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While shopping around for a good for me to progress on, I've been having trouble figuring out what's best for me.

For instance, the old Liquid Force Recoils came in 127, 130, 133 & 136. I'm not a big guy (70kg, 155lbs), and figure the second from smallest (130) would suit me best.

But the more recent Recoil clone, the 2012 Contact (on sale right now) comes in 134 and 137. Both seem way too big for me.

Heading to Maui for a week in April and won't get a chance to try out any boards before then. (It's off-season where I live).

FYI I'm a borderline intermediate rider. Looking to do some freestyle, but will probably mostly be cruising.

Any words of wisdom? Should I get the 134 Contact even though it sounds too big?
Cheers.

boards have gotten bigger to accommodate new riding styles and boots.

a 134 would be just fine for a guy your size if you're riding in footstraps. If you're going to get boots a 136-138 would be good.

Despite what you might have heard the contact is not a recoil clone the kaos was supposed to ride most like a recoil but both the recoil and kaos and contact are gone now and you won't find an exact match anymore. 134 is too big, get 130. If you aren't riding until you get to maui you can always buy it there.

edt wrote:...you get to maui you can always buy it there.

or at least test these "new" sizes

I"m just a cruiser at 140lbs and I'm using a North Jaime 128 x 38 and it's plenty big. I thought it was going to be a nice high wind board due to it's size but it gets me going just as good in light winds... only board I have now.

I owned two recoils prior (127 x 37 and 133 x 140) and I don't miss them at all... I didn't get any more range out of those two boards than I do with my North and they weren't nearly as good in the choppy waters... I think they were too stiff (way stiffer than the North) and had annoying board spray issue.

It's definitely hard to find small boards these days... very few under 130. Have to go with boards for junior riders or boards geared towards women to get smaller sizes I think. I haven't really done any serious looking yet though.

Depends on your style.

If unhooked, you take a smaller kite and bigger board.
If hooked and jumping, you take a bigger kite and smaller board.

E.g. me: 18sqm kite, 128x38 board, 93 kg...

Here is the best advice I can give. Take what size you think you need for being powered. Then take the size you would think need for lightwind. Then buy the size somewhere in the middle of those two.
Realize that 4cm is nothing. Length means hardly anything in a boards performance. Rocker, flex, width, shape, and then length.

TheJoe wrote: Realize that 4cm is nothing. Length means hardly anything in a boards performance. Rocker, flex, width, shape, and then length.

absolutely true thejoe 4cm in length is nothing, but the way they build these boards, they scale the width, rocker, rails to the length so yeah a 130 will feel a huge amount different from the 134 but it's not the length it's all the other things going on when they scale down the board. 130cm generally has a better size width for someone 150 than a 134cm. You can feel 1cm of width very easily, while 4cm in length is hard to notice but that's how they scale these boards, by the length.

Yes boards are getting bigger, but I think it is partially due to the kite being easier to depower these days.

Toby rides very powered, and therefore a smaller board.

So when you choose board make sure you consider how you want to ride.

smaller boards are easier to flip between your fingers.


isn't that right toby?