Tom Carroll Outer Reef 10'6

[Wetstuff]

Badger,  That's a quick bail; you were about the be the public break-thru.  I wonder what he meant by 'hindered by their equipment'?  Guys like him could surf sheets of plywood.

I figure most people I see, self-included, are limited by athletism, talent/skill, and time-on-the-water.  We have a guy here that surfs a no-name, 11' log like he's surfed Huntington Pier the last 30 yrs...  Some got it.

Jim

(removed an unkind comment I should have posted)

[Area 10]

...if the differences were major it would really bother me, but in this case, I'm cool with it.   

I think you got it right the first time if in fact you are paddling it to distant spots. I spent a month
in a spot requiring 2 mile paddle out, I could have used those extra liters and inches on my 10 footer.
Otherwise, selling it only to get the 10' for a minor bump in performance seems like a lot of effort.

If you do go that route, would be interesting to learn if you think it was worth it in hindsight.

Well, Badger, if you want it, you want it. But the 10ft is apparently the same width and thickness as the 10-6, so you'd only be losing 6" of length going to the 10. I doubt that would make much difference to the performance of the board. If the 10ft was 30" or 31" wide (rather than 32) and, say, a quarter inch thinner as well then it might make a noticeable difference. But just 6" of length? I'd rather have it for the long paddle-outs. Whether it's 10 or 10-6 you aren't going to be surfing it like it was an 8ft x 27" board anyway.

So I reckon you got the right one, personally.

[Dusk Patrol]

Badger I can see your point about the 10', but your points of reference for surfing sups are 7'6 and 8'10. I imagine that's hard to shake when you're suddenly on a 10'6. I think you made a great choice for a quiver addition on the lengthier end of the spectrum.

[Badger]

Yeah, I'm confident that I got the right board. I wasn't really going to make an effort to sell it. I was just throwing that out there in the post to see if anyone might be interested.

Both the 10' and the 10'6 are 4 1/2 inches thick. It's not so much the volume but how high the deck is above the water. That probably wouldn't change much with the shorter board.

All this going back and forth between the 10'6 and the 10' has helped confirm that I made the right decision with the 10'6. I often have to do this after major purchases to set it right in my mind. Everyone's input has been very helpful. That's the great thing about forums.

[Badger]

I had an awesome waist high session this morning and got to try the new thruster set up. It surfs much better this way. The board is noticeably faster and turns sharper with these fins, more like the shorter boards I'm used to. I have a lot more control of the board so less worry about using it in a crowded line up compared to the the stock fin set up. It doesn't feel like a big board at all.

The 32" width provides more stability than I need most of the time. I think 30" would be perfect for most conditions and would no doubt add some speed but I'm thankful for the extra width when conditions get difficult which is the main reason I bought the board. Overall, I still love the board and have no complaints. I can't wait to get it out in some overhead waves.

The fins I'm using are FCS II Performer PC, XL (4 3/4") center fin with matching quad fronts, Large (4 1/2").

[supnsurf]

Is it tippier with those fins ?

[Badger]

I didn't notice any change in stability.

[1tuberider]

Hi Badger
I have boards the sizes your talking about. A different brand.
I have the 10'6 at 158 liters the 10' @ 150 liters and now another
10' at 125 liters. All boards under 30" width. All boards carbon builds.
I weigh 20 to 30 pounds more than you.

The smallest liter wise is the best. I can paddle in wind, down the beach a mile
or so to surf. It has the bow like the outer reef which I see works really well.

Maybe consider a smaller 10'er. If you can't find the pop out, then go custom.

All of these (my boards) are the high end carbon pop outs. To me, worth the extra
cost for the build.

My suggestion   keep the 10'6.  Look at a smaller volume wise 10'er or get
the OR 10'er.  My larger 10'er's don't see much sun anymore. They were and are
fun, but I found something better.

You know this won't be the last one.  Not for me either. I have
a point break inbound. Totally different board.

[Badger]

The smallest liter wise is the best. I can paddle in wind, down the beach a mile
or so to surf. It has the bow like the outer reef which I see works really well.

That sounds interesting. Who makes it? I haven't seen any other boards with a similar nose. Can you post a photo so we can compare the two?

[1tuberider]

Picture Attached

[Badger]

Thanks for the pic. 2019 Starboard Longboard. Double concave to Vee in the nose. Yes, it really is very similar. I had a look on the website and watched the videos. Pretty cool.   

The Outer Reef has a slightly more pronounced Vee but other than that, it's the same idea. Good to see other shapers are using it.

.

[Badger]

UPDATE - I'm still liking the Outer Reef. I've had about eight sessions so far. I love the way it surfs. It gets into waves early and is super stable. It probably has more stability than I need most of the time. I think the only things I would change would be to decrease the width from 32" to 30" and lower the volume by taking a half inch off the thickness. The extra width seems to slow the board down just a bit and the added stability isn't really necessary in normal conditions. There were a few choppy sessions though where the stability did come in handy and the slightly slower speed gives it some added control on bigger days.

The board is still really fun on small days and it's often the board of choice when I want that extra glide and early wave entry. It's is easy to control allowing me to weave my way around the other surfers with confidence. When the waves are steep enough to get back on the tail, it feels like a much shorter board than you would expect from a 10'6.

Overall, it's a really fun all around board.

[Dusk Patrol]

Badger how is GSI's 'MX' construction holding up, durability-wise and appearance/wear - wise? 

[Badger]

The construction seems rock solid. I haven't dropped it on the rocks yet but I think it would survive a drop better than most. The paint job is also well done and rugged. So far it only has one tiny scratch near the nose where it grazed the pavement last week. It's amazing how they can build it so strong and still keep the board relatively lightweight. I haven't weighed it yet but I'm confident it's under 25 pounds.

.

[Dusk Patrol]

Cool. Thanks. The original x2 construction is touted as tough (and is  heavy-ish). I'm glad the lighter, newer mx is holding up well.