SPYDER Surfboard Reviews

 It may sound completely obvious, but DESIGN should be your number #1 consideration before ever talking length or other info. Some designs require less foam (or “volume”) because they have wide tails and/or deep concaves to create lift. Other designs like more foam for paddling and offset that foam with a flat to vee bottom shape to help in turning. Let the design and it’s characteristics sink into your head before moving on to volume and dimensions. In other words, don’t order a new design that should be ridden shorter, at the same length as your 1990’s narrow needle….

 3. Wider noses and flatter nose rocker make paddling and catching waves considerably easier, even when compared to simply adding length or foam (volume). This same nose design also skates across flat sections better since there is less drag.

 5. Wide tails create more lift and speed, and also allow you to ride a board shorter when compared with the same board with a standard tail.

 6. Narrower tails create less lift and allow the board to become more “neutral” and sit deeper in the water during turns. This can be used to your advantage in higher speeds on larger waves. Typically boards with narrower tails should be ridden longer than standard or wide tailed boards of similar design.

 Look at the 6 examples above. All of them are design focused. That’s the number #1 thing to look at when considering a new board : Design. Let it sink in…

 Volume is going to be a HUGE conversation topic this season. It is important, but is still behind design when matching boards with surfers and their demands.

 Volume is the measurement of how much flotation the board has. It is a function of length, width and thickness, minus the weight of the board. The weight of the board is never calculated into the stated volume – say 38cls – but boards with lighter constructions will always float a touch more than same sized boards with heavier constructions. CL stands for “Cubic Liters”. Many people shorten that down to just “liters” for convenience.

 If you have never had a board with measured volume, you will have to choose your first measured board the old-fashioned way, and then use that volume number going forward. Your experiences on your first volume measured board will help you choose all boards going forward based on your need for more or less foam and flotation.

 Smaller, lighter surfers want less volume. Larger, heavier surfers want more volume. Beginners to intermediates typically want more volume to help with catching waves and creating speed. Intermediates to pros typically want less volume to maximize maneuverability and speed (as well as making the board smaller/lighter when taking to the air).

 *When building a quiver of boards, most surfers typically have their lowest volume board as their middle board (when conditions are ideal), with both their groveler and their larger wave board measuring in above that number. The added volume in the groveler adds wave count, glide, speed and the ability to really push the board in soft conditions. The added volume in your “step up” give you more paddle power to get into faster moving waves.

 Why does VOLUME come before DIMENSIONS when choosing a new board? Knowing how much “float” you’re looking for each specific DESIGN, brings you to tinkering with the dimensions that will get you to that amount of volume. For example:

 “I know I want to get a …Lost V2 Rocket or Roberts White Diamond. These are really good designs for daily driver hybrids. I’m 6’2 x 210 lbs and all the boards I’ve liked are in the 36-38 liter range. So my next step is to look where this board will fall in my quiver* and start looking for the dimensions (dims) that will produce the volume I’m looking for.”

 Now that we’ve determined which design is best suited to your needs, and how much float (or volume) you’re looking for, now we can move on to dimensions. Most board models have “stock dimensions” that pair up length/width/thickness within a range to keep the correct proportions of the design intact. These stock dimensions are typically the best for any given length of that board, but you can also tweak the width/thickness slightly per length and stay within acceptable proportions.

 Length is typically dictated by the design and in many shapes is based on your height. For example “ride this board at your height”, or “ride this board 2” shorter than your standard shortboard”. Taller surfers typically have wider stances that dictate a longer board. The opposite is true with shorter surfers. Length is the big mind-melt here, because most surfers do not believe they can ride a newer design, sometimes up to 12” shorter than what they are riding now.

 Whenever reading recommendations, focus on the “up to” text. Yes you can ride the Stretch Mr. Buzz “up to” 12” inches shorter than your performance shortboard. You can also ride it 8” shorter and catch more waves. Should you ride it the same length as your current board? Not if you’re looking to experience the feel and performance of this design. At the same length it will end up feeling much larger than your current board. Length used to be the only dimension or design characteristic that surfers used to choose their board. Now it is the third thing we look at, after choosing the proper design and volume.

 Width is also a function of each board design in order to keep it in proportion. In general, widths on all boards have increased over the last several seasons. Added width will give the board more planning surface, more float and also make it more stable, especially at lower speeds like right when you drop in, or after a hard turn when you bleed most of your speed. Added width will also make the board “glide” better over flat sports in the wave. Reduced width will reduce the drag on the board and also increase the “rail to rail” speed when pumping the board down the line. Reduced width will also reduce glide over flat spots and reduce the “power underfoot” which can be a big negative in soft conditions.

 Thickness is the third main dimension and is often overlooked, especially when looking at how much effect a small difference can have. For example, there is a significant difference in flotation, feel, power, and drive between 2.5” thick and 2.63” thick. Looking at the small difference in those numbers (0.13”) you might not think this would make a huge difference. The reason it does is because this small amount of extra foam is applied for the entire area of the board, (so imagine a 6’ x 20” x 0.13” slice of foam). The difference is not this much, because the board thins at the ends, but imagining something close to that gives you the idea of why the effects are more than you previously thought.

 Thickness, especially thickness carried to the rail, can be felt in very small increments, as this is the part of the board that you are submerging into the water during turns. Thicker rails give you more to “push” on which makes the board more powerful which can be a plus for soft waves or larger surfers. You can go too far here though and end up with a board that you can’t turn at all because the rails are too thick. This ends up with a turn that is bouncy with little control. Thicknesses have also increased over the past several seasons. 2.5” used to be the max “norm” in shortboards, now 3” and even a bit more is often used for the big boys. Again, it doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but it adds up when applied to the entire area of the board.

 Sometimes you get it by chance. Sometimes you find it buried underneath a wooden deck in New Zealand. Maybe after reading this article you will know how to choose your perfect board, or at least come a lot closer when buying one off the rack or ordering it custom. We looked at “The Big Three” : Design, Volume and Dimensions and why “Length” is now the third design characteristic you should look at when shopping for new boards. This is how we recommend the right board for thousands of surfers ever year: Design, Volume, Dimensions. Have fun on the water and enjoy the new shapes and performance.

 Rocking up to a solidly stocked fin wall can be daunting, to say the least. It’s no wonder many surfers shy away from trying to figure it out, never knowing what they’re missing. With so many people sending in positive comments about our article “How to Buy a Surfboard,” we felt it was time to flip the board over and tackle the fin equation. This fin article isn’t about “teching out” — it’s about finding an easy way to the right fins that will improve your surfing. Ask yourself the following questions to help narrow your fin choices from hundreds to just a few. – Trip Forman, REAL Watersports

 This seems like the most obvious question. But then again, it takes half the fins off the table and lets you narrow your focus.

 Just like surfboards, fins are sized to the surfer’s weight. Typical sizing starts at XS and goes to L or XL. By knowing where your weight falls into the manufacturer’s size chart, you’re eliminating up to 75% of the remaining choices off the wall. If you are near the cut line for a fin size, aggressive surfers who drive hard through turns can size up, where surfers who don’t push as hard through the turns will probably like the smaller of the two sizes. Also, when on the cut line, know that narrower-tailed boards like smaller fins since they are typically surfed at higher speeds, where super-wide-tailed boards like bigger fins to offset the added tail area.

 Just like different board designs for different wave types, there are different fin designs for different wave types. Generally, fins with a more vertical leading edge turn in a tighter arc and are better for fitting more turns into a tighter space. For these fins, think dumpy, closeout beachbreaks where you only have a limited space to get the job done. These fins can also be helpful in racey, fast-breaking waves where it’s important to get on rail fast and get the ball rolling. More rake in the fin makes it better for drawn-out turns. How does that feel? They will feel solid and confident drawing out a high-speed, long-radius turn, where the more vertical fin will feel nervous and skittish, like it wants to initiate the turn sooner.

 This question helps when looking at fin construction. Surfers who are really pushing hard through their turns or surfing in faster, more powerful waves, will appreciate the added stiffness that carbon or solid fiberglass adds to their fins, whereas surfers who are just flowing through their turns may find these constructions to be too stiff. How does “too stiff” feel? Basically, you’re not able to flex the fin, and then receive the bonus of that flex, which is a burst of speed out of the turn. A fin that feels too stiff feels like it’s not flexing at all. Conversely, a fin that’s too soft, like plastic fins for most surfers, flexes and washes out, never really springing back effectively. If you have tried a set of carbon-reinforced fins and feel they’re a bit too stiff, try a set of the same template, but with fiberglass/honeycomb construction.

 This is a fin performance measuring system that Futures uses to make the tech easier to understand. The larger the number, the more speed the fin generates. Ride Numbers 7-10 are good for when the surf is soft, gutless, and has no push. The smaller the Ride Number, the better the fin is for control and confidence in fast-breaking waves. When it’s pumping, heavy, and fast, Ride Numbers 1-4 offer the most control and confidence. The mid-range numbers 4-7 are great as an all-around fin or a “tweener” for your fin quiver. Everything described above in this article still applies (size, construction, rake, etc).

 Once you’ve applied these five criteria to finding the right fin, you should be down to 1-2 choices. That’s pretty good, considering we started out with over 100. Maybe the color of one of those two fins will even match your board. But don’t you dare choose the matching color before you hone in your choices. Otherwise, you’re missing the boat.

 Once you’ve applied these five criteria to finding the right fin, you should be down to 1-2 choices. That’s pretty good, considering we started out with over 100. Maybe the color of one of those two fins will even match your board. But don’t you dare choose the matching color before you hone in your choices. Otherwise, you’re missing the boat.

 -When you’re up and planing on the wave, your fins are nearly 50% of your wetted surface area. Why do people care so much about their surfboards and so little about their fins?