I wouldn't try to steer you any particular way Pet, but here's the only advice I can give.petulance wrote:IGrant's got a second hand 6'2" F-Skate available at the moment though I think a V-Skate or Simon Anderson Mollusc should be my next board.
Last year when I went down to Sydney to pick up my new V-skate, Grant had a second hand F-skate there, which I picked up and really liked. Those 2 models make a good pair to cover a lot of conditions.
I would have bought it right there and then and taken both boards home but he said straight up, no the dims won't suit you.
I've been thinking about the F-skate ever since and finally went through with it since the other board worked out so well for me.
I really think that for guys like me (and maybe you?) unless you are very in tune with board design and what works for you, then it's best to talk to a shaper. You can keep buying off-the-rack boards and maybe hit the jackpot, I used to know exactly what worked for me but had a long time out of the water and now I'm in the wilderness with current design.
I nearly ordered a board through a well known shaper here last year (small low volume father and son business) but the ordering process didn't involve talking to the shaper, it was a fill-out-a-order-form deal in the shop with the help of an assistant. I could have pushed the issue to speak to the shaper I guess, but jeez if they're gonna put a wall up I'm not interested.
Grant will insist on a lengthy discussion every time, I like that process.