Anyone riding really small surfboards?

[FredBGG]

I'm 6ft 4in.

While I mainly ride larger surfboards (EDIT) strapless with one of my favorites being a 6'8" mini gun.

However I used to have a Spleene Zone 157cm directional.

Anyway the other day I rescued a guy and then went out to grab his surfboard....
It was kind of heavy and was not waxed so slippery to grab in the gusty wind... so I rode his board and carried my super light hollow aviso.

So I dropped off my board and gave the guys board a spin. It was a 5'4" ... nice.

I made the mistake of selling the Spleene Zone 157 directional that was really fun in certain conditions.

Anyway just wondering if any others are riding really small surfboards for their size?

[Da Yoda]

One word... Vanguard.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2379943

I'm around 65-68kgs and ride the 5'0 Vanguard (kite version). It actually rides more like a 5'8-5'10 board. You get the best of both worlds with this board, meaning the stability of a longer board and the nimbleness of a short board all in one package. Sweetest ride ever! However it does not allow for straps, so this may be an issue since you didn't indicate if you ride straps or not. I've seen some put NSI's stap/pad kit on this board to convert it...
http://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/v ... ategory=64

[SupaEZ]

14Toeside is 6'5" and can ride his Nugget 5'0" x 21'' with his Edge 19..Dyno 18..Rebel 14..etc
He rips in the ocean going toeside...size 14 shoe size..240lbs

[FredBGG]

One word... Vanguard.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2379943

I'm around 65-68kgs and ride the 5'0 Vanguard (kite version). It actually rides more like a 5'8-5'10 board. You get the best of both worlds with this board, meaning the stability of a longer board and the nimbleness of a short board all in one package. Sweetest ride ever! However it does not allow for straps, so this may be an issue since you didn't indicate if you ride straps or not. I've seen some put NSI's stap/pad kit on this board to convert it...
http://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/v ... ategory=64

The vanguard looks interesting, but it is essentially a 5'10 or slightly longer board, but with the nose cut off. I've ridden something similar, but did not like it when blasting through white water on the lip or parting kelp. Also prefer a pointed nose with that little bit of extra margin when going vertical down a face..... mostly by mistake

How does the Vanguard handle that sort of trouble without the extra nose area in your opinion.

I also like to "drift on the rail" on bottom turns when I want to by shifting my weight far forward pulling my fins out. I think I would be prone to nose diving with the vanguard.

Apart from that I'm actually interested in the feel of a small board. The Spleene Zone 157 that was built with snow board construction was ultra light really snappy, but very hard to switch feet on due to tiny fins and no float. Also sometimes the rails would grab. But for jumping and jamming around in waves it was great.

[FredBGG]

14Toeside is 6'5" and can ride his Nugget 5'0" x 21'' with his Edge 19..Dyno 18..Rebel 14..etc
He rips in the ocean going toeside...size 14 shoe size..240lbs

Nice....

I'm a size 14 too.

I tried the Nugget, but I found it would squirl a little too much for my liking over windswell taken at a low angle. Kind of throw my line off when doing long upwind tacks after a full beach length down the line. I had a similar issue with my beloved Dick Van Strallen Rast FISH.

A really nice board is the Aviso edition of the 5-5 New Toy by Jeff "Doc" Lausch. It is very similar in outline to the Nugget, but has channels in the hull that give it better control. I only got to ride one for 15 minutes but it was a blast.

[FredBGG]

Got my hands on a Naish Fish 5'4".

I'll see how it works out.

Anyone in the 6'4" range use one?

[Flyfish]

When i started, i mostly road 6'2 because thats what i use to surf. then i droped all the way down to 5'2 for quite sometime. but now I prefer 5'10 range. For me, I enjoyed the 5'2 for awhile but found that when the waves got big, I yearnd for a bigger board to deal with the chop and more drawn out turns. when I went back to the 6'2 range, I felt like it was too much. Thats when I started finding 5'10 ish took all wave sizes well.
all that said, I would love to try a 5'2 Vangard. And no, I don't think a 5'2 vangard is "just a 5'10 with its nose cut off."

[FredBGG]

When i started, i mostly road 6'2 because thats what i use to surf. then i droped all the way down to 5'2 for quite sometime. but now I prefer 5'10 range. For me, I enjoyed the 5'2 for awhile but found that when the waves got big, I yearnd for a bigger board to deal with the chop and more drawn out turns. when I went back to the 6'2 range, I felt like it was too much. Thats when I started finding 5'10 ish took all wave sizes well.
all that said, I would love to try a 5'2 Vangard. And no, I don't think a 5'2 vangard is "just a 5'10 with its nose cut off."

Yup there is a bit more to it than the nose being cut off. My point however was that I would not consider a 5'2 vanguard a small board. With a classic fun board type surfboard much if the length of the board is in the tip and out of the water... adds only a little weight.
It is essentially a twin tip with a surf rocker and fin setup.

I doubt it would be nose dive-y in chop or wind swell, but I can see it being nose dive-y in big surf as well as being suddenly thrown back by the lip due to the blunt wide tip rather than the more gradual impact of a far more tapered tip.

Also I remember seeing a local surfboard in grinch Portugal about 20 years ago that looked just like the vanguard. There was also an Italian Windsurfer with a very similar outline made in Como specifically for the walled off Lake Areas with that nasty reflected wave chop.

[Robsw6]

I'm 90kgs & use a 4'10 Stretch custom, Flash/Naish 4'10, 5'0 Naish global, some smaller mutants and 5'5, 5'10 and larger.

I prefer smaller boards, they feel more direct, less "slappy" and suit powered riding and boosting

[tautologies]

I am 6'1'' I've spent a fair time on the Naish Skater 4'8'' and I have a great time riding a small board. Past years I have probably spent the most time on the skater 5'4''...perfect mix between surf and skate..where the 4'8'' is nutty good for feeling skatey. Jumping is nuts.

Unfortunately Naish discontinued the 4'8'' skater...but it seems the size is back with the new skater so I am really curious how that works.

The funny thing with the vanguard style is that it it really is what I think what they intended with that line all the time, but did not dial in the nose. The 4'8'' has a fairly aggressive non-scalloped bat tail. I dunno what to call it...any ways, yes as a heavier rider I love the small board...need more power..but when there is power...hell yes!!!