Shinn Monk or Street

[runner1]

Which of the Monk or Street would you recommend? I spend a bit of time doing back and front rolls, but concentrate most of my riding on boosting as high as possible. I am not into just cruising around. I have just started unhooking and am likely to do more, but still see myself spending far more time doing sent jumps. I ride in a mixture of chop and flat water.

I am 6'3", 100kg (220lb) so I presume I would be best off with the largest of either line, and while the Monk is larger I have heard the Street is stiffer and may be more suitable for larger guys.

Thanks.

[Fatfish98]

I'm roughly the same dimensions as you! just a little lighter and I went for the Super Shinn which at our weight will flex in a similar way as the Monk does for the lighter guys.
My main issue was getting the wide stance which is only available on the Super Shinn.

Super Shinn is an excellent board and you should try and get a go on one.
Mine is 136x42 and my only board. Pairing it up with 14, 11, 9 kites

[flybykite]

After a load of research on a new twintip I just purchased the 132x40 Monk. I'm similar place as you in the progression. Just finding my x ride wont pop or hold a hard edge in chop like I want.
I'm 6'0" 70kg riding medium to heavy chop,flat lagoons, swells and surf and needed a twinnie that does it all really well.
Havent riden it yet, still in the mail
However I just couldnt find a bad thing said about it (theres a load of reviews) and I've known several people to be absolutely in love with theirs.
What kind of conditions do you ride mostly? If its full of chop the Monk wins if youve got lots of flatish waters then Street or Super Shin will give you a bit more pop. and maybe the better choice for lots of unhooking.
I dont agree to get the bigest board in the range. Check Shinns size charts or call a Rep. 135x40 would be my guess.

[John-B]

Mark was chatting to a few of us at the Scottish Windfest this weekend past and described the boards. The Monk, Street and the SuperShinn are all freestyle boards but their outline and flex are for slightly different types of riding.

The Monk is for riding aggressively at speed and it has the insane edge grip and to sum it up if you are wanting to get the biggest air possible then this is the board for that. It still has mid-range unhooked pop and this is especially true in the new Monk Forever but compared to the other boards it is not it's forte.

The SuperShinn is made for freestyle at lower speeds/power and is better for unhooked pop - it istill has the no splash Shinn CC rocker and great grip but not as good as the Monk. The Street is supposed to sit somewhere between the two and being somone who has owned all three (2 different sized Monks, a SuperShinn, a Monk II, a Street and now back on the Monk Forever) I think I agree with what he told us.

You won't go wrong with any of them but I do hear the new wider Monk Forever works really well for the big guys

[valdez]

Yep John B has summed the range up nicely, I have all three and took out the Monk forever yesterday on a lit 9m Blade Prime, it loves being ridden hard and fast, responsive and great feedback from the board..I ride a 132 x 41 at 85kg, a board for all occasions!!

[DocDeuce]

I'm 6'2" 210lbs... It is just as John b said... i rode the super shinn great flex, a little slippery for my taste. I ended up buying the monk Love it ... period

DD

[jespin4845]

i have the 44 wide gorilla monk and 42.5 street, 200 lbs, i can get upwind sooner on the street, but the street doesnt have the magic of the monk...., typically i use the monk on 18+ knot days when the waves are all white water wash bowel...i want to try the supershinn...

currently i enjoy the street, cause i can slow stuff down and try new tricks, but when i want a destroyed core from whipping the kite as fast as possible and holding down 5-10 knot gusts and blasting by people as fast as possible i am on the monk, its insane how fast you can go on that board and the carves...

the street can go almost as fast, but i cant hold that speed for long cause it starts to feel to bumpy...the street speed comes in useful when a wave is about to swallow you alive, the monk just lets you get away from the wave and plow through the next 5 before you get back to shore like they are not even there

[runner1]

Thanks for all of your input, it sounds as though I cannot go wrong with any of the mentioned Shinns. I have decided to go for the 44cm wide Monk Forever, if I do get really into unhooking and feel it is holding me back I will look at getting a 2nd board like the SuperShinn. Unfortunately there is no opportunity to demo Shinn boards here so I had to make a call based on reviews and feedback such as that generously provided here.

Cheers.

[Baz]

My debate is between the Dundee 133 x 42 and the Monk Forever 134 x 42. I too am 98kgs and 198cms and after a twin tip to compliment my Jimmy Lewis Kwad 5'11". As usual it needs to do everything well, freeride choppy bay conditions, windblown onshore mush to high speed runs on butter smooth water. I am coming off an Underground Styx which served me well but I got over the spray in the face. Feedback and comments welcomed.

[jumarcil]

At your weight I think I would go for the new Monk Forever; I have both the supershinn and the Monk Forever which I have just received this week-end. Both are the best TT i've had the chance to ride so far. They are really in a class of their own.

The supershinn has a bit more flex than the Monk so that is why I think that at your weight you will prefer the Monk.

I did a test today; in 25+ knots I tried them back to back (big chop, flat and small wave) and I prefered the monk when riding really fast in the big chop. I was also able to boost higher with the monk than with the supershinn. On the other had the Supershinn planes a bit faster since it is 135 X 41 and my Monk is 132 X 41. The supershinn is also a bit smoother in the chop.

Both are very good to carve at really high speed both can keep an edge in the rough at high speed. The supershinn might have a it more pop for wakestyle move, but to boost really high I think that the monk is unbeatable.

Whatever model you choose; I think that you cant go wrong.

From now on, only Shinn Boards for me
Monk, Supershinn and King George.
Jules