Supershinn or Monk 2012

[johnny_dove]

About me:

172 cm tall, 67 kg, small but in good shape

Like to ride aggressive and try and jump as high as possible.

My spot has flat water on some days, but mild chop most days. Ride waves sometimes.

I fly F One Bandit 4, and Bandit 5 kites.

Board - now riding on a friends 2009 CrazyFly Bulldozer(Flat and hard old freestyle board with big fins). Jumps really really high when you time your kite powered jumps right and kick off. Downsides are that I do not know how to release the edge when trying to for pop jumps without using the kite, the fins grip a lot. I think it needs to be ollied or ridden by a pro The landings are really hot and hard on my knees. Smack on the water. The board is not nice in chop, hard work and loss of control, and I get sprayed a lot in my face. Does not give one that confident feeling that let's you dart around aggressively and ride hard. Too much skipping and skidding. The board is much harder to make rolls with than my old board since the fins grip when I initiate the spin. If you do it moderately - no spin. If you scoop out hard on the spin you over rotate. It is all or nothing due to the large sharp fins and flat board I reckon. Have changed technique to jumping high and to look over my shoulder instead of just carving out in to a spin as I could on my previous board for back rolls. The upside is the massive jumps when I manage to kick off with my back leg perfectly after edging hard in the kite powered jumps.

II want to start doing unhooked raileys and rolls, hooked in kite loop jumps. Want something that makes popping easy. Edge hard, fall off, edge again - pop. This Bulldozer just give me small skips when I do it hooked in unless I cheat by bringing the kite up.

I have ordered a Monk 2012, 40 cm wide board. My friend who orders them for me says I can have a Supershinn instead if I like, same size. Someone said stance is a bit far a part for a short rider on the supershinn? If Monk is easy to pop with it sounds perfect. But if the Supershinn is ok in waves and chop maybe this is the way to go since it is described as a"pop-machine"(like 50 other boards on the market). Best of all worlds. So much hype. Even if I get good pop going and start progressing into unhooked tricks - I will always love kicking high kite powered jumps.

Any input much appreciated.

Best,

Jo'

[cowboy]

monk is a great board for those that want more out of a freeride board that offers a bit of freestyle

Supershin is a pure freestyle board that gives pop from regular riding and almost as smooth as the Monk

However for aggressive riding the Street has the potential to be better than the supershinn. Its between the other two but when riden harden can produce just like the super. Smooth in chop great handling, zero spray like the rest of the range. I loved it right from the start

You cant go wrong with any off them for comfort. The monk will give you more control when you are overpowered than the other two, just seems to handle better on the ragged edge

[johnny_dove]

Thanks, one more to choose from haha.

Good thing - It seems like whatever Shinn board I go for it will be awesome! Really looking forward to getting my board whichever it will be.

Still leaning towards the Monk after seeing so many rave reports about it. Seems Supershinn and Street are newer? Less reports and reviews about them.

In a nutshell I want something with control, jumps really high on kite powered jumps when edged hard and that is easy to pop. Does not have to be huge freestyle pop this year. More important that it is easy to get decent freestyle pop without using the kites lift. Easy enough to start progressing into unhooked, raileys etc. Is the Monk easy to pop with or is supershinn easier?

[s29feb]

For hooked in control and pop for sent jumps then I think the Monk is the best of the whole range. It has a turbo boost that lets you really accelerate in crap conditions to hit kickers with speed and control that you'd miss with other boards. The Monk has plenty of pop to learn on and is a bit more forgiving than the SS or Street.

Laters

John

Owner of 3 Monks a SuperShinn and now a Street - I'm trying to progress more with unhooked but If not I'd have a Monk

[johnny_dove]

For hooked in control and pop for sent jumps then I think the Monk is the best of the whole range. It has a turbo boost that lets you really accelerate in crap conditions to hit kickers with speed and control that you'd miss with other boards. The Monk has plenty of pop to learn on and is a bit more forgiving than the SS or Street.

Laters

John

Owner of 3 Monks a SuperShinn and now a Street - I'm trying to progress more with unhooked but If not I'd have a Monk

Thanks! 3 monks - one for every year?

[s29feb]

Had a 130 Gorilla edition before they produced a 132 which was a better size for me and then got a 135 SS and loved the unhooked pop but over winter I missed the all out control of the Monk so bought a 132 Ltd edition and then they brought out the Street which was the perfect bastard love child of the SS and the Monk and suits my style perfectly

The Monk is still my all time favourite board as the control it offers to coin a marketing cliche is insane. The Street is almost there but for carving and hooked in stuff plus the 'feeling' of speed and for blasting about like a loon the Monk is better. For now I'm focusing on unhooked and looking to land air passes this summer and the Street just pips the Monk in that department.... might change my mind in winter

[johnny_dove]

Had a 130 Gorilla edition before they produced a 132 which was a better size for me and then got a 135 SS and loved the unhooked pop but over winter I missed the all out control of the Monk so bought a 132 Ltd edition and then they brought out the Street which was the perfect bastard love child of the SS and the Monk and suits my style perfectly

The Monk is still my all time favourite board as the control it offers to coin a marketing cliche is insane. The Street is almost there but for carving and hooked in stuff plus the 'feeling' of speed and for blasting about like a loon the Monk is better. For now I'm focusing on unhooked and looking to land air passes this summer and the Street just pips the Monk in that department.... might change my mind in winter

Monk Size, great, you seem to have experience in this department.. I am 67 kg(10 stone and 7.70 lbs. OR 148 LBS)

I ordered:

Monk 130 x 40 Black 2012

What you think?

If I get the 132 x 41 I can get it to morrow...

According to the size chart I found it would be too big...

[s29feb]

I'm ~80kg so the 130 will be perfect for you as it is very a efficient design and will get you going early enough and it can hold a shit-load of power

[Caesar]

Had a 130 Gorilla edition before they produced a 132 which was a better size for me and then got a 135 SS and loved the unhooked pop but over winter I missed the all out control of the Monk so bought a 132 Ltd edition and then they brought out the Street which was the perfect bastard love child of the SS and the Monk and suits my style perfectly

The Monk is still my all time favourite board as the control it offers to coin a marketing cliche is insane. The Street is almost there but for carving and hooked in stuff plus the 'feeling' of speed and for blasting about like a loon the Monk is better. For now I'm focusing on unhooked and looking to land air passes this summer and the Street just pips the Monk in that department.... might change my mind in winter

Monk Size, great, you seem to have experience in this department.. I am 67 kg(10 stone and 7.70 lbs. OR 148 LBS)

I ordered:

Monk 130 x 40 Black 2012

What you think?

If I get the 132 x 41 I can get it to morrow...

According to the size chart I found it would be too big...

Hi mate,

Go for the 2011 Monk 130x40. Oppss, sorry, sold out...so go for the 2012 without the Monk face on the bottom (what a pity the owner preferred to have kiters advertising for him).
I bought the last one with the Monk face at the end of last year.
I have 3 of them now - one my girlfriend is riding, one I'm riding myself and one I bought as my back-up (in case one of them breaks or gets stolen).
I'm 68Kg and 175cm so that 130x40 would fit you perfectly.
I agree to what the other posters said before.

Cheers
Caesar

[johnny_dove]

Thanks John and Ceasar, I will stick to the Monk 130 x 40 cm. Maybe I will get one of the other models for next season Will let you know what I think if it when I have tried it