nother comparison...Hellarazor vs Stealth

[Deon JBay]

In the board comparison thingy these boards look pretty similar bar the obvious things like the tails and double concaves on the razor
I picked up the hellrazor the other day and the rails up front felt v. similar to the stealths, and I was also pretty surprised by the lack of nose volume..
anyway
I've always enjoyed my 5'10" stealth in clean waves, but not in anything too much overhead
Is the hellrazor a bit more versatile? Chris...you've surfed both
I'm thinking a 5'11" hellrazor will prob be my next board over the MB which looks surprisingly boxy

[prjwebb]

I've been eyeing the 511 HZ too Deon, looks like a really nice shape. Have you seen any of the 2 3/8" 600 MBs? I think that's going to be a good one too.

[Deon JBay]

I've seen the thinner version of the 5'10" and was surprised by how chunky it is - will have a look at the 6'0" thinner version, but it may be a bit boxy for JBay...will try and get a demo for a spin

[prjwebb]

My dealer doesn't get them in until mid July so I haven't had a proper look yet.

[Deon JBay]

MB has a lovely outline
finally a high performance with a bit of nose width
think its gonna be a great beach break board

[prjwebb]

Dunno if you've seen my CBD Taj. 6'0" x 18.81" x 2.38" wider nose and tail, similar to the MB outline. 28l volume. Magic board!

[Deon JBay]

sounds sweet
I've always battled with Taj tail rocker
I'm lazy...I like a bit of projection

[prjwebb]

Yeah I like that rocker in punchy beach breaks. Didn't like it so much in morocco...
I think the last Taj models had a slightly relaxed rocker from the older ones. My 602 seemed more extreme. Not 100% on that though

[Deon JBay]

Chris....any thoughts?

[Chris]

Yeah you know they both are high performance boards in my opinion and i think they work well for different reasons. To me the magic of the Hellrazor comes from the slightly greater width, which allows it to get over fat sections, as well as the the step rail on the tail (coffin tail). It is thinner and has more rocker than standard hybrids so the board is really sensitive and precise, but should be ridden longer so you have more rail to work with. Feels great in waves with a bit of push.

The Michel is an all around good HP shortboard with a more traditional shape, a progressive rocker and a good amount of volume so it can be ridden a bit shorter than a flex fire or Taj. Yeah the rails are fuller than the Taj but, keep in mind the physical differences between the two athletes. Also make sure you weren't getting your hands on a thicker Michel. I ride the 600 Michel, thinner version, and it feels very "unboxy" and its kind of my go to in steeper surf.

So would I buy both? hmmm....likely not until I had all of my other areas covered. To me they get ridden in similar surf, perhaps with the Hellrazor having a touch more versatility in average conditions due to its width and ability to be ridden as a quad. The Razor breathes performance but with a hint of hybrid mixed in there that you can feel at different times. The Michel is all shortboard all the time. Subtle differences, but an experienced surfer will know whether he or she wants a little extra width or a little extra length...

Cheers and hope this helps!