G day guys
was just reading one of the latest posts on stability for larger blokes on shorter boards.
Been discussing boards with a retailer in Melbourne today and was told that the 8 foot 6 Hypernut would be an option for me. My stats are 6 3 , 110kegs , surf supping for 18 months , sup at least twice a week in 1-2foot waves.
currently on an allwave 9 10 @ 190L . love the board as it is stable and allows me to catch waves. After speaking to
the salesman , he said guys my size were loving the Hypernut and would be a a good option for me . After looking at the speca on the board i couldnt believe a board of 140L would be stable let alone float me . My question is for anyone out there with the hypernut , are they stable , do they surf well . asked to demo but no demos in stock .
Also looked at hokua 9 6 but again not able to demo as none in stock. Any thoughts much appreciated.
Cheers Mick.

I've got that board and a mate of mine who is 130 kg and just a shade under 7' tall had a go on it a week or so ago. He was sinking it ever so slightly, and felt he would need about 10 litres extra. But he caught a couple of 3' waves and had no drama with stability. He felt it was nice and skatey and manoueverable under foot. At your size, the 8'6" Hypernut would definitely be a possibility. Where do you normally surf?

I've had the 8.0 for round 8 months and just sold it for the 7.8 ... There really stable I'm 95 and its was too easy ... the 7.8 is quite similar stability actually just harder too paddle as it sinks a bit more ... It has been actually been giving my shoulders grief now tho ..

I would prob put the 8.6 in comparision with a like 10x32 170 litre board if that helps ..

And the 8ft i surfed it everywhere , big left 4ft + and it loved it ...

G day PTWoody and thanks for your reply.
I live in Inverloch so i usually just go down the surf beach or the entrance or where ever i can find a wave.
Sometimes head over to the Island or down to Walky sth , Prom depending on weather .
Have a couple of larger boards (Avanti) to battle the onshore chop but starting to get keen on these hypernuts for the cleaner days.
what about yourself?

Gday Mick, I have a Allwave 9'5 that I love and tried the 8'6 nut , not a problem and super fast prepared to the Allwave take offs were steeper but that's cool only con was punching through waves on way out the wide nose didn't get thru like the pointy fanatic my two bobs worth i am also 6'3 108 kg

6'4" 115kg nowadays
No worries on the 8'6" Very stable.
Feels big. I have the AST version.
Good for intermediates in small waves.
Learning curve is quick.
As you get better you will likely prefer narrower, lighter a more shortboard shape. Something closer to 9'0" x 30"
For junky small days you'll keep the HyperNut...

HI Micky

I have the Hokua GT 9´5 @140 L and the HN 7´8 @ 116 L

Athougth now i´m 85 kg, the houkua has been my board since i was 110kg! Before that i had the ALLWAVE 9´6 @ 153

When i changed the AW for the NAISH, it was a game changer. I was able to catch more waves (really more easy to catch them) had more performance (more Speed, more manourable, more everything) REally in love with the Hokua.

The hokua is still my weapon of choise when is not glassy or when bigger surf (DOH, fast waves).

The HN, drop weigth, thougth of going shorter, this kind of shape let you do that.
DEMOed the JP SLATE in 7´2 and was a pain in the ass (and too small for me). Ordered the 7´8 HN

The HN. is a "quiver board" not the "only board"

When the conditions are rigth, the HN is pure fun (semi glassy, OH or 1.5x OH) super stable, pig to paddle, fast and ligth on the wave.

NEVER demo a 8´6 HN, but wondering if only 1 foot less than the Hokua is that "important" or if you get that much performance

The hokua is a beatyfull performance board for surf and at your weigth it could be the "only board" and all arround if you like (just going to paddle in flat wáter fo example)

Hi Mick , Ive got the 8'6 hypernut and the hokua 8'8 x32

Since buying the hypernut I haven't used my hokua!!!!

Im 6ft and 107kg. The nut is amazing, stable, super fast and responsive! I've surfed it in 1ft - 4ft , clean and choppy conditions and it delivers every time.

There is a big difference in glide and paddling between the 8'6 and shorter hypernuts. I can paddle into waves with ease on the 8'6 but when I tried a friends 7'8 it was much harder to get the glide and speed into the waves.

Get one as you'll not regret it !!!!!!!

Mick

There's 1 or 2 Melbourne retailers that are very good at telling you what you want to hear, so proceed with caution...

I've a board similar to the Hypernut, (8'11") with a bit more volume built specifically for a heavyweight. You're welcome to take it for a run if you like to see if the Vanguard style board is for you.

PM me if you're interested...

Hi Mick,
I have a hypernut, a gulliver and I've also owned a minion. All great boards and I'm a big fan of the parallel rail design in a shorter board. Without doubt the hypernuts are more stable than the gullivers and minions at the same length but then again they are wider so you would expect that. That being said the hypernuts have a more pulled in tail which makes them more maneuverable so you really don't sacrifice much for the extra stability. The bigger you go the more stability and glide you'll get, but less maneuverability will be the result. For instance i love the 7'8 hypernut and it is much more loose and maneuverable than the 8 footer which I have also tried, almost as stable but less glide. It's a trade off! What I can say is you will get much more stability and performance in a shorter vanguard style boards than in a much bigger traditional board.
I think they lend themselves to beach breaks where you don't have to paddle too far out because there's not much glide in them, and big fat waves are harder to catch than on a longer board.
So to your original question I think the salesman was giving you good advice. The hypernuts are great to surf and very stable although they are smaller both in volume and in size. My only reservation would be it depends on your main surf break. If it's a big long fat waved point break with a long paddle to get to it you may want something longer with more glide, ie a more traditional shape.

funny---glide matters not to me--i will catch a wave where i need to

problem with poor glide is where crowds are a factor--i already often find myself lined up in the limbo between the longboarders and the shortboarder--a good spot

when ive tried less glidey boards, and need to line up more with the shortboaders, i find i have space issues, and need always, to catch waves i go for (otherwise ill get dropped for the resT of the sesh!)

so, if it's not crowded, bring on the less-stable, less glidey boards--but in a big crowd, i want to be certain i make any wave i go for

Glide can be a very good thing!

A lot of the waves around Mick's area can be very full depending on the sand build up, but they can break and roll through for yonks!