Surfing Waves

Hi,

I am sure you have all seen that question many many times now.

Just wanted to hear advices from people that have switched from a foamy to a mal or a fish.

I have currently tried a 7’3 mal and it was great, actually heaps better than a foamy .. and was able to catch my first small green waves.

I am thinking on buying my own board but I am torned between getting a 7’2 or 7’0 mal OR a 6’10 fish with a lot of volume 45L for example.

What would you guys recommend ?

I am a 5’6ft male, and I weigh 68kgs. So small build.

Thanks in advance for you replies.

7'2 mal. Or 7'6 mal.

A fish with a lot of volume might help paddling but doesnt really help for all those other things you need as a beginner (stability, control etc)

A mal shape, rounded nose, is the best overall; buy the biggest one you are willing to buy.

Depends on .........
1) The place you surf. Beach break , Reef break ?
2) How you pop up. Front foot first or back foot first? Chicken wing ?
3) How you paddle.
4) Do you tend to pearl more or the wave goes under you when you miss.

I don't recommend "Fishes" for beginners. "True" Fishes ( a 6'10" which is a whale not a fish is just a swallow tail hybrid/disc/egg ) need to be ridden on rail and driven from rail to rail to perform right. ( and since you can't even trim yet....... well then....) Another negative is those twin tips, tend to chip, ding and crack more easily than rounded pin or squash tails.

I will be surfing mainly beach breaks.
I popup with my right foot at the front and left at the back, but the front one first. And I popup properly, no shortcuts.
At the moment I tend to have the wave under me and then popup before it breaks, that's only been recently though.

I think I am going to get a 7' Mal, just because I am a small build anyways and I feel like it'll be a great size.

I just know if I get a 7'2 I won't stop thinking what if I got the 7'

I intend to be surfing at least 2 - 3 a week easy in average.

Demipouce wrote:I am a 5’6ft male, and I weigh 68kgs. So small build.

I am a 5'2ft male, and I weigh 56kgs. So even smaller build.

Demipouce wrote:I think I am going to get a 7' Mal, just because I am a small build anyways and I feel like it'll be a great size.

Why do you "feel" it'll be a great size compared to something 2 inches bigger ? ( or 2 inches smaller ? ) Are you at the the level where you can tell the difference in two inches ? Are both the 7'0" and the 7'2" the same model from the same maker ?

You're right I can't tell, that's why I'm thinking if I just get a 7' and stick to it then it won't matter ? A few sessions and i'll be one with my board ! (hopefully)

And yes its the exact same board, comes in 7'0 or 7'2 , 7'6

For me boards fall into two categories.....can or cannot duck dive. If cannot, as a beginners board should be, bigger is better (to a point, somewhere around 9+ ft). Bigger expands the “zone” that you need to be in to catch waves....as a newb, positioning is one of the hardest skills to sort out......a bigger board makes it easier. Padding and actual riding are also easier. This is in relative terms; surfing is far from.easy, but why make it harder to learn by using a board that is too short?

If being “progressive” and “easier to turn” is the reasoning, until you go considerably smaller and get tenfold more skilled, you really won’t realize a difference since victories will be celebrated by just catching a wave.

Go bigger than what you think you should get; I’d go 7’6”.