Fazza,
Which board do you like/recommend more JK or HR?

Thanks guys, you rock! Very helpful, I appreciate it!

Thanks slow man, I just read the tread written by Fazza about the JK and I think that is THE BOARD. And sounds like you love yours too, but do you still like your HF better? Thanks for all the help. God bless!

I was checking out the JK and it is an interesting board. I like swallow tails but the EF and Activator seem too much like what I already have. And the Q5 only good for good waves. Ya able to throw that JK around. Any drawbacks going top to bottom with that wideness?

Sorry gents, my weight flux between 205-215 depending on where I'm at with my fitness. Sorry, should have mentioned that. Grew up short boarding but last 20 years (pushing 45) been long boarding and also large fish/fun boards. I've pretty much lost touch with the short boarding and board design has changed so much since the 80's & 90s. I'm so used to big volume I bought a 610 SF because the volume was about the same as my last 73 fish. I do enjoy the paddling advantage in the line up:). I am having a ball in it now but took a couple of months. Doing moves I haven't been able to do for years and its got me craving more! the SF gives me some problems on big waves and steep because it sits so high up on the surface it can be hard to control. But it's been a fantastic board to push me back into short boarding. So I was looking for a "next step" toward eventually getting down to a shorty. That's why I was hitting up about how much volume to drop so it won't be too drastic and I could still use the spit for marginal stuff and keep the log on the rack.

How about 610 UB vs 702 Alt RT? Both have about the same volume. Better all rounder for everything?

Thanks Buzzy. Robin, what fins do you use? Can your UB handle big waves too?

All of you have great insight and I appreciate you responding to my thread. After all the great advice I'm thinking HF would make the most sense. Just had a question regarding volume. My 610 SF has about 55ltrs volume and 610 HF has around 47. Would I be able to switch back and forth, depending on the waves, between the two with the drop in volume or will they ride too different? Or should I go bigger HF? As it is now my SF is too corky.

Buzzy, thanks for the advice and I'm feeling what you're saying about going from spit to hell but I'm still a bit hung up on the UB. And since you've ridden both I have to ask, if you could only have one board and had to choose between HF and UB which would it be and why? Also, which of the two paddles/catches waves better? I typically surf crowded waves so any advantage I can get I'd be stoked.

Thanks for your time

Thanks gents for all the feedback. I think I'm feeling the HF the most but I do want to see a HR in person. And I'm really hoping to at least demo a UB before I drop the $
I have to ask though buzzy, would the Q5 be worth the wait? Can it grovel/surf anything kind of board? I really like the shape, at least on the web site......

Thanks

SF is def over volumed but has been a good transition from a longboard. Says the balance point is the same on board compare. I assume that relates to your stance on the boards???? How does that rounded tail alt compare to your HF? Saw a used one for a good price but wasn't sure if I wanted to go straight hpsb yet.

Looking for a step up, don't really surf heaving barrels much. Did your HF handle steep barrels well? I was looking at the MD but not enough volume for me (bigger guy). Have you heard how does MD compare to UB?

Another question, if I were to get a HF in the same size as my SF (610) I'd be dropping about 8 liters volume. Would I be able to switch between the two if I use SF as groveler and HF for good surf?

Thanks for the replys, you guys rock. Yeh Slowman, my gut tells me to go with the HF. Seen em in person and looks like an awesome board and a good next step. The UB just looks awesome but I think I'll have to narrow it down to HF or HR. I have not seen a HR in person. Are the rails more refined than the HF? How do they handle flat sections, mushy waves, or small stuff? In case I only take one board. The JK is a funky looking board but reminds me of my last fish which was a lot of fun. Where can I catch video of HR surfing? Also, Buzzy I see you also ride a Q-5. Is that a all rounder or for good waves only? I just wish I could win the Lottery so I could have every FW board!

Thanks!

Thanks delmarsurfer. I managed to ride a friends 5'7" 28l CIS Neckbeard this weekend and it had way too much volume for me. The 5'6" has an extra 1.8l over my flexfire, which is already quite a bit. I've decided to wait the extra 6 weeks and order the 5'6".

I swapped the back fin on my flexfire from a F4 to a small kite fin and it has completely changed the board. Much more release on top turns and reverses, without sliding out on bottom turns. I am in love with my board again!

yeh, I have also been waiting for your feedeback on the timing of getting a whatever board as a kite construction. Also, would you be able to give a rough guidance on weight wise, how much a certain type of board weighs in strapless construction, please? I am close to buy a board, but like Mike, I would like to know about the schedule of things here.

Thanks!

Brian, very good info, thank you.

One more thing, your commment on Potatonator got my interest, big time to be honest. I am now thinking abt the Potatonator 5'6 FST as I am 80kgs - 175lbs or so. I will be riding in onshore wind wave conditions mainly. I currently have Slingshot Tyrant 6'1 strapless construction (ie. very light, but heel dentable) and as mentioned I am looking for a light wind board because Tyrant is not that per se. Does the Potatonator fit the bill here as judging it by it's outline etc. it looks really good?

Please tell me that me fears on too much tail rocker for the board to be an early planer is unfounded and also that the board has off the charts speed? Pretty pls. What kind of tail rocker does it have, around an inch perhaps?

As you well know that early planing is one factor for succesful light wind riding and the other is board speed as without speed, the kite cannot create apparent wind and also the strapless jumps are not possible to do...

Thank you very much!

Cheers for the feedback, i was going to demo the BP next when im at the shop, just need some swell that isnt blown out, so i can give it a decent test. As for the bamboo decks, i seriously love them, have only ridden friends boards with them as i have never owned one. Im very interested in getting my hands on one of my own though

I have a 5'6 SP and love it so much, i was looking at the BP for a new addition to my quiver, my mates say whats the point its the same board, just with a different tail, is anyone else rocking both boards and is it really worth going out and spending my cash? Ive had my SP for ages and still froth so hard on it.

And actually one more, very important question: I used to have one surfboard (not yours), which had a lot of toe in leading to very high drag, and in short, this made the board useless for kiteing.

Therefore, are SP 5'2 and BP 5'1 clean in this respect ie. very fast without any drag coming from fin placement?

I highly appreciate your feedback and service here in your forums!

Thanks Brian.

One more thing, regarding the 5'1 BP kitesurf specific model and 5'2 SP FST, which has more tail rocker and weight wise, how much difference there is between the two?

Also, I am in Florida in the end of Feb, do you think the kite 5'1 BP will be available then?

Thank you very much!

Was also told would be a £100 premium for a custom. Ha Ha if they misunderstood my questions about custom Lost Firewire and want £100 extra on the retail price for a custom poly Lost taking the price up to nearly £599 . Surely not!
I nearly ordered a Custom Poly Lost Mini Driver to be finished by Bulkley on his last trip but went for a custom Bulkley Hipster Quad instead. .

Thanks for the reply. I gave up coming here due to lack of response. I thought there would be a bit more interaction with the people involved in the Custom program as suggested here I am 155lb and like boards around 26 litres.
Boardshop told me back in August I could get a custom Lost mini driver.