Any one have any advice on best option for me?, I'm coming down from a 10.5 x 32 and looking at jp wide body 8'2, starboard pocket rocket and naish le32 8'3. I'm 73kg and very competent on the 10.5 as well as short and longboards. I'm being steered towards jp by a couple of shops due to speed but would like another opinion, I'm going to demo in around a months time..cheers
Hi Loz, I'm 76kg and have been on the JP for a few months. I've prone surfed for about five years but only took up SUP surfing when I got the JP. I will say that it does seem to be a very tough board which I am happy about. It is very stable, and though I have been thinking about getting something a bit more performance oriented, I was out yesterday in lumpy onshore conditions and I appreciated the extra stability. I'm thinking I'll probably hang on to it, as it can surf well and the extra width/flotation means I can paddle it around in the harbour for some cruising. However, if you're really wanting to shred, you may be better off with something a bit thinner
Thanks Gus, the width is def something I'm also looking at, I'm hanging on to the 10'5 so will still have a cruising/small wave sup, we don't get much surf up here above shoulder height and not too many really clean days. How do you find the wide body for turning?, do you have to slide your feet around a lot?
Well I've taken that board out in overhead waves and it handles them, so the wave size you're looking at shouldn't be a problem.
As for turning, as it's the only sup I've surfed on, my perspective isn't too informed. What I will say is that it helps to have your back foot right up the back of the pad, and you really need to be doing a pivoting motion - however, once you're doing that it turns quite sharp. I do run smaller than stock fins as well. If you're going down the line, you notice the extra width when you're trying to turn as you would on a surfboard and it doesn't do that very well, but with that back foot in the right place you can throw a big pivot turn / cutback pretty easily
At only 76 kg, the Naish X32 boards are really too big for you. They are made for heavier people like 90kg and up. The Poket Rocket is a great fun board. Especially if the surf you go out in is as you say and not all that big. Have you thought about the JP 8'10" Surf Pro? Its 30" wide, very stable, paddles well and surfs awesome and can handle any size surf from ankle high to well overhead.
