Messages

1

Random / Re: Cover songs.

« on: September 10, 2021, 05:31:43 PM »

Great song, great cover

2

Classifieds / Re: Blue Planet Sweet Spot

« on: June 10, 2021, 11:40:14 AM »

Where are you located?

3

Gear Talk / Re: SMIK sup

« on: May 02, 2021, 04:28:23 PM »

They are not available in the states but that doesn’t mean you can’t get one. Just reach out to Scotty through the Smik website, tell him your interested in getting a board in the states, and see if it’s possible currently. I know pre-COVID Scotty would fly around the world delivering boards in airports and such. I ordered a 8’ Hipster twin last year and received it after a few months. It was shipped over with another company’s board container. So with COVID screwing up a lot of the shipping times it may just take longer. But it’s definitely worth the wait. The Hipster twin is such a great board!!  Good luck

4

Travel, Trips, Destinations / Re: Don't break quarantine...

« on: December 21, 2020, 11:10:00 AM »

I saw this story last week, and no matter what you think about the virus, you should expect to be thrown in jail if you break the law in a foreign country. How is it she is a pre-med student and can’t follow a simple quarantine?

5

Gear Talk / Re: Realising you have gone too small and in doing so- lost the magic of sup

« on: November 15, 2020, 07:24:02 AM »

Sunova Steeze is a great all around board. It’s got glide, stability, turnability, and versatility! In bigger waves I run my as a 2+1 with a smaller center. In smaller waves I run it as a single. There is a 8’10 x 30 @125L version. https://sunovasurfboards.com/en/sup/sup-surfing/steeze

6

Random / Re: WTFAYLT

« on: October 05, 2020, 12:44:52 PM »

This is what 2020 would have been like in a crazy good way.

7

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Smik Hipster Twin is ridiculously stable!

« on: August 16, 2020, 06:08:18 PM »

Awesome. I own an 8'4" x 30.5" x115 liters that I use all the time now that I am surfing in North Florida. Have ordered a
Mongrel 8' without the foil boxes. May get it before I turn 73! LOL!

I appreciate the review you posted on your Hipster Twin. It was very helpful in my research. Well I hope your new board gets here in time for your bday and I will definitely be looking forward to your review of it. Will this be another Scotty custom?

8

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: SMIK Hipster Twin Landed

« on: August 10, 2020, 03:36:10 PM »

I would like to see Smik boards get picked up and distributed in the North America  also but if you really want one I would reach out to Scotty at Smik and see if he can get one shipped to you. I have a 8’ Hipster Twin that I recently received and I live in Florida.

9

Gear Talk / Re: Anyone using XM Surf More leash?

« on: August 06, 2020, 08:56:29 PM »

I had one Dakine leash that I really wasn’t impressed by. I’ve been using FCS and haven’t had any issues. They have held up to the punishment I’ve put them through and no breaks or cuts.

10

Gear Talk / Re: Looking for advice for next board to progress my SUP Surfing skills

« on: August 06, 2020, 06:34:22 AM »

I was in a similar situation as you at the beginning of last year. I wanted a board to progress on but didn’t know how much volume to go with or what length would be best. I also wanted a board I could use in mostly any condition and was easy to paddle. I ended up getting a 9’6 Sunova Steeze @145L and this board really helped my surfing especially going down the line. You can ride it as a single fin and practice your longboard style (stalling, trimming, walking the board) or when it gets bigger run it as a 2+1 and practice your bottom and top turns. It’s a really fun, versatile shape that goes well in a lot of conditions. You could also probably go down to the 8’10 Steeze and have no problems with stability. I think it would meet your flat water paddle needs also.

11

Gear Talk / Re: Anyone using XM Surf More leash?

« on: August 05, 2020, 06:26:54 AM »

Thanks you everyone for the info.  Yeah I’ve been looking for an 8’ calf leash but none of the mainstream leash companies make one. But also the wife wants a purple calf leash for Xmas which like looking for a unicorn. Now I’m not sure if she knows about XM or she is trying determine if I’m still worthy of being her husband and listens to what she wants.    Sounds like XM are pretty solid so I think I’m going to give them a try.

12

Gear Talk / Anyone using XM Surf More leash?

« on: August 04, 2020, 01:24:20 PM »

Just wondering if anyone is using XM surf leash? And what your thoughts are on them?

13

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Smik Hipster Twin is ridiculously stable!

« on: August 03, 2020, 06:35:01 AM »

I could see this board fitting into a lot of people’s quiver. From beginners(like me) looking to get on a smaller board that’s easy to stand on but still has excellent performance to more seasoned paddlers looking for a board that is fast loose shred sled!!
My overview is very basic and focused mainly on the stability aspect of the Hipster Twin because I thought it would be helpful for people who are looking to get a smaller performance board but are also beginners or worried about stability. There are better in depth reviews on the Zone and Seabreeze that are worth a look. But I do believe this is a really fun board at all skill levels

14

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Re: Smik Hipster Twin is ridiculously stable!

« on: August 01, 2020, 04:33:47 PM »

I had a nice morning of slightly overhead surf courtesy of Hurricane Isaias. This is a really fun board!! The late take off ability of this board is incredible. It picks up speed really quick, turns on a dime, then picks up speed again.

There was one standout set wave I caught that I can’t stop thinking about. The swell was overhead and I was a little bit too far inside to get a good paddle into the wave. But I was in perfect position to catch the shoulder so I got a few good strokes in and I thought I was going in the washer. But as soon as the wave picked me up the board took off!!! That drop was so fun!! So I cut back up the face, and down again!! But the wave face was huge and glowing as the early morning sun was shining through it.

15

SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order / Smik Hipster Twin is ridiculously stable!

« on: July 27, 2020, 09:40:27 PM »

I received my Smik Hipster Twin the weekend before last and tested it out over this past weekend. I mainly tested it out in flat water because I wanted to see how it sat in the water, where to stand on the board (if I could stand on the board), how it paddles etc. 

Board: 8’x30.5 @118L
Me: 5’11 175lbs. 38yo

I started SUP surfing from scratch about 3 years ago. I had minimal surf experience before that. I’ve progressed my way down from the all around style SUPs @164ish liters to my first dedicated surf sup, a 9’6 Sunova Steeze @145L. I’ve had the Steeze over a year and felt that it was time to get try and drop down in size but also get a shortboard style sup. After countless hours/days/weeks of research on different websites and forums I was pointed in the direction of Smik by Reuben over at Supboarder. So I reached out to Scotty Mckercher, who is awesome to do business with, and order a 8’ Hipster Twin.

I must say I was a bit unsure about dropping 27 liters in volume and 1.5ft in length. But as soon as I saw the board in person I could tell it was not going to be a problem. The board just looks rock solid stable. When I got it to the water and stood up, it was confirmed. I was expecting some serious growing pains to make a jump like this and maybe if I had gone with a different board I would have. But Smik lived up to the hype. I paddled it around for about 2 hours with zero issues. Afterwards I was thinking I probably could have dropped another size lol. At my weight, about the back 1/3 of the board was underwater. You just stand a little further forward than normal as most other reviewers have stated.

Next I took it out in some semi choppy conditions to see how it would fare. Once again it surprised me. It was almost as stable as my Steeze!!  This is only my second time out on this small board(for me) and I was already relaxed and comfortable in onshore semi choppy surf. I can’t get over how easy this board is to jump on and paddle.  Anyone looking to get a smaller sup and worried about stability, should definitely look into the Smik Hipster Twin.