Why do you ride what you ride? (part duh)

Longboarding requires you to think a move ahead. A successful ride is not only a physical feat, it's an intellectual exercise. It's yachting for poor people. A good longboard wave makes me feel not only stoked, but smart.

Shortboarding is visceral. Still plenty of thinking going on, but it's more in-the-moment. It's as close as most of us will ever get to flying an F-22. (What's up with that? I paid for the mofo; I don't even get to *borrow* it? C'mon, Obama! I'll bring it right back, I swear!)
A good shortboard wave makes me feel like I just took down a woolly mammoth. "I'll buy you a drink if you'll wipe the blood off your chin..."

All of which adds up to me getting a big-boy shortboard here real soon...but I'll continue to log a lot. It's fun.

Feel better, Frisco.

Great insight on all that @Cazart. Especially the yachting analogy, very appropriate in my experience. I ride both shortboards (if 6'6" still qualifies as a shortboard) and longboards. Besides wave size I usually make my decision based on what I want to feel that day; the sensation of riding on a board that is gliding on the wave or the feeling of riding a short piece of rail and fin.

When work interfered with surfing - two weeks away, two weeks home - I moved up to a tufflite R August so I could keep my wings in shape and still enjoy surfing. Now it's time to go short - as @waverglider says "if 6'6" still qualifies as a shortboard" because generally shorter-boards allow different positions on the wave and much more commitment when the waves get solid. Good question.

if you really want to be able to take advantage of surfing at OB or any other spots north of Santa Cruz. riding a short board is the only way to go. no one who can actually surf is thinking there getting the wave of the day on a log out at OB...as small as the beach gets i have a board for it smallest board: 5'8 x 18 3/4 x 2 1/4 Daily driver: 5'9 x 18 3/8 x 2 1/4 biggest board 6'10 x 18.5 2 3/8 rp quad. I also have a 9'6 two crows log that i love to surf in so*cal and in SC. Up here short boards are the only way to take advantage of what the waves have to offer bottom line.

^^wtf tufflite?!?! three53fins grow a pair and buy a real board

@obtrgrom, you've obviously never watched Angry Guy surf his log.

Also, it's "they're."

Also also, be nice.

Shortboard for up here because let's face it, I'm exercising more than surfing so why not get the most out of it?

@friscohio, ah the old Waikiki Beach Center.

For me it's obviously Longboards, all 9'6", except for an 8'0" when it gets big.
Why, because I need all the flotation and glide I can get, you(me) old curmudgeon ; - )

I enjoy trying different things (though I did not take my longboard out in about a year). As far as my recent boards go, I came from a 6.1 firewire which I loved for its responsiveness and speed Somehow cuts a great balance between being loose and fast yet easy to control in up to head-high waves. Beyond head high I found it hard to tame though (just seems to drop and run away under my feet) so I looked for something longer. Got a 7'8'' semi-gun which I did not enjoy. V-Shaped bottom, roundish rails, felt like it was glued to the water. Took a lot of paddling to get it moving at all. I then got a 6'10'' single fin which is amazing in just about anything I've thrown at it (easy to get into bigger waves and very stable - floaty and forgiving in the small stuff). Then spring hit and I wanted something for the really small, fast (bordering closed-out) days that I'd otherwise skip. Also wanted to get something really loose and skaty as a contrast to the single fin so I got a 5'4'' Mini-Simmons (very wide, two small fins) which changed things up completely again. That board is hell of confusing for now (only took it out 3 times so far).

Bottom line, what I enjoy most is feeling how different boards react in different conditions and what surfing one does to my surfing the other the next day.

Shortboards..I only ride shortboards.My first board was a 7'3 stubbie-gun for my 12th b-day,still have it.Mostly have ridden 6'4'-6'8",except for some 8ft guns.Lately I have been using a SUP to strengthen a bad-back.It opened my mind to all the "other" surf spots that I always knew about or drove past,little coves and reefs not usually surfed.It is a big Ocean-have fun.

SUP 0'-1' (lake Tahoe)

Longboards for 1'-3'waves

Mini log for 3'-4' waves

Mini sims 4'-5' waves

Short board for 4'-6' waves

Step up 6'-10' waves

Big gun for 10'- 20' bombers

At first I was against Tufflite type construction Firewires included and still do not like to ride Tuflite short boards however the board I'm riding is the right weight and the right shape to allow me to ride as big as OB can get and still be surfable and as small as it can be surfed. After 46 years of surfing I've managed to maintain my "hairy pair". But thanks for the encouragement @obtgrom.

The last few years I've become fond of short fat boards in smaller and typical surf conditions . Under 6ft long and 20+ inches wide. I've owned a few longboards but never really figured it out or thought it best for the waves up here. LBs seem fun in small point breaks if I was in SC mor maybe I would dig it more. I have a 5-8 Kneeboard that I stand up on. I've tried to knee ride but found its darn near impossible to break the pop up instinct after twenty plus years. For real OB days I find that it all about positioning and paddling so I choose based on that. I've been thinking I might have a speed egg shaped like a six ten or something other then a normal step up.

I love my 5-10 quad fish. I ride it in everything up to 8 foot except for OB, which I find gets too steep for little stubby fat boards when it gets overhead. I would like to take it to middle peak at steamers on a big day and see how that goes, since steamers looks like it stays fat even as the size increases. Otherwise, I ride my 6-4 which seems almost too long to me now. I like em both. I would love to try out the morey y quad, if they would ever put the thing into production. Lastly I ride a 7-6 single fin egg occasionally, and I find I have a lot of fun on that board. anything bigger though, and I find it gets a bit dull.

I started skating when i was 10. I began standing up on my body board by age 11. By 13, i was riding a shortboard. Something in the range of a 6-4.
For me, the shortboard was the closest thing to skating. It was dynamic, quick, and close to the barrel. It seemed like a natural evolution to the grind of board riding. My quiver consists of a 5'9, 6'0, 6'4, 6'5, and a 6'8 round-pin for big days at 12-15ft point breaks. And with respect to all in the water, as long as you're stoked, Im stoked too. good vibes to all.

but yeah, shortboarder for life

Longboard 1'-3' waves

Longboard 4'-6' waves

Longboard 8'-12' waves

Longboard 14' -18' waves( my 9'6 )

Longboard 20'-25' waves ( my 9'6 )

@friscohio- dude bra, i hope you feel better. hospitals are the shits.
hang in there

Is there anything we can do for you friscohio?? Food,beer,books,flowers,ballons,
Let us know

Nice Tom.Stay stoked and keep up the good vibes.
Friscohio- get well and rest easy...you are not missing any surf.

longboards are for learning.Shortboards are for turning.

Friscohio- you probably know this site, but when im bored and dreaming, i like to often explore what places have surf, and maybe one day I'll visit them.
http://www.wannasurf.com/

Short Board. I don't think I have the attention span for a longboard.

Marklar- i never learned on a longboard. that's like saying, only beginners ride long boarders. I don't, and never have, but i know some longy's that fuckin shred. and it's a beautiful thing

In the Islands, on any given day, and depending on conditions at S0uth Sh0re, the local Beach Boys would pick a board from 100's in the racks and tear up the surf.

I usually surfed boards from 6'10" to 7'4". On occasion would surf the 10' log rentals. In order to turn these heavy weight boards, you needed to stomp on the tail pretty hard.

My point, any surfer worth his experience can and will surf any size board, and have fun doing so.

nice one! never forget one time at chun's some guy from behind the peak couching on the nose on one big board just grinning so big. never forget it.

five eight quad which is thick and wide. fun as $hit

Healup, cornfed. Let's surf when you're better at OB. Get ready for the gnar gnar!

Great point waveglider.

@friscohio that sucks but as said above the surf sucks so get well and see you out there soon.
Like u I ride slightly larger boards as I am like 6' 4" and weigh well a bit...
So I have a 6'10 70s style ish quad thumb tail Bessell it's a little like the Rusty Slayer with wide point slightly forwards but more width in the tail for smaller days.
7' Eliminator Bessell short board .. Love this one all round great board in 2' to DOH.
Then a 7'8" gun by Tim his pocket rocket ... This is for big days lots of Volume 3" and tight pin tail.. Great in shallow reefs or Big OB. I can paddle into anything.. Which can sometimes gets me into trouble...
Then I have a 6'4" fish.
And finally my 7, shortie that I am selling tonight to the guy with the borat pic ... Antonio lucky man getting it cheap...

Thanks for your shady schadenfreude you sinister sheister! :D

What's shark turds input on this post?

I for one can't ride anything larger than 6'8, I struggle moving all of that foam.. you all deserve massive props for being able to do so especially north of SC... With that in mind i'm 6'3 185 & ride shortboards... 6'6 fish 1-3 ft ... 6'8 standard shortboard 3-5ft... 6'3 round tail 3-12ft (Such a fun board to ride)

eh, friscohio, hope you're recovery is well. Im out. Take care, bra.

Angry guy you could have just said "longboard" but I thought it was funny you said it the way you did!:)

Where the hell is shark turds input already,I'm stressing

Hey..
This is fun..
Look anyone who gets really upset about there on line persona so to speak must be a very weak man.
Now this site is a place where we talk to other people who love the ocean..
Your opinions on life and what we surf is so irrelevant have fun life is short..
And all you arrogant self impressed fools well you great I love u ... Love uuu.
U make me realize why I surf..
To separate myself from the shore line full of angry people lost souls and miss placed emotions ..
Let's just have fun.
And if u want to get all fuckin ni my face come on I will meet u on the beach and knock your teth out for fun..
But hey I am a happy man...
Peace...

Checked out the post from last year... seems like more shorter board posters now.

As for me:
1' to 6' - 9'2" Walden Magic- I love longboarding and always will, no shame. Nothing like walking a board...and nothing like bombing on a lb on a HH wave.
3' to 5' - 6'10" thinned out Rusty Big Cat- love it but find it's most fun when conditions are just right.
4' to 9' - 7'9" Jaime Murray eggy NorCal beachbreak board (OK, here come the kook catcalls...) but I like foam to paddle, I like getting in early and connecting to a steep inside already standing up (which are common conditions at OB), and I'm not a shredder- I'm happiest with flowing rail to rail. And considering that I'm up, in the pocket and rocketing down the line most on a meatier board, I want to maximize the amount of times I get that feeling... and at 48, I think I can only hope for another 10 years at OB...
And, oh yeah, over head and a half (or when holddowns are more than 15 to 20 seconds), I'm looking for some landmass for the waves to wrap around and reduce in size.

Only Longboards. I like the challenge of riding larger boards at OB and also like the speed you get from a heavy single fin. I surf all year in any surf and all over the world on my longboards. I think as long as your having fun ride whatever you like.