Mini Driver Versus the Unibrow....

[Goanna]

Hey Buzzy, I overlayed the boards in photoshop once when deciding which one to get and the tail on the MD was narrower. If I get time I'll do it again for you.
I can see how the shop guy would think the UB is better for typical Sydney waves though.
tough choices ahead for you buzzy - don't forget if you can't get a demo feel free to try mine.

[Goanna]

here's the rocker shot from the start of this thread anyway...
MD%2520UB.jpg

[Goanna]

Found it! looks like the last 6 inches may be identical but the MD tail pulls in above that then the MD nose is wider than the UB

click on the oicyure to enlarge.

MD V'S UB.jpg

[prjwebb]

Wow they are similar. My favourite thing about the Mini Driver is the wider nose though. It's nice for paddling, but best of all is that extra bit of stability when popping up in a 5/4, boots, hood and gloves. It seems to counter the slow/heavy feeling of all that rubber.

I was undecided whether to take the MD or Potato in today. Waist to headhigh but the bigger ones were very spaced out. Figured I'd either be struggling on the small ones or strugging on the big ones. Took the MD in and had no problem making the most of the small ones but did miss the Potato. I'm addicted to that little thing.

[Sarge]

Nice work on the photoshop overlays there. It's funny how close they look on your graphic, 'cause when I first saw them in a shop, I though the differences appeared massive.
Still loving my MD. And it's starting to glow for the CC.

[FW - Fan]

Found it! looks like the last 6 inches may be identical but the MD tail pulls in above that then the MD nose is wider than the UB

click on the oicyure to enlarge.

MD V'S UB.jpg

Thats awesome Goanna. Are the dims on those planshapes accurate? Its just when I felt the UB up it felt nothing like the MD to me. Again awesome work.

[Goanna]

Thats awesome Goanna. Are the dims on those planshapes accurate? Its just when I felt the UB up it felt nothing like the MD to me. Again awesome work.

Yeah they are traced directly from photos

[Fazza]

I have been surfing a 5'10 UB for a few weeks and liked it on the first surf but haven't had a good surf on it since no matter what fins. I have tried it in small to head high surf with medium to small fins and find it really hard to bury the rail like I can on the CC or the MD. I think it is because of the deep single into the deep double and quite a wide round tail. I have since surfed a 6'0 mini driver in similar and larger conditions and for me it performed way better than the UB. I don't think there is anything wrong with the UB, I think it just did not suite the way I surf. I have had great fun on a 5'11 CC and in punchier to bigger surf the 6'0 Mini Drive has just been working for me so well.

[robgnyc]

Been surfing for a long time (25+ years) and have honed in on the volume I like pretty well. 2.5 liters is the difference between a board that doesn't paddle well and one that's too corky to properly sink the rail, for me at least. With shapers putting volume numbers on the last few years I've been able to quantify what used to be a lot more hit and miss and resulted in a lot of boards bought and sold with wrong volume.

If you pick up the 5'8 and the 5'10 MD's you can feel that volume pretty clearly. It's odd as the the poly versions at stock dimensions carries a lot more volume. If you look at a 5'8 poly MD they are more like 26.8 or so and the 5'10s are like 28 plus. The stock 5'9 is actually more like the Firewire 5'10 volume wise. The 5'10 would probably work for me during the winter in a 5/4 boots/gloves/hood but might be a little corky during bigger hurricane season swells when I'm in just trunks or a short sleeve full.

I'm a bit of an advocate for the MD in 1" increments, though it is too late for me as I have my 602 on order now :D
I do wonder if you would notice the 2.5 litre difference between the 5'8 and 5'10?

[Matt_s]

Wow they are similar. My favourite thing about the Mini Driver is the wider nose though. It's nice for paddling, but best of all is that extra bit of stability when popping up in a 5/4, boots, hood and gloves. It seems to counter the slow/heavy feeling of all that rubber.

I was undecided whether to take the MD or Potato in today. Waist to headhigh but the bigger ones were very spaced out. Figured I'd either be struggling on the small ones or strugging on the big ones. Took the MD in and had no problem making the most of the small ones but did miss the Potato. I'm addicted to that little thing.

First hard choice is what to buy, then its what to surf.

The potato is so excellent though, iv caught some unbelivably fun head high semi-powerful waves on it when I should be using something more performance oreintated, But the speed its picked up on take off has been so fun and its so skatey its just such a fun board! (unfortunatley it doesnt always go like this in the bigger stuff). A magic stick for sure