So you've come to a point in your surfing where you're ready for a little more maneuverability but not ready to make the jump to a shortboard (by the way, that's the vast majority of you that have never surfed anything other than a longboard). But what do you switch to?
We would recommend you switch to an in between step before jumping to a fish or shortboard and typically a funboard or hybrid is going to be the ticket. A funboard/hybrid is more of a board philosophy than it is a board shape. The philosophy behind the funboard/hybrid is, "I want to have a significant amount of maneuverability but I don't want to paddle like hell to get the job done." A funboard/hybrid can have a number of different shapes and sizes but typically you will see funboard/hybrids in the 6'8" - 8'0" range, with fuller dimension throughout.
Below you will find 3 different shapes and we will separate them by the style of surfer you are and the type of turning you are looking to achieve.
The Poacher has a swagger all its own. This little egg comes way outta left field and delivers the most unique ride you'll probably ever experience. Light and nimble for its length, paddle it like a mini longboard and crank off the rounded pin tail like you would a shortboard. The Poacher is the all-rounder.
The classic thruster design, 60/40 rails, and egg shape let you charge anything from knee high waves to overhead and stay locked in and in control. Great speed down the line and snappy rail to rail—this board is ridiculously fun to ride.
The Poacher has a pretty complex concave system under the hood. Single to V to Double. The single concave gives you greater drive and speed down the line, making your paddling that much easier, the V compounds that effect, pulling water away from the rails and towards the tail, where the double channel takes over and pushes water towards the tail so your turns will be that much more responsive and cut clean.
Perfect for those of you out there who don’t take yourselves too seriously and get the urge to take a day to goof off at the beach. Sounds like you? This is the board you want.
Just got the board delivered. Fins are on and cant wait till early Sat morning to begin my trek to the NJ shore, 80 miles southwest. I can’t believe how light it is, it makes my longboard feel like I'm carrying a semi truck. Thanks again, you guys are great. I will TELL EVERYONE i know out here about you two and your boards. I wish you could see the giant smile on my face, my wife, not as much, UGH!
-Sean New Jersey
“This is a really loose and fun board. Feels like I am on a skateboard, and it catches everything. Thanks guys.”-Greg Stanza Wilmington, NC
The Poacher isn't for everyone. You taller, more built surfers will probably wanna go with a larger, more stable shape---the Poacher is a little like trying to surf a bottle rocket. Everyone else, if you've got a range of sizes, go with the smaller if you're either looking to transition to a smaller board eventually or just like the added challenge/maneuverability. The bigger size will better suit surfers who wanna take it a little easier in the water--easier paddling and smoother turning. You know what you like.
The Easy Rider fish is great for beginners wanting to transition down from funboards into performance surfing or intermediate/advanced big guys and veterans needing a fast, nimble board when the waves turn on. With the added foam you will snag more waves when it's crowded.
Although this board works well in smaller surf, the sweet spot for this board is slightly overhead, with its true identity revealed in waist to head high surf. Perfect in playful, fun conditions, especially reef and point breaks.
This board is so fun and verstile that we sell them to newer surfers as well as more experienced surfers looking for something with more volume than their traditional short board. It has quickly become one of our most popular boards.
Looking for something a little more aggressive in the water? The Weapon is a good call and is what your adrenaline fueled shortboarder heart needs.
Fast, maneuverable, versatile—the Jack features a single to double concave to keep you truckin down the line, a mini swallowtail to keep a high level of hold, and a 2-stage winged rail that provides pivot points for those raging turns that’ll make short work of almost any wave you encounter.
The fuller bodied shortboard template gives you a big boost in float and paddle power, while the tri-quad fin setup allows you to surf this board as a thruster or a quad allowing you to take this board out in just about any conditions and rip like you’re riding a performance shortboard.
Here’s what one of our STOKED customers had to say about the Weapon:
Let me just say I am very happy with this board! I have ridden this board pretty much everyday since I got it and it has handled every possible condition I have encountered. I have ridden it as a quad the whole time in everything from knee high to a little overhead and it just rips. Very fast and turns on a dime. I could not have asked for a better board. I have been surfing for 30 years and am totally stoked and love this board!!
So how short should you go? Take a look at the sizing chart in the link below to get started in the right direction. Naturally, the more aggressively you plan on surfing, the shorter you'll want to take it (translation = if you plan on surfing it like a hybrid and not a funboard then go a size below recommended sizes):
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