's why we use them cause they feel good. Isn't that what its about. I haven't seen to many pro looking surfers on performance SUP on these forums either champ

bobajob said..
I don't know how many pros ride a JP 10' 2" by 32, probably none. I wonder how I ever managed to have fun on it?
I guess the fun I've been having on the minion is all delusional as well.

.....So can anyone recommend me a board that a pro surfs really well so I can start to have some damned fun and look respectable!

Gold!!

A side effect of the stability of the "Tomo" ("Vanguard" actually... Tomo makes many different shapes) shape for SUPers is that you can drastically reduce the volume and width without struggling too much. At 100kg I am as stable on my 105l "Tomo" than a traditional shaped 125l (on which 110l is hell for me), and you can really feel the safety of a low volume board in hollow conditions, with the carving stability of a longer board.

burleighlocal, by reading you I think you only tried oversized boards for your weight & abilities? "never really get onto a plane" seems to indicate a too long board for example...

Stick your fat arsed board into this :)

hilly said..
Stick your fat arsed board into this :)

The waves at my homespot feel like that when i,m on a wave, but somehow never look like that.

I think that is something a lot of us experience
All i can say is that i hope for the riders of the vid there waves don,t feel like mine

I reckon it is the size people are riding?

In surfboard form these are design to be ridden super short. I'm 6ft & 80kg and the recommended size is a 5'4"-5'6", thats so you can overcome the parallel rails that dont really want to turn, and they feel pretty boaty otherwise.

In SUP form you see guys on 8ft+ boards, I reckon you need to go well under 7'5" to really get the benefit of these?

Nobody likes me.

Most proners don't like my SUP.

Some SUPers don't like my Minion.

And people who aren't color blind don't like my design.

Yet somehow I still manage to have fun.

Sorry the pic should have been these

Are its eyes closed in the first photo?

And yes still manage to have fun on them like you