Volume Calculator

[Chris]

would people be way happier having an updated Buyers Guide as well with length suggestions based on ability?

[prjwebb]

I think the volume calculator works well for the people who need that information. It's more the guys in the intermediate plus range, who already know the right size boards for them, who might be riding minimal volume or a little extra volume which doesn't necessarily match up with the volume calculator.
That's not to say if they followed the VC recommendation that it wouldn't work for them though.

[savagebee]

I think the volume calculator is really bad and misleading. If I enter my true details intermediate, 82kg, 50 years old, average fitness, it gives me a volume range of 43 to 53. This is ridiculously high. I am currently riding boards in range 30 to 32 and concerned that the 32 has a bit too much float.

I think the worst thing about the calculator is the age component, it has a huge effect on the calculation. Why should age effect your optimal volume? Calculation already has fitness and ability components so age is irrelevant. In general I think paddle ability is overrated when deciding on a board. If you are an intermediate short board surfer then you can paddle and the difference between paddling a slightly less or more volume board is minimal. What is most important is how the board performs on the wave. So maybe wave type is a more relevant input to calculation.

[indodreaming]

I think it's just a Rough guide really, if I put in I'm intermediate/advanced I get 26-32L which is perfect but if I put in intermediate I go up 32-39L which is way to much foam for me.

Also with boards if there HP I tend to go lower in volume and with grovel boards higher, also the shorter the board I tend to go a bit higher in volume.

All that said boards are strange things, volume is only one factor for instance my 5,10 hellfire is over 29L my 6,3 flexfire is over 28L but I find my flex fire much easier to paddle, despite the extra rocker, but I guess it's the extra length that helps.

Also I think there is two volume aspects one volume is perfect for paddling at the high end and one volume perfect for actual surfing much lower, the trick is to find the balance between the two,that really sucks cause I love low volume boards fr surfing but I'm not a strong paddler so I need extra volume for paddling.

But It possibly all means nothing until you see and pick up the board and put it under your arm thats when you really know if your in the right volume range.

[buzzy]

I tended to prefer the old simple table and agree the calculator tends to spit out "too high" volumes as age increases, but what's good for me isn't good for everyone. In any event the descriptors are subjective and it's a really hard thing to develop. Hats off for trying.

[Slowman]

would people be way happier having an updated Buyers Guide as well with length suggestions based on ability?

More information is always good.

I think the volume calculator was more realistic before age was added. For some reason increasing age seems to discount fitness rating excessively.

[savagebee]

If you throw away age and have a look at all the suggested sizings on these forums I think you could easily create a basis for a better calculator. Also if you want to do it properly then give some criteria to qualify what the different parameters mean. For example is fitness meant to be relative to your age? Intermediate = "Competent paddling and catching waves of all sizes, cutbacks, top turns but not radical or vertical"?

[Slowman]

I think a lot of those suggestions were based on or made with the benefit of knowledge gained from the earlier volume calculator.