5'7 Lost Weekend Warrior, but wait..

[NotAKraut]

Hey surfing waves community, I'm new here but have been lurking for a while.

I recently got a 5'7 Lost Weekend Warrior for my Birthday from a good friend which I heard is good for smaller surf (like in LA summer time). I Just turned 16 and I'm 5'8 and around 125 lbs. I haven't been in the water for almost a year but I surfed Oceanside last weekend, and I was slowly regaining my skills again. Now, do you think the shorter 5'7 board would be giving me a hard time (in lets say 2-4 feet surf), keep in mind it has lots of volume and width...or should I rent a bigger board and work my way down? I pick up stuff relitively fast, especially board sports so Im going to give it a shot.

[jaffa1949]

Hey Nota...... you are 16, happy birthday! With lots of surfing you will get the board working.
Initially it is on the bottom end of volume for you and your potential growth.
The board is neither wide nor is it particularly thick, but according to the lost volume calculator it just fits. To make it work you will have to jump your fitness and paddle speed up and work wave position for take off thoroughly. I would have advised bigger but you've been given gift honour it by putting in the work. If you have some experience it will help.
The less skilled you are the more volume you have the more help you get in surfing ( might be why some old fat dudes ride longboards).
Anyway enjoy , don't bother hiring stick with surfing this board as much as possible.

[NotAKraut]

Thanks very much!! I really think I will be able to handle this board, and if not, I'm determined to progress and learn on it as much as possible. I've been working on my paddling fitness a lot lately, I feel like once I catch that first wave it will slowly come back to me.

[oldmansurfer]

I got my first surfboard as a birthday present when I was 18. Stick to it and surf as much as you can. It will all come back to you. If you have specific problems come here and ask. The shorter board will make it harder to learn but you are young and have lots of time and energy so go for it.

[IB_Surfer]

Kind of late replying. If you take the board out and can't handle it don't sell it, buy a bigger one to get used to surfing, then when you get better at surfing you keep the bigger board as a step up and transition to your short one.

Remember, the reason you start bigger is so you can surf sooner, I'm sure months from now or a year from now you will figure out the smaller board, but why not start surfing right away on a bigger board to develop your paddle and pop up, then go smaller?

Have fun!