Hey Guys,

I'm looking to add to my quiver a small wave performance board and have narrowed it to a few boards.

Sunova Flow - 8'10"
JL Super Frank - 8'6" lean
Infinity RNB or B Line - 8'5" / 8'8"

I'm usually between 105-108kg... trying to get down! haha

The board will be mostly for everyday conditions (beach/point mostly with the occasional reef break). Surfing up to about 1.5x OH.

I have owned a Sunova Speed / Creek / Skate and JL World Wide and all weren't really what I was looking for... the JL was the closest to what I like.

Has anybody surfed a couple of them to offer a comparison? It's basically impossible to get a demo down here in Vic for these boards.

Cheers.,

I have had an Infinity RNB 8'8 for a few months now.

Bloody quick and really loose, very stable paddler, I am currently running 'The Blur' 3D Quads.

Super tough and light construction as well.

The thread from when I first bought the board and subsequent tests in varying conditions is below, Im sure if you searched Infinity it will come up.

You won't be disappointed, I can see if I can put you in touch with someone who can hook you up, just flick me a message.

When I say below I mean in the forum

Ripper vids Hilly, don't know why I never noticed it before but your footwork is interesting, I have been struggling of late but noticed you have your back foot on the inside of the rail and it then moves around with the turns.

Reckon I will give that a go on the weekend.

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Souwester said..
Ripper vids Hilly, don't know why I never noticed it before but your footwork is interesting, I have been struggling of late but noticed you have your back foot on the inside of the rail and it then moves around with the turns.

Reckon I will give that a go on the weekend.

Souwester,
moving the back foot towards the inside rail at the end of a snap/turn brings the board around so much easier. Once you 'get' it, you'll never not do it.

Thanks for the info on the RNB.

Hilly,
Thanks for the vids etc. pumping in the first one!

Board will be more for conditions like the 2nd video - size wise. But mostly fatter conditions - think rolling points or high tide reefs... I did originally think about including the Hipster Twin as it sounded exactly like what i'm looking for....fast and drivey... but have heard mixed reports on durability of the boards. I also asked my local Smik dealer for a demo and they said no...they don't have any demo's... I know you were very much a Sunova guy (prevously JL), but now are all over Smik... I guess there is a reason for that - obviously Scotty's shapes work.

What size are you on and what does it weigh? Thanks mate

8 5 x 30 120 ish litres weight not sure but super light. Have not weighed it but comfortably lighter than Sunova and JL boards I have had. Durability is great only issue is paddle chips in paint which rail saver fixes.

Maybe look at the Sunova Flash? Im 95-100Kg and ride the 9'0. I surf it in similar conditions to what you describe and I love it.

I would add the Acid to the list. I am lighter than you (95 kg), but if you are considering the 8'10 Flow then maybe the 9'1 Acid (I ride the 9'1 125L when it is pretty choppy and the 8'10 115L the rest of the time). I just love the way they ride. I had an 8'7 Flow (and have an 8'10 and 8'8 Speed, and 8'9 2nd hand custom Flash) - all great boards, but I love the acid.

The acid is a bit longer than the boards with the same volume, but the sharp rails, tail, thin nose, and thin profile make it work for me.

Where are you in Vicco? I am on the mornington peninsula. You can give my 8'10 and 9'1 a spin, and the flash if you want.

Also, pm Tardy - he has tried the Flow, Creek and Acid and he is 98 kg. He is an Acid convert, but he can share his pros and cons.

I own a SMIK and an Infinity.
Try to demo and see what you like!

yo hoppo.I really can only comment on the 130 flow ,it is quite a good board in small surf ,has good speed .
it will surf similar to your 9 creek .having a similar rocker .

but as CSE, said i found the 9,1 acid ,it turns much sharper ..and is amazing in small surf ,it maybe too small for you ,the 9,1 ??

i was considering the bigger 9,4 for small waves also .they seem long ,but they have great performance .if you like snappy turns .

you know how wide boards get a little edgie in the steep pocket ,these acids just sit right in there .its the hip and rounded pin

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Souwester said..
Ripper vids Hilly, don't know why I never noticed it before but your footwork is interesting, I have been struggling of late but noticed you have your back foot on the inside of the rail and it then moves around with the turns.

Reckon I will give that a go on the weekend.

As Southwester has indicated foot movement is vital to surfing a sup. You need to engage the rail and the best way to do that is to weight it up as much as possible and then transfer for the top turn. Then repeat. Small narrow sups not so much. You hear people saying put you foot right back, that only works if you are going fast and in a steep part of the wave. Speed, trim and weighting the rail are more important for rail to rail surfing than have the back foot as far back as possible.

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hilly said..

Souwester said..
Ripper vids Hilly, don't know why I never noticed it before but your footwork is interesting, I have been struggling of late but noticed you have your back foot on the inside of the rail and it then moves around with the turns.

Reckon I will give that a go on the weekend.

As Southwester has indicated foot movement is vital to surfing a sup. You need to engage the rail and the best way to do that is to weight it up as much as possible and then transfer for the top turn. Then repeat. Small narrow sups not so much. You hear people saying put you foot right back, that only works if you are going fast and in a steep part of the wave. Speed, trim and weighting the rail are more important for rail to rail surfing than have the back foot as far back as possible.

so true ......I have found line dancing has improved my SUPing ...

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Tardy said..
so true ......I have found line dancing has improved my SUPing ...

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cbigsup said..
I own a SMIK and an Infinity.
Try to demo and see what you like!

I'd love to but unfortunately not an option. No stockist of Infinity in my state and the 2 Smik shops don't have demo's...

Grrrr!

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cantSUPenough said..
I would add the Acid to the list. I am lighter than you (95 kg), but if you are considering the 8'10 Flow then maybe the 9'1 Acid (I ride the 9'1 125L when it is pretty choppy and the 8'10 115L the rest of the time). I just love the way they ride. I had an 8'7 Flow (and have an 8'10 and 8'8 Speed, and 8'9 2nd hand custom Flash) - all great boards, but I love the acid.

The acid is a bit longer than the boards with the same volume, but the sharp rails, tail, thin nose, and thin profile make it work for me.

Where are you in Vicco? I am on the mornington peninsula. You can give my 8'10 and 9'1 a spin, and the flash if you want.

Also, pm Tardy - he has tried the Flow, Creek and Acid and he is 98 kg. He is an Acid convert, but he can share his pros and cons.

Thanks CSE, I'm in Torquay.

I think the volume might be a bit low on the Acid's mate.

I'm a bit weary of an Acid, most of the waves I ride are pretty fat, but I don't want to always ride my longboard SUP...i'd like something drivey and snappy. The high rocker of the Acid concerns me for these waves. The reason I didn't like the Speed and Creek was mostly due to the tail rocker.

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Tardy said..
yo hoppo.I really can only comment on the 130 flow ,it is quite a good board in small surf ,has good speed .
it will surf similar to your 9 creek .having a similar rocker .

but as CSE, said i found the 9,1 acid ,it turns much sharper ..and is amazing in small surf ,it maybe too small for you ,the 9,1 ??

i was considering the bigger 9,4 for small waves also .they seem long ,but they have great performance .if you like snappy turns .

you know how wide boards get a little edgie in the steep pocket ,these acids just sit right in there .its the hip and rounded pin

Thanks mate.

As per my comments to CSE, the rocker concerns me on the Acid, especially for fat waves. I totally get it for bowly waves.... Maybe the Flash might be a better compromise...?

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jb1979 said..
Maybe look at the Sunova Flash? Im 95-100Kg and ride the 9'0. I surf it in similar conditions to what you describe and I love it.

Thx JB. Food for thought!

Hi Hoppo
did you try Nalu Surf down your way - i thought they had some demo Smik boards

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SupChickadee said..
Hi Hoppo
did you try Nalu Surf down your way - i thought they had some demo Smik boards

Hi Chickadee, Yes... no demo's...

Hoppo, if you are considering the Acid:
for small waves.....go bigger, not smaller.

My 9'4 Acid is a ripper in small waves because it has enough width and length, to carry great speed with my 106 kg on it.
Speed is key in small waves and the super thin, narrow nose flicks around with ease.
Truth is, the front 8" of any Acid should not be counted in overall length, because they don't amount to a slice of pizza

The rocker works just fine IMO.

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Hoppo3228 said..

Souwester said..
Ripper vids Hilly, don't know why I never noticed it before but your footwork is interesting, I have been struggling of late but noticed you have your back foot on the inside of the rail and it then moves around with the turns.

Reckon I will give that a go on the weekend.

Souwester,
moving the back foot towards the inside rail at the end of a snap/turn brings the board around so much easier. Once you 'get' it, you'll never not do it.

Thanks for the info on the RNB.

Hilly,
Thanks for the vids etc. pumping in the first one!

Board will be more for conditions like the 2nd video - size wise. But mostly fatter conditions - think rolling points or high tide reefs... I did originally think about including the Hipster Twin as it sounded exactly like what i'm looking for....fast and drivey... but have heard mixed reports on durability of the boards. I also asked my local Smik dealer for a demo and they said no...they don't have any demo's... I know you were very much a Sunova guy (prevously JL), but now are all over Smik... I guess there is a reason for that - obviously Scotty's shapes work.

What size are you on and what does it weigh? Thanks mate

There's an 8'10 hipster down at jacks boards (psup)at mornington peninsula if you want to give it a crack

Hoppo I'm in Torquay and have a SMIK 9'5" custom hipster twin which you are welcome to have a go on. I love it.
Pm me.

I am with STC regarding the rocker on the acid. I owned an 8'8 Hokua X32 and I really noticed the rocker on that board. When the wave got too fat I felt like I had a snow plow on front of the board. But I have never felt that on the acid. The nose is light, it gets out of the way on bottom turns, it doesn't catch when you turn to paddle for a wave, and it makes it easy to paddle through breaking/broken waves on the way back out.

I was using C-drive fins, which I really liked, but I have been trying MFC Kai Large and I have been having more fun on the turns. I am torn between the two.

I ride a couple of places where the waves get fat, but I haven't ridden the Torquay area, so I can't comment on how it would go.

Nothing's perfect, of course, and I have not tried the smik boards.

the acid has a rocker right through the board ,which is perfect for small waves ,because you can surf it from the centre almost
which is where you stand on small waves ,walk up the back and your in another ball game .
the flow likes been ridden at the back ..
but i reckon thats why the acid is so good in smaller waves ,they are quite long which is also a bonus in smaller waves ,having the ability to race the little ones by walking up the nose a bit ,it can cut loose at the drop of a hat ...

i had a go on sluggas smik 8,3 .twin .was a bit small for me ,but it certainly can cut loose ..it liked grunty waves .
it really depends what your after .check Berts video on the acid ..it explains the rocker and climbing ability of the rail ...
Its hard to explain till you ride it ,but my flow in small waves you can't ride that high up on the wave as the acid because the flatter rocker pulls you back over the wave ,,or it stalls ,,so with the acid you can ride right near the lip ,because the extra rocker releases the water .
as shown on SUPTHECREEKS vid ..it doesn't get intimated ...it always feels free and loose ,even riding in the middle of the board .

i guess that sums up why i like it .

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Tardy said..
the acid has a rocker right through the board ,which is perfect for small waves ,because you can surf it from the centre almost
which is where you stand on small waves ,walk up the back and your in another ball game .
the flow likes been ridden at the back ..
but i reckon thats why the acid is so good in smaller waves ,they are quite long which is also a bonus in smaller waves ,having the ability to race the little ones by walking up the nose a bit ,it can cut loose at the drop of a hat ...

i had a go on sluggas smik 8,3 .twin .was a bit small for me ,but it certainly can cut loose ..it liked grunty waves .
it really depends what your after .check Berts video on the acid ..it explains the rocker and climbing ability of the rail ...
Its hard to explain till you ride it ,but my flow in small waves you can't ride that high up on the wave as the acid because the flatter rocker pulls you back over the wave ,,or it stalls ,,so with the acid you can ride right near the lip ,because the extra rocker releases the water .
as shown on SUPTHECREEKS vid ..it doesn't get intimated ...it always feels free and loose ,even riding in the middle of the board .

i guess that sums up why i like it .

Tardy I know from a separate thread that you had a flash for a brief period recently and replaced it with the acid.

I'm curious because I really like the flash in all sorts of wave, but now I cant help wondering would the acid be even better?

Id be interested to hear your thoughts on your choices and the differences between the two boards.

FWIW I was coming up to a Maldives trip where I planned to take just one board - at first it was simply a question; which acid will I take (I know, I am spoiled, I have three). But James Casey had promoted the Flash as a bit more forgiving than the Acid, but more fun than the Flow - so a bit more of an all-rounder. I don't know what is unforgiving about the Acid, but then a 2nd hand Flash came up for sale just a 20 minute drive from where I live. So I bought it.

I tried it over (just) three long sessions in a range of conditions and surf size.

I liked it. But nothing jumped out and made me think it was better than the Acid.

But there was one thing.

Out at big left you get some bigger waves (not always steep, they can be big lumps of water - after you catch the wave at the peak) and I love the way the acid can just slice across the face. It may be the fins, as I was often using c-drives, but it has a magical feeling as you cut across the wave; forehand and backhand.

So I took the Acid and I haven't used the Flash since. It is a bargain if anyone wants to buy it!

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jb1979 said..

Tardy said..
the acid has a rocker right through the board ,which is perfect for small waves ,because you can surf it from the centre almost
which is where you stand on small waves ,walk up the back and your in another ball game .
the flow likes been ridden at the back ..
but i reckon thats why the acid is so good in smaller waves ,they are quite long which is also a bonus in smaller waves ,having the ability to race the little ones by walking up the nose a bit ,it can cut loose at the drop of a hat ...

i had a go on sluggas smik 8,3 .twin .was a bit small for me ,but it certainly can cut loose ..it liked grunty waves .
it really depends what your after .check Berts video on the acid ..it explains the rocker and climbing ability of the rail ...
Its hard to explain till you ride it ,but my flow in small waves you can't ride that high up on the wave as the acid because the flatter rocker pulls you back over the wave ,,or it stalls ,,so with the acid you can ride right near the lip ,because the extra rocker releases the water .
as shown on SUPTHECREEKS vid ..it doesn't get intimated ...it always feels free and loose ,even riding in the middle of the board .

i guess that sums up why i like it .

Tardy I know from a separate thread that you had a flash for a brief period recently and replaced it with the acid.

I'm curious because I really like the flash in all sorts of wave, but now I cant help wondering would the acid be even better?

Id be interested to hear your thoughts on your choices and the differences between the two boards.

Its going to be hard because they are very different is sizes ....i ended up taking my flash back home .
and just buying the acid .so i still have it .9 Flash 132.9 litres 31 1/4 wide vs 9,1 acid 30.5/8 125 litres .

the flash is still a nice board ,a little to big for me most of the time ,so its my mush board ,i like it as a quad best and stand right back on the tail .
THE ACID is much smaller to ride ,but its much livelier, as you'd expect from a narrower board .

both have good glide .acid is a faster feel .great on your backhand .the bigger 9 flash is easier to ride but doesn't turn as sharp as the acid .
the acid is 7 litres less ,so if your looking at the acid for a step down ,its a good board to consider.basically i can do crazier moves on the acid .

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cantSUPenough said..
FWIW I was coming up to a Maldives trip where I planned to take just one board - at first it was simply a question; which acid will I take (I know, I am spoiled, I have three). But James Casey had promoted the Flash as a bit more forgiving than the Acid, but more fun than the Flow - so a bit more of an all-rounder. I don't know what is unforgiving about the Acid, but then a 2nd hand Flash came up for sale just a 20 minute drive from where I live. So I bought it.

I tried it over (just) three long sessions in a range of conditions and surf size.

I liked it. But nothing jumped out and made me think it was better than the Acid.

But there was one thing.

Out at big left you get some bigger waves (not always steep, they can be big lumps of water - after you catch the wave at the peak) and I love the way the acid can just slice across the face. It may be the fins, as I was often using c-drives, but it has a magical feeling as you cut across the wave; forehand and backhand.

So I took the Acid and I haven't used the Flash since. It is a bargain if anyone wants to buy it!

How's it going CSE?
Mate - I just stumbled across your vids from Big Left - how good is that!
I grew up on the peninsula myself - surfing Flinders (Meanos, the Gunnery, Big Left, Cyrils even the odd stray at Mexicos) and the beachies from Gunna down to Portsea. I remember hanging out at the old Balin shed with my old man in the early 80s!
So stoked to see you hooking in to a few down there man - definitely made me miss my old stompin ground!
I have to ask - what board you're using at Big Left and what size kegs are you? It looks like it goes like a ripper.
Apologies for the brief highjack of the thread gents!

Cheers all!

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MangoDingo said..

cantSUPenough said..
FWIW I was coming up to a Maldives trip where I planned to take just one board - at first it was simply a question; which acid will I take (I know, I am spoiled, I have three). But James Casey had promoted the Flash as a bit more forgiving than the Acid, but more fun than the Flow - so a bit more of an all-rounder. I don't know what is unforgiving about the Acid, but then a 2nd hand Flash came up for sale just a 20 minute drive from where I live. So I bought it.

I tried it over (just) three long sessions in a range of conditions and surf size.

I liked it. But nothing jumped out and made me think it was better than the Acid.

But there was one thing.

Out at big left you get some bigger waves (not always steep, they can be big lumps of water - after you catch the wave at the peak) and I love the way the acid can just slice across the face. It may be the fins, as I was often using c-drives, but it has a magical feeling as you cut across the wave; forehand and backhand.

So I took the Acid and I haven't used the Flash since. It is a bargain if anyone wants to buy it!

How's it going CSE?
Mate - I just stumbled across your vids from Big Left - how good is that!
I grew up on the peninsula myself - surfing Flinders (Meanos, the Gunnery, Big Left, Cyrils even the odd stray at Mexicos) and the beachies from Gunna down to Portsea. I remember hanging out at the old Balin shed with my old man in the early 80s!
So stoked to see you hooking in to a few down there man - definitely made me miss my old stompin ground!
I have to ask - what board you're using at Big Left and what size kegs are you? It looks like it goes like a ripper.
Apologies for the brief highjack of the thread gents!

Cheers all!

I love surfing at big left. I am either riding a 9'1 acid (125L) if it is real lumpy, or 8'10' acid (115L). I am 94 kgs, (but seem to range from 90 to 96). When I am close to 90 kg I ride an 8'7 acid (106L), but I have never taken it to big left.

I have just come in from a surf - pretty good if you don't mind cold water! You have missed a good week down here; plenty of swell (but super strong northerlies - lost power the last two nights...) I must admit I never go down to gunna/Portsea - usually too many people and I am pretty close to Pt Leo.

I have been through a lot of boards, I can't rate the acid highly enough.

Stay away from the crocs!

"Acid to the list. I am lighter than you (95 kg), but if you are considering the 8'10 Flow then maybe the 9'1 Acid (I ride the 9'1 125L when it is pretty choppy and the 8'10 115L the rest of the time). I just love the way they ride. I had an 8'7 Flow (and have an 8'10 and 8'8 Speed, and 8'9 2nd hand custom Flash) - all great boards, but I love the acid.
"
Thats some quiver !!

I thought I was bad with 4 Sunovas, I see I've got some catching up to do