5/9 or5/11 elf

[remedy06]

hi guys
Decisions on what size elf would be the right choice
Intermediate surfer
73kg
Still tossing up between el fuego or the spit
Possible trip to the maldives 2013 [most likely]
what board would be most suited
or just get the both
Now that would be indulgement

[prjwebb]

5'9" is your size in my opinion. I'm about 5kg heavier and would ride the 5'9".
That said I don't think you'd have any issue with the 5'11" either. Depends if you like riding a smaller board or like a little extra volume.

As for the Spitfire, if it's going to be your only board it could be a better pick. If you have a standard short board for when the waves are juicier then the El Fuego will handle the low to medium range well and even the bigger stuff as long as you can get in early.

[iggy]

Two board quiver: Hellrazor 6'1"/Dominator 5'8"
One board +standar short : Spitfire 5'8"

[Chris]

Hey Remedy,
On the El Fuego model, I am in agreement that you could easily ride the 509, but I know someone about your size who rides the 511 and loves it. It comes down to preference a little bit and wave type, wetsuit needs etc.

I think the spitfire, as compared to the El Fuego offers a bit more rocker and likes to go a bit more vertical in a beach break while the El Fuego prefers a more open face, down the line wave. The choice is up to surfer but I think both would go well in the Maldives.

Cheers!

[remedy06]

Hey Remedy,
On the El Fuego model, I am in agreement that you could easily ride the 509, but I know someone about your size who rides the 511 and loves it. It comes down to preference a little bit and wave type, wetsuit needs etc.

I think the spitfire, as compared to the El Fuego offers a bit more rocker and likes to go a bit more vertical in a beach break while the El Fuego prefers a more open face, down the line wave. The choice is up to surfer but I think both would go well in the Maldives.

Cheers!

Thanks guys for feedback on size of board and will probably go the 5/9
Just a question on the white rapid fires are they stronger then the bamboo deck rapids and are they better to repair

[Gnubee]

I have not surfed a rapidfire version, but the FST is much stronger than a standard PU board. I think of myself as being fairly gentle on my boards, but every time I surf my PU board I come out with new heel dings. Not so on the FST. Looks brand new still and does not feel like one of the other epoxy pop-outs either.

EDIT: As to your original post, if you surf all the time, go 5'9". If you are looking to go with a single board to do it all, I think a Spitfire might be a better call, even though that depends a ton on what kind of waves you regularly surf. A Two board quiver for me might be an El Fuego and either a Hellrazor or Alternator. I can honestly say that the ElF is the fastest and most fun board I have ever surfed in anything from just over knee high to just over head high waves.

[Matt_s]

Where in the Maldives are you going ? Im your weight (70-73kg) intermidiete ride a 5'9 EF and a 5'6 Dom. Took them booth to the Maldives this April(central atolls for 8 days, honkies for 3 days), two of my friends also took there el fuegos same weight as me on 5'9s and 5'11s. We were all super happy with how the el fuegos handled the waves in the Maldives. I'v tried the 5'9 and 5'11 and much prefer the volume of the 5'9. I think the 5'11 rides well at our weight but it does feel very floaty and big when your sitting on it. The 5'9 gets in easy and the waves in the Maldives are so good it makes it even easier. I didnt actually use the Dom in the end because Id had the ef longer and was more confident on it, but I'v been using the Dom since I got home and wish I'd used it there now! Such a good board, I like them both so much and would struggle to say which I would Prefer, I think it's true that the Dom surfs a little more like a traditional short board but I really liked the el feugo shape in those fast glassy walls, especially machines in laammu atoll. What a wave!

Overall I felt the ef was perfect for the waves there as they were breaking kind of fast with small barrell sections popping up and the speed the ef gives you helps you make those sections. The waves had easy take offs so I never found the low entry rocker a problem, even on steep take offs. The 5'9 is a solid choice for the Maldives, tried and tested, perfect vol. However a Dom or spit would also be awesome if you do decide to go down that road, I cant see you regretting either.

Good luck, I'm so jealous, been so disappointing being back in the uk after that trip :) (lookin to a third trip already!)

[benny81]

Wish I was taking my Elf to the maldives! Out of interest Matt what sort of waves do you surf your Elf in back in the UK? What fins do you ride too?

[Matt_s]

Wish I was taking my Elf to the maldives! Out of interest Matt what sort of waves do you surf your Elf in back in the UK? What fins do you ride too?

Iv got 3 boards 5'9 EF, 5'2 Potato and 5'6Dom.... based in london at the moment so im surfing more on the yorkshire coast these days (find the drive shorter) but sometimes down in cornwall and doing a fair few overseas trips to keep sane

I find the 5'9 EF the most dependable (maybe because iv had it longest) surf it anything from chest high to maybe head and half at a push (anything bigger than that and im not in the water) especially if the waves are breaking faster down the line and I need extra speed i think the lower volume tail makes me feel more like the EF is a good call and it does get in nice and early to set up as well, I think like most say when your style has to be a bit more lateral the EF is the call

Iv had the DOM a few months i was worried about 5'6 being a bit of a short rail line so kept going with the EF as i couldnt get out of the habit of using it and I like it in all conditions over chest high, however iv been on the dom a bit more latley and I surfed it in some great barrely chest high beach break in hossegor and loved it, it was so much fun, so I think when its clean and not peelin so fast this would be my choice over the EF at the moment, but i can defintley see myself switching back and forth between the two

The potato i surf anytime it looks fat regardless of size really (up to my limit of course), love surfing it on long reefs around waist to chest high, the short rail makes it a lot of fun, kind of like skateboarding

RE fins iv got, i ususally put the C drives in the el fuego as a quad if i want speed, if i want a bit more performance i prefer it as a thruster (c drives or k2.1 are the best iv found so far) i havnt experimented much with the dom but k2.1 up front with rear sf4 seem to work great on that session in hossegor, felt really connected to the board, and c drives as a quad in the potato

maldives = intermediates paradise, havnt found anywhere that tops it yet! well worth the cash

[prjwebb]

How much is 10 days or something in the Maldives if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking at a trip somewhere at the moment and if it's not toooo brutal I might just go for it...