Activator vs Spiitfire

[Slowman]

I just got back from Indo and I took my spit with me and rode it only a couple of times over 2 weeks. I also took my hellfire and a 6'8 Aloha AF2 turbo (quite similar to the alternator but less volume). Next time I think I'd leave the spit at home and just take 2 boards instead...I'm thinking of a 6'6 alt to replace the AF2.

The spit is a great board for weak waves but you won't find that many in Indo except perhaps on weaker sloppier days along Kuta/Leggian/Seminyak strip in Bali. I have not ridden the activator but I think I'd be leaning towards that, the foil is a little more refined and it appears to have a tad more rocker. So it looks to me like a better small wave board for Indo.

[Chris]

yeah good stuff slow man

[Fritzkat]

Activator all the way... I am loving this board ridding as quad with AM-2 fronts and Rusty rears .. taking it out tomorrow with the Hellfire.. hopefully i will get some photos.

[nn66]

Just got back from Indo sorry for the confusion I rode my Spitfire 90% of the time out Ulu, Kuta Reef, Beachies and Balian the swell did not get bigger than 5ft the only time the spitfire felt sketchy was at Ulu 4-5ft low tide otherwise it went unreal, I did not take my Hellfire out of the cover. See some pics at Ulu.
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[Slowman]

Just got back from Indo sorry for the confusion I rode my Spitfire 90% of the time out Ulu, Kuta Reef, Beachies and Balian the swell did not get bigger than 5ft the only time the spitfire felt sketchy was at Ulu 4-5ft low tide otherwise it went unreal, I did not take my spitfire out of the cover. See some pics at Ulu.

Nice pics, but I'm still confused! What never came out of the cover?

[nn66]

Sorry about that Slowman thanks for picking my typo up the Hellfire 6'6" never came out of the cover, I find the spitfire my go to board for anything up to say 5ft depending on the location plus I like how the spitfire paddles. The Activator does look interesting however would have to ride it as a 6'7" with same volume as the 6'4" Spitfire seems a bit long.

[Fritzkat]

nn66 Go for the 6-3 or 6-5 Activator, I ride the 6-3 no problem.

[nn66]

Thanks Fritzkat I think I could get away with the 6'5", how do you find your Activator compared to your Hellfire as I have a 6'6" Hellfire and although I like it but it seems under volumed as I mostly ride it in winter with a steamer on so that adds extra weight, unfortunately I did not ride it in Bali do to small wave size. I find the Spitfire is fine with a steamer on and cannot understand why such a small difference in volume between the Spitfire and Hellfire would make such a difference, and would not like the same thing to happen if I got an Activator to replace the Hellfire.

[Slowman]

N66 your HF (39.7) is 1.7L less than the spit (41.5), roughly about the same from my dom to my HF (1.6L) and slightly less (1.2L) to my spit. I don't find that much difference even now wearing a steamer in winter, not once I'm on the wave. The extra rocker of the HF makes it a harder paddle than the spit/dom but I find if I position myself further back on the board it paddles better. What I mean is too far forward and you are pushing more water, obviously you're not too far back either, it's subtle and 2" can make a difference.

That is, if the paddle is what you find lacking, or is it just when on a wave? If that is the case maybe you just need to surf it more, mine felt a bit like that at first after coming from the dom, but the more I surfed my HF the more I could get it to go in smaller waves too.

[Fritzkat]

Slowman, I was just going to say the same thing. More rocker in the Hellfire, harder to paddle especially in below average waves. Hellfire needs juice and clean conditions for its best performance. The Activator's rocker is between the Spit/Dominator and the Hellfire. Activators tail is tighter than the Spit/Dominator. I am favoring the Activator over my Dominator for most of the waves in all conditions. I dont have to wear any rubber suit here so you could probably benefit from the 6-5.