Hi,
Looking for some advice on buying a board.
I am 192cm 85kg. I am fit and healthy and have decent flexibility.
I have been longboarding and on a 7'10" mid (which from a previous thread you can see is in a bad condition). I would really like to get more dynamic with my turning. I have a shortboard it's dimensions are (6'6" Width: 22 5/8" Nose: 15 3/8 Tail 15 3/4" Thick 2 9/16) called a time bomb. With my skill level, I can paddle into larger waves but when I pop up I can't stay on the wave as I slow down.
)
The spot is a beach break river mouth with unpredictable waves breaking. Usually, we don't get a long run as the wave crashes on the sandbar. The break might be from small to overhead.
I am looking for a board to help increase my skill level and catch more waves. I was thinking of something like a Grovelers. Starting to do my research and came across this website that had plenty that they reviewed www.boardshop.co.uk/blog/top-10-groveler-surfboards/
I really liked the look of the EVO or the sweet potato.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I am a little bit at a loss for what to buy. I would just like to buy something decent and call it a day.

Still searching. Red eyed and interested.
I came across a company called TORQ which seems to be a mid-level company.
They are making a board called the "Torq X Lite Channel Islands Pod Mod"

I have found a 6'2" which is within my price range. Also found a secondhand EVO 6'0
Has anyone used the Pod Mod?

You can do too much research online, you need to research in the water if possible. If you are not sure what board to get, buy cheaper 2nd/3rd/4th hand boards and sell them until you find the one that works, then go new

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mocha1 said..
You can do too much research online, you need to research in the water if possible. If you are not sure what board to get, buy cheaper 2nd/3rd/4th hand boards and sell them until you find the one that works, then go new

With all this internet searching, It seems every board is the one and only board.
I keep on looking at the online second-hand marketplace. It is just a little bit difficult to find something that is my size. Most of the surfers are 65 to 75kg's. I'm 85kg so finding a board is difficult, mini-mals or longboards are not too hard but shortboards are a little bit rare.
It also makes it harder to sell larger shortboards.
I am back in Australia in January so I was thinking of holding back until then and seeing if I can get a deal on a board that I could take back with me.

A sweet potato is my go to in the mush on offer in Japan. Can catch sooooooo many waves!

The sweet potato was one of the first boards that I looked at in the Firewire range. But the biggest I can find here is 5'8 (43L) It just seemed way too small. I feel like I have awoken into a new world. When I was last into surfing it was 3 to 6 inches more than your height, that was a good board. Can you tell me your weight and what size sweet potato you ride?
I love the idea of getting my wave count up higher.

68kg 5'3",5'4"

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Buster fin said..
68kg 5'3",5'4"

I have been watching a few videos this morning about the potato range, and seeing the rider size themselves up against the board just looks crazy. I'll keep on researching though. The longboard is now living in the car and is getting a workout, it would be very nice to give a potato a go. Very tempted to get a 5'8".

I found that watching vids of guys surfing boards that you are potentially going to buy is not very helpful, firstly they surf better than me, at breaks that a better than my local surf spot.

I ended up getting video of me surfing (what my mind was thinking and what was actually happening were two different things) my local, went to shaper showed the video and asked his advice. After a few conversations he came up with a board that suited me and allowed me to grow into it when (if) my surfing improved.

Well worth the dollars. However it depends on your budget.

Baked potato is my go to in most conditions in Perth
95kg riding a 5'7 at 41L

But i got a Lost Puddle Jumper Pro while i was travelling
6'1 37L

it is a refined groveller and goes great in clean little waves knee to waist up to head high face

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photosbykarlo said..
I found that watching vids of guys surfing boards that you are potentially going to buy is not very helpful, firstly they surf better than me, at breaks that a better than my local surf spot.

I ended up getting video of me surfing (what my mind was thinking and what was actually happening were two different things) my local, went to shaper showed the video and asked his advice. After a few conversations he came up with a board that suited me and allowed me to grow into it when (if) my surfing improved.

Well worth the dollars. However it depends on your budget.

Aint that the truth. I found a few more "every day" surfer videos but still, I could not find any videos with the sorts of waves that I get to play in.
I think it is a great idea to make a video for a shaper. There is a local bloke who I go and see from time to time. But the cost for a custom is about double that of an off-the-shelf board. Somewhere in the order of 2500 to 3000 AUD. Which is kind of shocking when I think an OZ shaper would not charge that much. And I think he is on the cheap end of the scale. He usually only charges me $10AUD for a repair.
At the moment surfing is a way of stopping me from going mental during the windsurfing off-season. But saying that I starting to really get into it. The kit is easier to transport, has minimal setup at the beach, and lugging it to and from the car is not a hassle. It's a great feeling catching waves so I am thinking of throwing some money at the sport next year as it's only one more month until the wind starts to blow. I just have to hold back a little otherwise I will be looking at a surfboard every day longing for a surf.
Saying all that though, I am back in OZ in January and could pick up a new/second-hand board for so much less than in Japan. A new potato over here is 2300 AUD and in OZ it's $1220. So if the opportunity arises either here or in Australia to buy a board that I can improve my surfing with, then I am going to get one. Cause it's not windy here every day and I am a junky for the ocean.

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mocha1 said..
Baked potato is my go to in most conditions in Perth
95kg riding a 5'7 at 41L

That's incredible that you can get onto a 5'7". What sort of wave do you get over in Perth?

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Henners said..

mocha1 said..
Baked potato is my go to in most conditions in Perth
95kg riding a 5'7 at 41L

That's incredible that you can get onto a 5'7". What sort of wave do you get over in Perth?

Range is from knee to waist high fast closeouts, mushy onshore poo to good fun peaky beach breaks. A few reefs around too.
our good waves can be knee high to head plus with shape but usually short fast Beach Breaks.
Here are a few of some in Perth or close to Perth

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mocha1 said..

Henners said..

mocha1 said..
Baked potato is my go to in most conditions in Perth
95kg riding a 5'7 at 41L

That's incredible that you can get onto a 5'7". What sort of wave do you get over in Perth?

Range is from knee to waist high fast closeouts, mushy onshore poo to good fun peaky beach breaks. A few reefs around too.
our good waves can be knee high to head plus with shape but usually short fast Beach Breaks.
Here are a few of some in Perth or close to Perth

Sounds and looks similar to here, except for the magpie. We get all-black ones here, real big buggers. I still can't believe that you can get on a 41L. This potato just sounds like a great board, of course, you have to have the skill level to match. Thinking very hard about buying one when I am back.

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Henners said..

photosbykarlo said..
I found that watching vids of guys surfing boards that you are potentially going to buy is not very helpful, firstly they surf better than me, at breaks that a better than my local surf spot.

I ended up getting video of me surfing (what my mind was thinking and what was actually happening were two different things) my local, went to shaper showed the video and asked his advice. After a few conversations he came up with a board that suited me and allowed me to grow into it when (if) my surfing improved.

Well worth the dollars. However it depends on your budget.

Aint that the truth. I found a few more "every day" surfer videos but still, I could not find any videos with the sorts of waves that I get to play in.
I think it is a great idea to make a video for a shaper. There is a local bloke who I go and see from time to time. But the cost for a custom is about double that of an off-the-shelf board. Somewhere in the order of 2500 to 3000 AUD. Which is kind of shocking when I think an OZ shaper would not charge that much. And I think he is on the cheap end of the scale. He usually only charges me $10AUD for a repair.
At the moment surfing is a way of stopping me from going mental during the windsurfing off-season. But saying that I starting to really get into it. The kit is easier to transport, has minimal setup at the beach, and lugging it to and from the car is not a hassle. It's a great feeling catching waves so I am thinking of throwing some money at the sport next year as it's only one more month until the wind starts to blow. I just have to hold back a little otherwise I will be looking at a surfboard every day longing for a surf.
Saying all that though, I am back in OZ in January and could pick up a new/second-hand board for so much less than in Japan. A new potato over here is 2300 AUD and in OZ it's $1220. So if the opportunity arises either here or in Australia to buy a board that I can improve my surfing with, then I am going to get one. Cause it's not windy here every day and I am a junky for the ocean.

2.5 to 3 grand, don't buy one board here, buy enough for a container and go back.

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photosbykarlo said..

Henners said..

photosbykarlo said..
I found that watching vids of guys surfing boards that you are potentially going to buy is not very helpful, firstly they surf better than me, at breaks that a better than my local surf spot.

I ended up getting video of me surfing (what my mind was thinking and what was actually happening were two different things) my local, went to shaper showed the video and asked his advice. After a few conversations he came up with a board that suited me and allowed me to grow into it when (if) my surfing improved.

Well worth the dollars. However it depends on your budget.

Aint that the truth. I found a few more "every day" surfer videos but still, I could not find any videos with the sorts of waves that I get to play in.
I think it is a great idea to make a video for a shaper. There is a local bloke who I go and see from time to time. But the cost for a custom is about double that of an off-the-shelf board. Somewhere in the order of 2500 to 3000 AUD. Which is kind of shocking when I think an OZ shaper would not charge that much. And I think he is on the cheap end of the scale. He usually only charges me $10AUD for a repair.
At the moment surfing is a way of stopping me from going mental during the windsurfing off-season. But saying that I starting to really get into it. The kit is easier to transport, has minimal setup at the beach, and lugging it to and from the car is not a hassle. It's a great feeling catching waves so I am thinking of throwing some money at the sport next year as it's only one more month until the wind starts to blow. I just have to hold back a little otherwise I will be looking at a surfboard every day longing for a surf.
Saying all that though, I am back in OZ in January and could pick up a new/second-hand board for so much less than in Japan. A new potato over here is 2300 AUD and in OZ it's $1220. So if the opportunity arises either here or in Australia to buy a board that I can improve my surfing with, then I am going to get one. Cause it's not windy here every day and I am a junky for the ocean.

2.5 to 3 grand, don't buy one board here, buy enough for a container and go back.

I see plenty of the 2 grand boards for sale but I don't see too many being sold. I watch the Jap Gumtree/ebay sites and these boards are slow movers.
But still, it would be nice to get another income if my plans for world domination does not pan out. ;)

So you have a mini me?

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photosbykarlo said..
So you have a mini me?

Of course, I am a guy. Snigger snigger.