Finding a longboard for Dutch conditions

[Thibaultkdj]

So recently I came to the conclusion that when i'm shortboarding my level of seriousness is way to high. And when I surf I want to do it and enjoy myself. I really love playing and just gliding over the waves. I'm quite a tall guy 6,5 ft (2 m) and I weigh about 198 pounds (90 kg).That's why I want to buy a long or midlength.

I live in the Netherlands and the surf is often small and choppy. But I'd also love going on surftrips to France and Portugal etc. So I'm looking for a longboard or midlenght that works well in chopy conditions and in beautiful glassy conditions. What my ambitions are for the board is to turn but also do some noseriding.

Now that I put it all on paper it sounds like I want a board for all conditions and that is suiteble for lots of different typs of surfing. Maybe this isn't possible, but.... I hope it is!

I would love to hear what kind of advice you guys or girls for me!

Cheerss

Thibault

[BaNZ]

Congrats on coming to that conclusion.

With your height and weight, I would think at least a 9'0 or bigger. As usual, I would suggest to look at the Torq longboard series. Even the NSP would do, not so much of the Modern ones as they all look great, but I've seen them getting damaged way too easily.

[Thibaultkdj]

So i'm familiar with the tork and nsp models. I feel like they are less of noseride surfboard. I have the fealing they are to narrow. Maybe i'm wrong. I'd like to hear what you tink

[dtc]

Walden make boards that might suit, although they aren’t known as nose riders to my knowledge. But certainly wide.

[waikikikichan]

So i'm familiar with the tork and nsp models. I feel like they are less of noseride surfboard. I have the fealing they are to narrow. Maybe i'm wrong. I'd like to hear what you tink

My 7'10" NSP Fun board noserides fine, and that with it being a tri-fin. If you can find a 8'6" with a 2+1 fin set up, that would be great.

But my 2 cent advice would be to get a Big FIsh ( whale ?) like a 7'2" NSP Elements Fish. 22" wide by 2 5/8" with 51.3 liters.
Easier to travel with than a 9'0" and more a all-around all conditions. Maybe can't hang 10 but you can definitely get a cheater 5 on it.

[waikikikichan]

Walden make boards that might suit, although they aren’t known as nose riders to my knowledge. But certainly wide.

"Though he competed some as a teenager, he returned to contest surfing at the age of 30 and has been a regular on the winner's podium ever since. In fact, Walden still holds the record for the longest noseride in competition history with an epic 25.5-second ride."

Steve explains the Mega Magic at 2:02. I love the Magic model ( use to compete on one ). The chines and concaves on the bottom help to lock in the rail/tail. Works good on the tail and on the nose.

[jaffa1949]

My suggestion is to go at least 9ft and knowing the Dutch surf around Scheveningen , and you state wante to be able to turn ,nose riding is a little way off yet.
i would seriously consider a Torq Don XL a which is slightly wider, but suits you body size, turning is a skill and the conditions I’ve seen in Holland , it would suit, you need to be able to turn in the tight and sloppy conditions with the th weaker waves and prevailing onshore winds.

Noseriding will be a short quick crossstep to the nose after engaging the tail, then stepping back, this is a high level skill,
The Don will be plenty of fun and will also be potentially good if you get to decent surf.
Things to concentrate on linking turns , finding and linking trim across the wave section, moving forward and back on the board, driving turns from the tail then stepping forward to accelerate.
Plenty to learn plenty of fun, don’t get serious or impatient, a bad day surfing is better than most other things!

[Thibaultkdj]

So I found this board: https://www.gong-galaxy.com/en/product/gong-surf-98-incredible-eps-2020/

although it's quite cheap i think it looks pretty good. I'm really interrested in the tail of this longboard, really unconfentional. What would be the effect on the way the board noserides? WIth a smaller tail, it might lock in less? What do you think?

[Thibaultkdj]

The torq The Don XL looks quite nice aswell, but is bit on the expensive side for a student.

[jaffa1949]

The square tail will lock in better , it is a reasonable board, I’m trying to find revs o he build off the brand website!

Seeing lots of poor reviews about delivery and protection while being shipped, so unless you can view the one you want in a store, i would look at other boards.
Quite a lot of Chinese surfboards can appear good looking but are flawed in quality build and poor attitudes to complaints., basically what the issues were about in the reviews.

Now about the shape, the stingers , ( the jump in the rails) are a non essential gimmick for a longboard for noseriding, they can disturb the flow of the water locking in the tail, square tail however is good!.

You will note every board comes wit a great description that it will suit your needs.
And that is the real area of discussion, what can you do in your surfing NOW? Turn forehand , back hand on the face of the wave, make adjusting turns as you go across the wave?

[Thibaultkdj]

So surfing wise i can turn left right, do re-entry's top turn bottum. cutback. And I have surfed the regular torq quite a bit this summer. shuffeling to the nose and turns.

I think it's a french brand though.

[BaNZ]

Torq have newer models that is more focused on nose riding. You can look into that. I think it is called the horseshoe don.

[jaffa1949]

So surfing wise i can turn left right, do re-entry's top turn bottum. cutback. And I have surfed the regular torq quite a bit this summer. shuffeling to the nose and turns.

I think it's a french brand though.

It is a french brand made in China as their site says, so nup!
The reviews are genuine,. Talk to the French seller see what you think!