The age-old dilemma.. What do I take for my next trip to indo/pacific island/some tropical reef pass? Your kind of left with a question in the back of your mind question if it's going to be too big or too small. We all imagine the conditions to be as perfect as the waves out of The September Sessions but the reality is three-quarters of us would all stay on land/boat once it peaks over 6ft across the razor-sharp reef and sinks tins. Funny thing is, all of us would tell everyone at home we got perfect 8ft such n’such reef with no one out. So as they say, there are always three sides to a story, yours, theirs and the truth. But don’t ever let the truth get in the way of a good story right.
So when it comes time to pick those gems of water sleds, you really have a set image in your mind that this board will be perfect for this trip. Wrong! First question you really should ask yourself is will I use that board at home when I’m not sinking bintangs with the boys? If you answered yes, it’s time to pick it up. If you answered no, move on. Simple. The second question you should ask yourself has two parts, and should be something along the lines of “what’s my baggage allowance?” and “how many boards should I take?” That's easy, 1, check your airline’s baggage policy and 2.. Yes, literally two boards. If you bust up your boards you can always pick up another one over there or ride your buddy’s, provided you don't bust that one either.
Now you’ve answered these trivial questions of life, time to narrow it down. One board you should take should be focused towards small waves or a fun style of board for the days when you just want to bash around on a beachie or small average days. Yes, you do get them so be prepared. Your other board should be an all-around performance or a step up that will handle bigger and better quality waves, specifically a more finely tuned craft to score the huge cavern you’ve been dreaming of. If you are lucky to take a third you can opt for it to be either a step up, a backup performance board or a retro board for the hell of it.
You see, we are a good bunch of humans at Boardcave who like to help you dudes and dudette’s out. And we debated long and hard on which boards compliment each other for the perfect quiver combo and came up with these to help you make your next board purchase for your trip easier.
1. The Hypto Krypto and Vapor
This combo really suits the surfer whose style is laid back, cruisy and just flat out horizontal when they are on the wave. What we mean is, they make small boards and trimming look cool. The Hypto Krypto by Hayden Shapes can surprisingly hold its own in the big stuff and work well for you in the small average conditions. Its flat profile allows you to commit to some gnarly take-offs and make them while still maintaining the control and speed you want in a board, effectively it can act as a backup board too.
The Vapors by SUPERbrand Surfboards is similar to the Hypto Krypto in that, it is a high volumed shortboard, but more designed as your trusty go-to option. However, its performance characteristics make it the easy surfing fish style model for surfers who don’t ride fish but still want a performance style board.
2. DX1 and the Sure Thing
This combo is definitely your vertical/performance-minded surfer who really wants fast down the line performance, responsive maneuverability and stability. The Sure Thing by Pyzel Surfboards is a well-balanced performance and fun board, perfect to take with you on your next trip for those soft, average days you are bound to get while abroad. What’s nice about this shape is the forward volume and the hip in the rear creates a stable feeling across flatter sections without losing speed, plenty of control and when you need to get going, the help of the little channels between the fins really propels the board to another level. Especially for a small wave board!
The DX1 JF by DHD surfboards is more refined and slightly beefed out to the original DX1. This is one board you really need to take and see it shine in the hollow waves it's built for. A single concave running the length of the board really helps the board lift and fly. At the end of the day it is a performance board you want with you on your next trip but be warned, this model although it can look forgiving is an advanced board and not for your everyday average waves. Get it into some fast and hollow waves, you’ll be grinning ear to ear that you have this board under your feet.
3. Sweet spot and wave warrior
Going to G-Land? These two boards will be the ones you’ll want to be wielding ready for those infamous days that will have you held up in folklore with your mates This combo is for the big fella’s, the chargers amongst us who don’t hold back and just go from broke no matter what! The Step Up by Timmy Patterson Surfboards uses a single to double concave and medium rocker, making it optimum for getting in early and naturally generating planing speed, the foam has been distributed evenly across the wide point in the center for paddle power. This board is designed to feel comfortable from the first time you ride it…a very important attribute for a board that only comes out when it gets serious. As its name states, it's a board designed to feel bang on from the first wave and all the characteristics it has to make it perfect for top to bottom surfing. Just imagine your riding those long, steep fast walls of G-Land just like Gerry Lopez and how this would fly down the line reacting to every twitch you desire to go up and down the face.
Ahh how’s the Sweet Spot on this! Made by DHD this model complements any single one of the boards mentioned within this article. Why? For one its double-layered glassing construction means it’s reinforced to take those heavy hits and reinforced around the plugs ensures it will be in one piece even if you commit to something way out of your depth and take a beating. The other good thing about it is the forward volume incorporated in the outline, making paddling a breeze and the double concave makes controlling the speed that the board generates easy. A perfect travel companion or even for home when the waves are pumping!
To make sure you’ve got the right sized board, have a read of our article on board volume to ensure you have the right craft for your next mission.