Hi there,

I am 5'2" and approximately 55 kg (120 lb), and am interested in taking the plunge in purchasing my first SUP.

I had a chance to try out a few during two lessons, including a 10'4" Surftech, a Starboard, a 11' NSP and a 12' race board. The NSP felt great on flatwater and seemed to glide well. However, I'm not certain the size is a good fit. It was a tad difficult to manoeuvre in choppier conditions, though this might be due to a lack of skill at the moment.

Most likely paddling in flatwater and choppier conditions. Hoping to progress and be comfortable in small waves. I would like something to grow into, but I'm aware that a second board might be on the horizon.

What would you recommend? I am considering:
- 2012 BIC ACS 9'4" x 27.5" @ 30 lbs
- 2012 BIC ACS 10'4" x 31" @ 35 lbs
- used 2011 NSP 11' x 32" @ 28 lbs (about 30% off retail price)
- other suggestions are welcome

Thanks!

Welcome to The Breeze.. I don't know much about the Bic boards but I'm sure they're very good.. I do know about the NSP's and IMO they are excellent.. They are a great all- round board with good resale value.. They even surf pretty good.

DJ

Thanks DavidJohn!

Should I be more concerned about the dimensions and volume of the board relative to my own size? Do very stable and rigid boards help or hinder the learning curve?

I've just seen the BIC range up close earlier today...finish and construction on them looks excellent and they're lighter than you would expect (at least the Ace-Tec is) The Ace-tec construction with an ABS over glass looks good and tough. Prices are competitive too. Well worth considering - there's a thread on here somewhere from last year where AA rates them highly.

At your size I would be looking at a 10.0 nsp. Fantastic construction, lovely paddler and excellent in the surf.
IMO you should visit a dealer or contact GSI and chase a better retail price on a new 10.0.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm leaning towards the 10'6" BIC, and am considering upgrading to the lighter Ace-Tec series... decision swayed after thinking about how I'll be hoisting it up to the roof of my car. Emailed a dealer to see if they have any left in stock.

Booked a rental for the weekend and will see if they carry one or something similar in the 10' range.

My wife (5'8" 65kg) has the 10'4" BIC ACS and its a great, tough (plastic) construction and ideal for a first board. I'm 6'3" 100kgs and can paddle it fine too. Downside is that they are bloody heavy, she finds it really difficult to carry any real distance and getting it onto the roof of her car (small 4WD) is tricky for her. Just sayin'

You are very tiny....would suggest that the starboard pocket rocket would be just as stable & good to learn on as a starboard whopper would be to us bigger boned people.
....Forget those big boards....they would float 3 of you

One concern is definitely the weight. The BIC Ace-TEc is about 9 lbs lighter than the ACS series. One dealer is sold out, but my fingers are crossed for a second store I found.

A second consideration would be glide for lake paddling. Will I loose a lot of tracking on the 8'5" Starboard Pocket Rocket?

we bought the BIC strictly as a 'learners board' but now that my wife has progressed she will soon be upgrading to a lighter, narrower board for better flatwater cruising (and so she can lift it more easily). I'm not sure where you are based but I'm sure theres plenty of 2nd hand options out there?

Found a store that sells both the 10' x 29" NSP and the 10'6" x 29" NSP. These two are my top choices right now. A "used-once" board was only 5% off retail, so I'll most likely get a brand new one.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! Really helped with narrowing down my choices and understanding the sizing.

Update: Purchased a 10' NSP and am super excited!

Select to expand quote

ninthpt said...

Update: Purchased a 10' NSP and am super excited!

Nice one to get your quiver started, you'll enjoy it. Now don't skimp on paddle, buy the best and lightest one you can afford.

The good news is that there are 2 more advanced performance models coming soon that mean that you don't need to go to another brand when you're looking to move ahead. One of the new Coco mat boards will be one of the lightest, strongest production boards on the market.

Will be here for Summer, you guys are going to like this!