Believe the hype.

[Boludo]

So yesterday my new L41 SIMSUP S4 arrived.  I fiercely ripped open that box, anxiously wanting to see it in person.  I've never seen one in person but for a long time now, I've followed L41 and their simmons inspired sups.

Pulled it out of the box and these were my initial impressions.
1.  Looked beautiful
2.  Loved the very thinned out nose and thinned out tail (super thin).
3.  The chined rails were unlike anything I had really seen.
4.  The center of the board look big (thick) and that had me worried. 
5.  The fins that come with the board are top quality.  Front fins did seem a little large.

Board dims are 7'3" x 28.5" x 4 1/8" - 96.5 liters
I immediately weighed the board.
- Dry weight was 13.8 pounds
- With pad it weighed 14.8 pounds
- With pad, quad fins, and monster spray it weighed 16 pounds even.
A tad on the heavy side for my taste.  Was hoping for upper 14 pounds with pad and fins.  It does have some extra glassing and it does feel very solid.  Very solid!

The board was definitely a little strange and I became a little skeptic on how it would surf.  I sent my buddy, Big Ed, a text saying a was kind of skeptic how well it would surf.

Surf report:  Clean and 1-3 feet.  Very small.

1st ride report:

This board is AMAZING!  I mean, Crazy Awesome!  Stability was unbelievably stable and easy to paddle.  Stability was so good that it was very relaxing to stand on and paddle.  The board paddled extremely well for the size.  Very small wave coming, paddle for it, boom..on the wave.  Wow that was easy!  Another tiny 1-2 foot wave comes in, paddle for it, on the wave.  Geez, this is too easy!  Another 2 foot wave comes, paddle, on it, a small cutback and go to the nose.  Wow this thing nose rides too.

So because the surf was so small there were zero proners and 3 other guys on SUPs.  I chat it up with Tom English and he says, can I just see if I can stand on it?  Me: absolutely.  Tom (185 pounds) hops on it and sinks it pretty good but surprisingly paddles it around without falling.  Another guy on a 8'10"(?) Nectar says "can I see if I can paddle it"?  Me: sure, go for it.  You'll have no problem with it (he's 145 pounds).  He says, well I've seen you and you can paddle anything.  He hops on and falls a few times.  After that he's up and paddling it.  I surf a few on his board as he gets used to it.  I go to get my board and he says can I go for a wave.  Me:  no problem.  He catches on wave and is hooting and hollering in disbelief.  Comes to me and says, can I go for one more?  He goes for another, catches it, and hoots and hollers.  Comes back to me and says "where can I order one"?  I explain.

The board surfs like no other board I've been on.  It actually took an hour or so before I started to get the hang of it.  Main issue was that the take offs were very different.  The rails on this board really work.  In small surf they don't get stuck and the few 3 footers I managed to get, the rails really shine.  They are very easy to bury.  The chined rails give it that harder edge.  You can do a cutback on a small wave and not loose the wave.  Managed to ride the nose on a few other waves.  Did  a few harder cutbacks and one that broke loose on the top (felt great).   The fins appear to really work and I don't see me changing them out for a while.  Seems to be a good configuration.   Can't wait to get it in bigger surf.

Bottom line:  It takes time to get used to the board.  You start to learn the different way to surf it and generate the speed it has.  It's not as predictable as my other shorter sups.  I'm 100% sold on this mini simmons sups.  Exciting would be a complete understatement for these boards.

It's not a quiver killer.  My infinity Blurr surfs so amazing and completely shreds with the only limitation of the board being the rider itself.  With that being said, one must consider a mini simmons to add to the quiver.  I have NEVER had so much fun in 1-3 foot waves.  I ended up having the entire place to myself for an hour and a half.  Not one proner the whole time.  This board can catch almost anything.

Sorry if the pix come out all upside down, but I never get right.

[SUPerstitious]

Sweet!  Congrats on the new ride.

I hope it surfs you well for a long time!   

[supuk]

looks great i saw the picture he posted on face book the other day and loved the paint job. how wide its that tail it looks crazy wide but i bet thats why it gets all the waves!

[Strand Leper]

Can't wait for So Cal shortboard demo day!

SL

[SUP Viking]

Score! Awesome purchase!

[Boludo]

looks great i saw the picture he posted on face book the other day and loved the paint job. how wide its that tail it looks crazy wide but i bet thats why it gets all the waves!

back of the tail measures 14".

[Kiku]

Wow, congrats!  I am so wanting one of those!  I am having a couple of those shaped for me down south .  Picking up the blanks tomorrow, driving south and meeting with my friend at his shop.

May I ask, how much do you weigh?

Also, what is the glassing schedule and what is the actual width of the nose and tail on the bottom with the chimed rails?

Thanks!

Kiku

[Boludo]

Kiku,

I weigh between 160-168 however I think I'm about 158.  Lost 8 pounds from stomach flu so I'm trying to get back some of my weight.

I will measure the nose.  Back of tail is 14".


While I was out, one of the other guys on a SUP said he ordered a simmons sup from Kings.  He's gonna love it. 

Glassing- I may be wrong on this but I believe 2 layers top and bottom 6 oz. plus a 4 oz. patch on standing deck area?  S-Glass as well.

[SCruz Carter]

I have the SimSUP 3 and can attest that these boards just flat out work! Covewater in Santa Cruz has them in stock and I believe a demo on the way as well. Ask anyone who has given them a fair shake and the simmons design works extremely well as a SUP.
Kirk at L41 makes a very sweet board and for the price you are going to get THE cutting edge design.

I have ridden mine in head high waves and it just screams down the line, allowing me to make sections I never thought possible, yet then I crank a turn and am amazed at the combination of speed and maneuverability.

[skibike]

Can't wait for So Cal shortboard demo day!

SL

Yeah really, waiting on the announcement! 

[SoCalSupper]

great write up Chomps!

You got me seriously wanting to try one out now-i too have been skeptical about Simmons Sups, but i know how well you surf and this definitely makes me want to take a test spin

[andygere]

Congrats on the new board, another SIMSUP believer is born!  Love the graphics by the way, very cool.  I think the fins are an integral part of the design, and I surfed a SIMSUP 1 with GLs and didn't like it nearly as much.  With that fin template, it felt like a different board, and really shined.

Anybody in the Santa Cruz/SF Bay area that wants to give these boards a try needs to get over to Covewater and demo one today.

[Kiku]

Kiku,

I weigh between 160-168 however I think I'm about 158.  Lost 8 pounds from stomach flu so I'm trying to get back some of my weight.

I will measure the nose.  Back of tail is 14".


While I was out, one of the other guys on a SUP said he ordered a simmons sup from Kings.  He's gonna love it. 

Glassing- I may be wrong on this but I believe 2 layers top and bottom 6 oz. plus a 4 oz. patch on standing deck area?  S-Glass as well.

Thanks Boludo!  This is very helpful as I am going to get a 7'4"  and 7'0" shaped for myself; although I won't disclose my exact weight (ha, ha) I am lighter than you and am working on dropping another 20#s. 

Again, congrats, and I LOVE the resin work!

Kiku

[getsupngo]

Is it time to arrange another category on the zone?

"Simmonized" or "Simmonsed" might work.

[ReefShoes]

Great report Boludo
I am curious to hear how your quiver usage will evolve.
Sounds like these Simmons inspired SUPs really excel in the smaller stuff.