Over last couple of years started on 5'10 then 5'2 now 4'8 @ 35 lts Wondering what others have settled on as the Goldilocks size board for their weight. I'm not sure if I should go as low as 4.0 @ 27 lts ?

Whats ya weight ? I'm on the 4'5 Armie FG at 34 litres (75kg). Seems about right.

At 75kg I'm loving my Slingshot FlyingFish 4'2" 30L.

The smaller the board the harder the paddle out will be. That really is the main consideration and is really spot dependent.

SkyRama rips the army 4' 27L and he is around 200lbs. Check his Instagram for video but looks like Guard rails is a short paddle out. www.instagram.com/tv/CUdQ-m0ld5L/?utm_medium=copy_link

Yeh I could probably go smaller but I use it for sink starting when winging - so figured a bit more volume would help. Smaller the better for pumping.

I'm 220 lbs and I'm on a 4'0"x18.5. Probably 30 L garbage surf.

It doesn't catch waves and it doesn't paddle. I just stand on an outer bar waist deep, push off into a nugget and pump wherever i need to go.

compared to my 4'6" it pumps 10% better and paddles and catches 80% worse but that's a fine trade off if your looping more than paddling.

Select to expand quote

eppo said..
Whats ya weight ? I'm on the 4'5 Armie FG at 34 litres (75kg). Seems about right.

80kgs,and I'm tossing up between the 4.5 and 4.0 army

Select to expand quote

kobo said..

eppo said..
Whats ya weight ? I'm on the 4'5 Armie FG at 34 litres (75kg). Seems about right.

80kgs,and I'm tossing up between the 4.5 and 4.0 army

Hey kobo, why not buy both
The 4'0 would be great when up on foil but you will catch heaps more waves on the 4'5.

For reference I'm 73kg & like 4'5x18" around 28-30L boards.

I think for most people 4-5 to 4-6 x 35 litres . Is a good all round size. Catching the wave is the biggest part . I've got a 4-2 - 33 L , 4-4 35L , 4-6 -29 L & 4-8 x 35L . I'm around 90 kg and spending most of time on the 4-8 ATM but winter fat dropping off I'll be back on the smaller boards soon

Thanks everyone, you have pretty much confirmed my suspicions, I think I'll go the 4'5, and I want to wing on it too so Eppo makes a good point that the 4.0 would be a harder sinker start size there.

Yeh at 80pies the 4'5 is probably the go. Kinda depends though . some like to chip into something then pump back out to link. Reckon a small board is good for that. Also depends how strong, fit you are and also if you are carrying any long term injuries. Also how good - advanced you are. All depends. Ive seen nathan whose 75kg rip on a 27 litre board.

as someone shouted out to me whilst I was pumping back out to link a wave "hey eppo you look just like your son antMan ...just older, fatter and slower".

I laughed so hard I fell off and missed that damn link!!!!

At 1m70/73kg I have 4'3 x 19 - 30L and 4'6 x 18 - 32L

I like to have the same volume as my shortboard.

The thing that matters a lot is the box. Some brands put it forward and others more at the back and regarding your foil it can or can't work.
If you go custom, you need to talk about it with the shaper.

Gofoil, Axis, Takuma work better far back.
Unifoil, Sign, Lift, Army work better way forward (at least for the small front wing).

I'm 6'3 x 93ish kgs and riding 5'0 x 38L (a couple litres above my regular shortboard).

Considering dropping to 4'6 and keeping the same litres. Not sure if the longer board with more glide which makes it easier to catch waves outweighs the benefit of a shorter more manoeuvrable board once up and riding/pumping.

It will definitely pump better.

Wondering if people generally add volume (litres) as they drop down in length, or just stay the same?

A couple extra litres might offset the loss of glide as you go shorter (but probably also reduces sensitivity as the board gets thicker).

Weighing up a 4'5 @ 37.5L vs. a 4'7 @ 41L.

Went down to a little board, too much paddling....but usual spot a fair ways out. Went back up to 4'8 47L. I'll be sticking with that.
I'm 80kgs. All horses for courses though....

How does she pump at that volume ?

I can pump 2 waves, occasionally 3. Im sure a smaller board would be easier.....but paddle power is my premium. Trick is to work our what's most important to u.....or finding that happy medium

Select to expand quote

stevet73 said..
Went down to a little board, too much paddling....but usual spot a fair ways out. Went back up to 4'8 47L. I'll be sticking with that.
I'm 80kgs. All horses for courses though....

I'm thinking of ording a custom Amundson or ? that would solve two issues I have. Would love some thoughts from you all. I'm middle aged, slowing down due to injuries etc., 86kg. Haven't linked any waves yet, but working on my pump technique to where I can go a hundred feet back if there isn't too much current.
1. Winter surf here in NorCal is a bit junky and tends to heave a fair amount, so I go back to my old 5'6" Amundson Iwa Bird which is about 42 litres. It is a surf board shape so it feels familiar on take off's (I still surf a fair amount) and allows me to surf the wave out if need be to gain control before lifting. My other board is a reworked Appletree V-Pro (4'8" 35ltr) that I took out some of the V in the nose and created more nose rocker to help keep it in the wave longer and to keep it from being so directional on whitewater water take-offs. It works fine on easy rollers, but lifts much quicker and with less control- perhaps in part due to flat tail rocker, or stiffer construction, or shorter length making my swing to pop up less natural (have to pull myself forward, then pop up.) Anyway, it's not good for me when the conditions are more challenging as I've never felt balanced on it.
2. It's often shallow. The 42 litres keeps me at about navel high sitting, and higher if laying down, so I hit the rock bottom far less. The approx. 35 litres has me sitting a few inches deeper, so the foil is hitting bottom a lot.

Anyone found a size and shape that might fit the bill?

Select to expand quote

frenchfoiler said..
At 1m70/73kg I have 4'3 x 19 - 30L and 4'6 x 18 - 32L

I like to have the same volume as my shortboard.

The thing that matters a lot is the box. Some brands put it forward and others more at the back and regarding your foil it can or can't work.
If you go custom, you need to talk about it with the shaper.

Gofoil, Axis, Takuma work better far back.
Unifoil, Sign, Lift, Army work better way forward (at least for the small front wing).

Not necessarily. These HA armie wings a lot of guys are running them a fair way back in the box. I personally don't but a lot do. It's all changing man and it's doing my head in lol.

Select to expand quote

kobo said..
Over last couple of years started on 5'10 then 5'2 now 4'8 @ 35 lts Wondering what others have settled on as the Goldilocks size board for their weight. I'm not sure if I should go as low as 4.0 @ 27 lts ?

I would be going the 35 litre for sure if I was you. I'm on a Armstrong FG 4"10 now 39 litres and I'm between 90 & 95 kgs ??. But I still like my Sunova 5"0 42litres. If you go that 3 to 4 litres to small it can be a bitch to get them small wave with no volume.??

Select to expand quote

Mr Soft Serve said..

kobo said..
Over last couple of years started on 5'10 then 5'2 now 4'8 @ 35 lts Wondering what others have settled on as the Goldilocks size board for their weight. I'm not sure if I should go as low as 4.0 @ 27 lts ?

I would be going the 35 litre for sure if I was you. I'm on a Armstrong FG 4"10 now 39 litres and I'm between 90 & 95 kgs ??. But I still like my Sunova 5"0 42litres. If you go that 3 to 4 litres to small it can be a bitch to get them small wave with no volume.??

I'm on Army 4'5 now but that's as low as I want to go. Think the 4.8 was the best

Select to expand quote

kobo said..

Mr Soft Serve said..

kobo said..
Over last couple of years started on 5'10 then 5'2 now 4'8 @ 35 lts Wondering what others have settled on as the Goldilocks size board for their weight. I'm not sure if I should go as low as 4.0 @ 27 lts ?

I would be going the 35 litre for sure if I was you. I'm on a Armstrong FG 4"10 now 39 litres and I'm between 90 & 95 kgs ??. But I still like my Sunova 5"0 42litres. If you go that 3 to 4 litres to small it can be a bitch to get them small wave with no volume.??

I'm on Army 4'5 now but that's as low as I want to go. Think the 4.8 was the best

I think we might have to take up smoking ?? it might be cheaper