Thinking about dropping down from a sb pocket rocket 8'5 30. Love this board but want something more manoeuvrable. I'm abt 72 kg and just surf anything from 1ft to overhead. Want something that's gonna be able 2 do that and still catch waves a bit early. Been thinking something around 8 ft by 29 or maybe a bit shorter. Any ideas people? Thanks
I would suggest you try a starboard pro 8'5" x 29. I am around 75kg. I moved from the SB pocket rocket to an SB 8' x 28 pro and found that I could surf OK; however, I was getting less waves. I then moved to the 8'5" x 29 pro and found it a good compromise to getting lots of waves and still surfs well.
Thanks m8. What is the balance like on the 8'5 29 compared to the pocket rocket. Cud I still pull off a nose ride on the pro shapes?
try the hypernut 7´4 or even 7´2 i´m 85 kg, i have a naish hokua 9´6 at 140 liters and a Hypernut 7´8 at 116 liters.
great quiver, but must say that now i only use the naish when its 1.5 overhead or a lot of White wáter o current. less tan that, and i´m on the hypernut.
Thanks m8. I have been looking at the hypernut as well. Didn't think I cud go as small as a 7'4 or 7'2. Wider nose prob gives more stability. And prob better for catching waves slightly earlier as well. Been looking at a 7.11 airborne 30 width as well. Rather something narrower for overhead conditions. Hypernut looks like it can rip tho 
I've ridden both the Pocket Rocket and the 7'2" Hyper Nut and at 85kg's found the Hyper Nut quite stable (at 72kgs expect it may feel even more so) but as far as catching waves earlier than the Pocket Rocket - don't think it would be any earlier. Can handle a little later with ease though. If you want something significantly different from the Pocket Rocket, the Hyper Nut would be a better bet than the 8' x 29" you mention.
The pocket rocket is very stable, and the 8'5"x29" is far less so - at least the 2013 I have is...I see they have increased the volume a bit for the last 3 years. You would notice a stack of difference. You can noseride them sorta but not really, as they still have a lot of foam in the front, but nothing like the PRocket's nose area.
Having owned a 7'8" minion, you can also noseride it, but there's not enough length in it to noseride in the true sense, and I doubt the 7'2" hypernut would be any better.
I've got a new longboard style board which is 9'4"x27 3/4, and reckon if you;re in the nose game you need a board made for it.
This sounds like a much gentler transition: 1 inch shorter + just over 1 inch narrower and only 5 litres less volume than the PR. It would be great if there was somewhere on the east coast to demo them! The only 'try & buy' link from the Hawaii website is in WA?!
Select to expand quoteKami said..
Hello, you can drop down in size like he is doing good on 6'10''
Actually, I wouldn't recommend going to these kind of 6'10" (somewhat narrow nose) at first. Could be too much of a step down.
Something in the 7'-8' range with a wide nose, and a tail adapted to your waves (narrow for power, wide for mellow), with a fast rocker will be fun and easy.
I would recommend a "mini noserider" shape in 7'8"-8'0"x29. My daughter has one (Gong NFA 8', but a lot of brands have similar boards now) and everybody that tested it got a smile on their face: super easy (wide nose & tail), glide feeling of a longboard (rocker), but carves like a (retro) shortboard (shorter length, somewhat pulled in tail, and generous tail rocker). They are much easier to ride well than Tomo shapes, as they are not as sensitive to the rear foot placement. If I had to take only one board in a trip, it could be it.
Here is a video tour of the shape to see the design features
