RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Thread Specifically for High Performance type Step Downs (i.e; still built for hi-performance for everyday 1-4 ft conditions, more so than being a tiny wave groveller as such).

If you've got one, what is it, and how does it go ?

never owned one but by all accounts go gangbusters

More information needed Iggy
What are your criteria?
E.g. I pretty much only ride boards that would be step downs for a good surfer.
HP rocker, wider and thicker.

firewire hellfire look good. http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/surfb ... d=hellfire.
as does the dylan mexican http://www.dylansurfboards.com/boards/2 ... 26/mexican
as does the LSD chubby checka
http://www.lsdsurfboards.com/boards/ent ... bby_checka

still loving the webber 'the one' but it's starting to get trashed and beat up pretty quickly (not sure if that's normal for SLX boards, or if mine's a factory dud) so i'm thinking it's time to look around for something else.. ?

That's what all my shortboards look like, except I don't ride them 2-7 inches shorter or whatever the latest spiel is

For me a step down HPS would normally go something like this:

Approx 1/2 inch wider
Approx 2 inches shorter
Same thickness as normal
Little flatter through the front half and fraction more width through the nose.
Single to double with possible little V off the tail
Thruster
Round tail


Now all this said by favourite step down HPS goes like this:
1 inch wider
Super deep single
Rounded square
3 inches shorter

The board was an experiment outside of my standard 'norm'. Im so glad I took the punt on something a bit different. The board fricken rips.

I should point out that one of the learning curves for me in experimenting with step downs while keeping them high performance is not to go too flat in the back end. This is a very general call though and you need to look at all the other design aspects, or better still leave it to an experienced shaper.
The learning for me is that you can still have a board that picks up quick strong speed and can plain through flat sections while keeping a performance back end curve allowing the board to still surf straight up in a vertical approach. The tail curve also allows the board to turn quickly allowing you to surf a smaller wave in the pocket if there is one. Flatter boards can let you down in this area. I find a round tail can assist in a board that is a little flatter.

When I get my knee good enough I'm keen to try a round tail quad for the same conditions.

I'd go for Almost the same as per nathos formula, but pref a square tail on smaller boards.

Natho, how does the MC (I assume ur referring to for your current step down) go in choppier conditions given the deep concave ?

from the Dylan Mexican webpage description:

A board that is in between your performance board and your fun small wave board that you ride an inch or 2 shorter and a little wider and thicker than your normal high performance board

have they just invented a new board category for cashed-up surfers to throw money at?

Me 5'11 about 80kg

MG Slayer 5'8 x 19 7/8 x 2 7/16 (very low rails) single to double concave, wide diamond tail, flat nose rocker and good amount of tail kick. I love this board and ride it the most out of my current 3 board quiver (all mgs) . Ride it as a quad with stretch fins (has 5 future plugs). Holds easily 4-5 foot. Went excellent on my back hand at that size keramas.

^^ sounds nice. i like diamond tails as well. maurico shapes a nice board also, have had one before.

Hatchy the deep concave board is no good in choppy conditions. It doesn't need to be perfectly clean but choppy and it's no good.

^ yep, thanks, figured as much. the deepish single concave on my webber tends to feel a little abrupt and unsettled if the conditions are sloppy.

I just picked up a 6'0 x 19 5/8 x 2 5/8 Penn magic black. Only had a few waves on it. Round tail 5 finner. I've tried it with pc3 fronts and MR rears.

My good wave board is the same dims but 6'4 quadfather.

Looks like a good alrounder for 2-4ft flattish rocker, single to double.

It's one of his new designs so there limited info on the webs.

Ron Goddard roundtail quad, single concave, chined tail.
Plenty of volume, but still quite loose and goes like a scalded cat

tootr wrote:Ron Goddard roundtail quad, single concave, chined tail.
Plenty of volume, but still quite loose and goes like a scalded cat

They look like pretty big front fins, are they around the M7 size?