What's your ideal 3-board surf quiver? Interested in the specific models/size but also what the roles are that the 3 boards would play.

Kind of tricky cause of stability, like i can see small wave/daily driver/gun, but are they all at your edge in terms of balance? How do you mix shortboard/longboard in? cheers

Mine. 10 ft log great for flat water but can surf it in small stuff ( Stonker)

Naish Hokua 9-6" great for when it's 4-6 ft and solid

Naish 7' Crossover, great in small stuff and turns on a dime. Got the foil n wing/windsurfing option as well . Fits in the back of the Ute too.

9,11 ,Insane big surf ,
8,10 custom wider insane when it's biggish
8'8 flow small to middy ,hic.
all sunova's

As I only go out in clean-ish conditions (I hate wind and chop, and as I am retired, I have the luxury to wait), and I'd rather shortboard than longboard, here is what I would keep in my quiver for my 97kg:

A small/weak wave board: Either a Gong Fatal 7'3" 105L or a Gong Mob 7'6" Cool 120L. Hard to decide currently: the Fatal is lighter and nimbler (5.4kg with pad) but the Mob (7,4kg with pad, flatter rocker) paddles faster and glides easily into the wave due to its volume and shape (I can take off nearly as early as with my 9'0"). I am thinking of a custom mixing the best of both in the future? I currently use the Mob with crowds (to chase peaks out of reach of the crowd), the Fatal without, so I can position myself on the better peaks.

A wave board for clean conditions: My Gong Alley 7'8" 105L (ideally a bit more volume to be less tiring and stay longer on the water - I have thus a custom one on the way: 7'10" x 114L). A light board really shines for this program (5.2 kg for the 7'8" with pad).

A wave board for messy conditions (or bigger ones, in Hossegor beach breaks bigger waves means a lot of water movements): My Gong Alley 8'1" 120L. A bit more weight is then useful for these conditions (7.2kg with pad). But I am not a big wave rider, double overhead is my limit.

Notes:

Also, as I get older, (62 yo now), I need a minimum width. Under 29" is not worth the trouble for me currently.

For most people, as a 3 boards quiver, I'd advise in Gong: Mob cool / Karmen / NFA for places with generally slow waves, and Mob Rad / Alley / Zero for places with faster waves.

And of course, all with Quobba fins!

How I would structure a 3 board quiver if I was in the market now:

Performance Longboard - Kalama
Use in small waves, big waves, mostly points, high tide reef and beach breaks, flat water paddles with the mrs etc. Can surf it aggressively or smoothly depending on fins, mood and conditions.

Wide Surf shape - Sunova SP25, JL Worldwide
Use in slightly steeper / faster waves, reefs, lower tide beach breaks - But still only up to around head high or just over. And in Rough Water. Oversize the board slightly for the stability gains and the extra outline curve will still allow easy turns etc

Step Up - JL Stun Gun
Use in OH+ (and for the Bells 50 year storm invitational hahah).

I don't own any of the 4 boards I mentioned (used to own a WW), I currently have a custom Sunova Longboard HP, a Smik Hipster Twin and a Sunova One. All i'd need to do to have basically the same quiver really is change the Sunova One for a JL Stun Gun and i'm there.

If I was creating a new SUP quiver for me today, i'd likely just have 2 longboard Sups - one at 9' and one at 10'. Both performance based , not traditional logs. 10ft for below OH waves / cruising and a 9ft one for OH+ and ripping (If it's 2xOH+ i'm not SUPing anyway - rather be prone surfing). They'd also be based off the same board, so there's no need to get familiar with a 'new' board every second surf.

9'1 Sunova Acid
7'11 Sunova Speeed
7'5 ECS Slab

1) Speed in waves with less push or fast small good waves, performance longboard. Infinity new deal 9'x26 93 liters. Use for flatwater occasionally. I don't have much in the way of longboard style or moves though.

2) Performance sup/all arounder, vol. ratio around 1.2 and as short and narrow as I can reasonably paddle. Custom L41 7'6x26.25 80 liters swallow tail. This board is a little more biased for average waves due to its wider hybrid nose and tail which makes it a good compromise for my ability.

3) Stability board/Big wave board. Winter step up for mobility in chasing down outside bombs or moving out of the way. Also works well in choppy medium surf. Custom L41 8'4x26.25 90 liters with a bit more rocker curve and round pin.

I could use any of these as a 1 board quiver, but use the 7'6 as my travel board when I can bring only 1.

I have a one board quiver! For a reason,I struggle to go from one to another ,but admire anyone who can ride more than one board ,Apologies for going of topic.

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justaddwater said..
I have a one board quiver! For a reason,I struggle to go from one to another ,but admire anyone who can ride more than one board ,Apologies for going of topic.

I hear ya- I am hesitant to lose my balance training by using my larger board and with big tide swings most days have mush and steep in same session so I just grab same one. Also I surf first light usually, no check just go

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slsurf said..
1) Speed in waves with less push or fast small good waves, performance longboard. Infinity new deal 9'x26 93 liters. Use for flatwater occasionally. I don't have much in the way of longboard style or moves though.

2) Performance sup/all arounder, vol. ratio around 1.2 and as short and narrow as I can reasonably paddle. Custom L41 7'6x26.25 80 liters swallow tail. This board is a little more biased for average waves due to its wider hybrid nose and tail which makes it a good compromise for my ability.

3) Stability board/Big wave board. Winter step up for mobility in chasing down outside bombs or moving out of the way. Also works well in choppy medium surf. Custom L41 8'4x26.25 90 liters with a bit more rocker curve and round pin.

I could use any of these as a 1 board quiver, but use the 7'6 as my travel board when I can bring only 1.

I'm gonna have a similar quiver if you include stealing board I got for wife.
9x28 New Deal - hopefully arrives next week. Actually figured I'd use this on bigger days when moving water is issue and I want faster paddle back outside

8x28 Blurr V2, waist to overhead, go to board. So fun on wave but is a workout when rough or bigger

8x29.5 JL Worldwide small wave board or if S winds are blowing and it's a mess. Really fun board.

ideal quiver would maybe be a stun gun or bigger Blurr for the bigger wave board, and maybe a smaller small wave board, like a 7-7 95L

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Hoppo3228 said..
How I would structure a 3 board quiver if I was in the market now:

Performance Longboard - Kalama
Use in small waves, big waves, mostly points, high tide reef and beach breaks, flat water paddles with the mrs etc. Can surf it aggressively or smoothly depending on fins, mood and conditions.

Wide Surf shape - Sunova SP25, JL Worldwide
Use in slightly steeper / faster waves, reefs, lower tide beach breaks - But still only up to around head high or just over. And in Rough Water. Oversize the board slightly for the stability gains and the extra outline curve will still allow easy turns etc

Step Up - JL Stun Gun
Use in OH+ (and for the Bells 50 year storm invitational hahah).

I don't own any of the 4 boards I mentioned (used to own a WW), I currently have a custom Sunova Longboard HP, a Smik Hipster Twin and a Sunova One. All i'd need to do to have basically the same quiver really is change the Sunova One for a JL Stun Gun and i'm there.

If I was creating a new SUP quiver for me today, i'd likely just have 2 longboard Sups - one at 9' and one at 10'. Both performance based , not traditional logs. 10ft for below OH waves / cruising and a 9ft one for OH+ and ripping (If it's 2xOH+ i'm not SUPing anyway - rather be prone surfing). They'd also be based off the same board, so there's no need to get familiar with a 'new' board every second surf.

I wanna try a hipster twin, among other boards on list. Just met a guy who has one in US, small custom, loves it

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colas said..
As I only go out in clean-ish conditions (I hate wind and chop, and as I am retired, I have the luxury to wait), and I'd rather shortboard than longboard, here is what I would keep in my quiver for my 97kg

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For me, work/family makes it so I can get 2 sessions per week, but I can usually be choosy about which days and go at dawn, so I can miss a lot of the rough stuff.

Kalama 9.2 X30
Infinity 8/2 x 32" Speed
Sunova 8/5 Flow 2

perfect quiver for me

Hi all, well I have two out of three, I am working on the good wife/waiting for the right time to strike to add the third

First up the Naish Nalu 10x29...





I like it so much when I snapped on in punchy overhead surf I brought another that day. The bigger it gets the better this board goes, not the most stable if the water is moving around too much though.

Second board, a custom SMIK mini Style lord, custom for someone else but just what I was looking for, 9'1" x 31 130ltr. Good stability will catch just about anything, fast and responsive. If I could only have one board it would be this, I have not had it in summer slop yet so that brings me to my wanted/needed third board.


A SMIK Hipster Twin 8'6" x 31.5 134 ltr. I could go for the 8'3" but I still like life to be comfortable waiting out the back. I am going to demo the 8'6" soon and that will help me figure out which size to go for.

Steve.

I always will keep my sunova speed 8.10..130 L...for when im lazy or unsure of the conditions...
Then my 8.5 infinity blurr v2 121L when conditions are good.

And my sunova custom longboard 10x29 @ 127 L for the rest.

Honestly those 3 boards cover most of my needs or conditions.

3 is not enough!!!

Although I've not been SUP Surfing that much, I have 2 boards in my quiver: Blurr v2 7.8 x 25.5 (79 L) and Blurr v2 7.11 x 27.5 (90 L). I'm 1,80 m and around 75 kgs. The 7.8 is perfect for one spot I usually surf that has easy conditions and stable for its dimension, but since I'm not been SUP surfing that much I need more volume for the bigger surf or messy conditions. That's why I have the 7.11. It's perfect for the winter session in punchy pointbreaks and beachbreaks with lots of water moving and very competitive crowd (if the banks are good, guys like Kanoa Igarashi, former WSL surfers Frederico Morais and Tiago Pires). So I need to focus on incoming sets and other surfers and not be wooried about balance.

As a third board, I would say a New Deal 9'0 x 26" (or even 28"), but I have my eyes on the new Infinity Escape Pod (very short and fat twin fin, that guys like Bernd Roediger are riding) and that will be in production in 2024 (hopefully earlier). Would be fun to ride in weak surf, but also in some long perfect lines

I have an infinity 8.2 blurr v2, for clean conditions, as its agile but quite tippy. I have an 8.4 Sunova Flow, for choppier conditions, as it is quite stable, even though the dimensions are close to the V2. It's quite similar to the Smik spitfire V1, but the rails are much sharper, which is what I wanted. I have a Steller ozx 8.5 which is my big wave board, at 31' wide 112ltr. Very stable and fast paddler. But selling as not going to risk going out in big surf as age and sense are getting the better of me. So for me a 2 board quiver works ok.

I'm happy with my 3 board quiver to cover most conditions on the sunny coast, all purchased second hand:

8'0 JP surf pro for the clean hollow fast waves (101L)

7'10 hipster twin for the fat lumpy waves (108L)

7'0 naish raptor for the tiny waves (95L)

for me, a two board quiver would do it... right now i have:

Kalama 9'2 - covers probably 80% of the surfing i want to do since it can noseride but still be really playful
Jimmy Lewis Destroyer 8'5 - was my quiver of one before i bought the Kalama

now i'm thinking i want to sell the Destroyer and find a board around 8' with a pulled in nose for when it's glassy smallish and i want to whip the board around... Infinity B-Line 8'2 or Jimmy Lewis Super Frank 8' (had the 8'6x32 which was too big for me) or if they were avail in the US the Smik Hipster Twin or Gong Karmen

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drivethebus said..
Hi all, well I have two out of three, I am working on the good wife/waiting for the right time to strike to add the third

First up the Naish Nalu 10x29...





I like it so much when I snapped on in punchy overhead surf I brought another that day. The bigger it gets the better this board goes, not the most stable if the water is moving around too much though.

Second board, a custom SMIK mini Style lord, custom for someone else but just what I was looking for, 9'1" x 31 130ltr. Good stability will catch just about anything, fast and responsive. If I could only have one board it would be this, I have not had it in summer slop yet so that brings me to my wanted/needed third board.


A SMIK Hipster Twin 8'6" x 31.5 134 ltr. I could go for the 8'3" but I still like life to be comfortable waiting out the back. I am going to demo the 8'6" soon and that will help me figure out which size to go for.

Steve.

It's interesting as Supboarder's Beau Nixon really didn't like the Naish much at all but he said it's probably more suited to bigger down the line swells and not smaller weaker waves that he tested it in. I think your post backs that up 100 per cent.

4 board quiver old 10ft Atlantis runway 8 11 Striker 9 mini style lord 8 5 Sunova flow original version

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Daveb27 said..
I have an infinity 8.2 blurr v2, for clean conditions, as its agile but quite tippy. I have an 8.4 Sunova Flow, for choppier conditions, as it is quite stable, even though the dimensions are close to the V2. It's quite similar to the Smik spitfire V1, but the rails are much sharper, which is what I wanted. I have a Steller ozx 8.5 which is my big wave board, at 31' wide 112ltr. Very stable and fast paddler. But selling as not going to risk going out in big surf as age and sense are getting the better of me. So for me a 2 board quiver works ok.

My surf buddy has the Flow v2 so I'm used to seeing those boards together:)

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Supnorte said..
3 is not enough!!!

Although I've not been SUP Surfing that much, I have 2 boards in my quiver: Blurr v2 7.8 x 25.5 (79 L) and Blurr v2 7.11 x 27.5 (90 L). I'm 1,80 m and around 75 kgs. The 7.8 is perfect for one spot I usually surf that has easy conditions and stable for its dimension, but since I'm not been SUP surfing that much I need more volume for the bigger surf or messy conditions. That's why I have the 7.11. It's perfect for the winter session in punchy pointbreaks and beachbreaks with lots of water moving and very competitive crowd (if the banks are good, guys like Kanoa Igarashi, former WSL surfers Frederico Morais and Tiago Pires). So I need to focus on incoming sets and other surfers and not be wooried about balance.

As a third board, I would say a New Deal 9'0 x 26" (or even 28"), but I have my eyes on the new Infinity Escape Pod (very short and fat twin fin, that guys like Bernd Roediger are riding) and that will be in production in 2024 (hopefully earlier). Would be fun to ride in weak surf, but also in some long perfect lines

I'd drop in on Kanoa and smoke him like Italo did at Trestles:) can't imagine SUP'ing within a 100 miles of a CT surfer and glad I only compete with sea lions
that Escape Pod looks so cool, I want that or RNB for small wave board, but production RNB jumps like 87-98 L and I thing I need in between

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mike3217 said..
4 board quiver old 10ft Atlantis runway 8 11 Striker 9 mini style lord 8 5 Sunova flow original version

Drooling! I surfed my JL yesterday, great board

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nShoreSlider said..
for me, a two board quiver would do it... right now i have:

Kalama 9'2 - covers probably 80% of the surfing i want to do since it can noseride but still be really playful
Jimmy Lewis Destroyer 8'5 - was my quiver of one before i bought the Kalama

now i'm thinking i want to sell the Destroyer and find a board around 8' with a pulled in nose for when it's glassy smallish and i want to whip the board around... Infinity B-Line 8'2 or Jimmy Lewis Super Frank 8' (had the 8'6x32 which was too big for me) or if they were avail in the US the Smik Hipster Twin or Gong Karmen

I'm intrigued by B line, I think my JL Worldwide same genre of outline but Bline has thin rails and way more rocker, I see G Gomez SUPing again at ISA excited for video

Kalama 10/28 everyday
kalama 9'2/30 for rougher conditions
kalama 9/28 if I lose 5kg
totally covered for all conditions

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Slab said..

drivethebus said..
Hi all, well I have two out of three, I am working on the good wife/waiting for the right time to strike to add the third

First up the Naish Nalu 10x29...





I like it so much when I snapped on in punchy overhead surf I brought another that day. The bigger it gets the better this board goes, not the most stable if the water is moving around too much though.

Second board, a custom SMIK mini Style lord, custom for someone else but just what I was looking for, 9'1" x 31 130ltr. Good stability will catch just about anything, fast and responsive. If I could only have one board it would be this, I have not had it in summer slop yet so that brings me to my wanted/needed third board.


A SMIK Hipster Twin 8'6" x 31.5 134 ltr. I could go for the 8'3" but I still like life to be comfortable waiting out the back. I am going to demo the 8'6" soon and that will help me figure out which size to go for.

Steve.

It's interesting as Supboarder's Beau Nixon really didn't like the Naish much at all but he said it's probably more suited to bigger down the line swells and not smaller weaker waves that he tested it in. I think your post backs that up 100 per cent.

Hi Slab, I watched those reviews thinking that even though the dimensions of the boards are the same as is the colour, that my board is the same as the previous model. Beau talks about the sharpness of the rails and the boxiness of them, my board seems to have a more rounded and softer edge compared to what they show in the review.

I also have possibly 20 kg's on Beau so that could also be a factor, as is the large difference in our surfing ability The footage of Beau surfing would be the worst possible type of waves for this board. I find it will catch any ripple going, but the more power the better. My favourite local beach break packs a lot of punch, and will make the most of any swell going. When it's head high or above the 10x29 Naish comes to life.

So if the swell is over a metre I will take the Naish, under that the SMIK is that little more versatile.

I was planning to take the Naish this morning and try it as single fin and a thruster but a head cold is kicking me down at the moment, so maybe next week.

Steve.

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drivethebus said..

Slab said..

drivethebus said..
Hi all, well I have two out of three, I am working on the good wife/waiting for the right time to strike to add the third

First up the Naish Nalu 10x29...





I like it so much when I snapped on in punchy overhead surf I brought another that day. The bigger it gets the better this board goes, not the most stable if the water is moving around too much though.

Second board, a custom SMIK mini Style lord, custom for someone else but just what I was looking for, 9'1" x 31 130ltr. Good stability will catch just about anything, fast and responsive. If I could only have one board it would be this, I have not had it in summer slop yet so that brings me to my wanted/needed third board.


A SMIK Hipster Twin 8'6" x 31.5 134 ltr. I could go for the 8'3" but I still like life to be comfortable waiting out the back. I am going to demo the 8'6" soon and that will help me figure out which size to go for.

Steve.

It's interesting as Supboarder's Beau Nixon really didn't like the Naish much at all but he said it's probably more suited to bigger down the line swells and not smaller weaker waves that he tested it in. I think your post backs that up 100 per cent.

Hi Slab, I watched those reviews thinking that even though the dimensions of the boards are the same as is the colour, that my board is the same as the previous model. Beau talks about the sharpness of the rails and the boxiness of them, my board seems to have a more rounded and softer edge compared to what they show in the review.

I also have possibly 20 kg's on Beau so that could also be a factor, as is the large difference in our surfing ability The footage of Beau surfing would be the worst possible type of waves for this board. I find it will catch any ripple going, but the more power the better. My favourite local beach break packs a lot of punch, and will make the most of any swell going. When it's head high or above the 10x29 Naish comes to life.

So if the swell is over a metre I will take the Naish, under that the SMIK is that little more versatile.

I was planning to take the Naish this morning and try it as single fin and a thruster but a head cold is kicking me down at the moment, so maybe next week.

Steve.

Your custom SMIK looks a perfect board for me..a do everything

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Slab said..

drivethebus said..

Slab said..

drivethebus said..
Hi all, well I have two out of three, I am working on the good wife/waiting for the right time to strike to add the third

First up the Naish Nalu 10x29...





I like it so much when I snapped on in punchy overhead surf I brought another that day. The bigger it gets the better this board goes, not the most stable if the water is moving around too much though.

Second board, a custom SMIK mini Style lord, custom for someone else but just what I was looking for, 9'1" x 31 130ltr. Good stability will catch just about anything, fast and responsive. If I could only have one board it would be this, I have not had it in summer slop yet so that brings me to my wanted/needed third board.


A SMIK Hipster Twin 8'6" x 31.5 134 ltr. I could go for the 8'3" but I still like life to be comfortable waiting out the back. I am going to demo the 8'6" soon and that will help me figure out which size to go for.

Steve.

It's interesting as Supboarder's Beau Nixon really didn't like the Naish much at all but he said it's probably more suited to bigger down the line swells and not smaller weaker waves that he tested it in. I think your post backs that up 100 per cent.

Hi Slab, I watched those reviews thinking that even though the dimensions of the boards are the same as is the colour, that my board is the same as the previous model. Beau talks about the sharpness of the rails and the boxiness of them, my board seems to have a more rounded and softer edge compared to what they show in the review.

I also have possibly 20 kg's on Beau so that could also be a factor, as is the large difference in our surfing ability The footage of Beau surfing would be the worst possible type of waves for this board. I find it will catch any ripple going, but the more power the better. My favourite local beach break packs a lot of punch, and will make the most of any swell going. When it's head high or above the 10x29 Naish comes to life.

So if the swell is over a metre I will take the Naish, under that the SMIK is that little more versatile.

I was planning to take the Naish this morning and try it as single fin and a thruster but a head cold is kicking me down at the moment, so maybe next week.

Steve.

Your custom SMIK looks a perfect board for me..a do everything

Yes mate, I have not found a type of wave yet that it does not go well in, that said not had it in good clean, fast, powerful overhead surf yet.

I normally stumble my way towards the nose of longboards, but the SMIK is super stable up front, makes it very easy. And it surfs off the tail so well, the Naish has stayed on the rack for the last few months.

I had to take some time to consider this.... 3 isn't enough for me, but I'll play
I am 74 and 103 kg

1 - GenRation 8'8 SP25.
it simply rips.... no thinking, no effort.
I feel like a kid again on this board.

2 - 9'5 SP25.
My big board that makes every session easy and I can surf it for hours
Fast, snappy and stupid stable....
(These two edged out the 9'6 Kanga, both being faster and snappier and still comfort boards)
3 - 9'4 Flow V2.
This board wasn't on my list a few weeks ago.
It was ok, but it had some issues that made me always choose the 9'5 SP25.
Enter Quobba Fins
With the Quobba fins, this board is so close to taking second spot that I really had to watch hours of video to compare it with the 9'5 SP25.
Still not sure which one will win.... I will have to have one session with both of them.


these can't be left home...
8'10 Placid for when it is a little too wonky for the 8'8 SP25 and I still want something short
12' Pointbreak for all flat-water or long treks to surf remote points

Morning Rick. Great video. Too early here in South Africa for beer n chips but it went well with coffee.
A while back you gave me some advice about a 8.5 Speeed which I bought and absolutely love.
A Casey Flow. 8.4 has become available in Cape Town and I'd love your opinion on that to compliment the Speeed.
70 kg, 65 yrs old and mainly ride head high to bigger pretty fast hollow beach break.
The advice I seek is person specific but others may find your input interesting.
cheers
Tanna.
ps. I can't find the pm you sent me years ago re my Speeed questions