Smooth riding 9 footer that rides steep waves too?

[Gonz]

Went on surfing my high performance board, just tried to be more light footed, narrower stance, more about the line, less about back foot pumping. It took away a lot of the strain from the back foot although still, when there is a backhand section that calls for collecting speed and making a full power cutback, it is hard to resist...and can be felt in the knee. I must say that I still enjoy this relatively cheap Aloha-branded HP-banana. It is an Aussie shape, lightweitght EPS Thai product. It has medium nose rocker but crazy amount of continuos rocker everywhere else. 3" thicknes, yet slim rails. It has been surprisingly strong and it is an agile board in all kinds of surf. Do not recommend buying online, every board of this model I've seen have been different

 

[Old Dude]

If you are close to Aljezur, you may go to SW Surfshop, the have a CJ Nelson Parallax and Apex for rent. Try them, the APEX might be a board to consider. Not really HP, but worth taking a look at it.

 

[Old Dude]

A

If you are close to Aljezur, you may go to SW Surfshop, the have a CJ Nelson Parallax and Apex for rent. Try them, the APEX might be a board to consider. Not really HP, but worth taking a look at it.

And ask for Fernando, the shop owner, he is into longboards and can give good advise. But it is likely, that you will find him at Arrifana or Porto do Moz than in his shop, if there are longboarding conditions

 

[Unleash My Log]

That Aloha in 9'6 is indeed fun. I recently watched my friend drop in on a steep 8-10 footer on his. I have had fun surfing it from knee high beach break to chest high point break.

I've surfed the Apex and the Parrallax too...both feel awesome, but I felt it in my back knee just last week on the Apex.

Good luck with the search!

 

[RockyIsland]

The haley ingleby Hi4 is another great board very versatile with the fin set up
here is footage of Harley riding it a single fin in the first part of the clip

 

[Outside]

Smooth riding 9' that rides steep waves too: This was a faithful copy of a Hansen 50/50. actually 9'6". (Thanks Murray Ross!) Hurricane Earl, 2009, OBX, N.C.. I had just bought this board before leaving for NY on the trip before this swell. I had no idea of what the swell looked like but took it to the beach to try this board out. If I had checked Surf-lies or any of the beach cameras, I'd have likely taken out any of a number of other boards, but this one worked.

 

[jvri]

My first thought was a Parallax. I have a 9'6, it paddles insanely well and turns/responds even better. I'm 190# and my Parallax paddles better than my 10' Apex or the 11' Glider I had. Took some work to find the right fin but now its one of my favorite boards. BUT the Parallax's nose is pretty wide, its gotten me into trouble on critical sections. Maybe the 9'3 (or even the 8'3) would be better suited for steeper waves. My second vote is a Haley Pin. With a more pulled in outline they handle a steeper face with ease and also paddle very well. Depending on what you are looking for in terms of dims you might need to shop around a bit, I've owned 3 Haleys now and their shape/outlines differ slightly depending on the hands that make them. Not sure I would recommend the Apex, although it paddles pretty well and is floaty its got a beefy rail, not foiled out at all. But, the Apex has grown to be a special board for me, lots of magic moments. It's surprisingly responsive for its size and is very stable which allows some playful work on the face. All that said I wouldn't even consider bringing it out in a steep or fast wave, being an involvement log it really wants you slow down and connect to the wave more. It's not a bottom turn and burn to make a section type of board, that is the Parallax: when it's all about haulin' ass and taking names.

Good luck!

 

[RedditBeginnerBoardBot]

Maybe the 9'4" if you need 70 litres though the 9'0 Mango Jam paddles really well with the V running through it ....goes well in chop and side shore conditions

I've got a 9'4" and I love it. Catches tiny little ankle slappers (I'm about 185lbs) and also handles waves with more power really well.
The wide point is set back a little and it feels great to rip turns on it. It works fine in chop and slop because of the Thunderbolt silver construction having a more weight than TB red/black.
I had to ride mine with a pivot fin once (because that's all I had available that day) and since then I've never felt the need to swap it out for something with more rake.

 

[Glide&Flow]

BUT the Parallax's nose is pretty wide, its gotten me into trouble on critical sections. Maybe the 9'3 (or even the 8'3) would be better suited for steeper waves. !

Why oh why did they make the Parallax with that stupid wide nose? It really makes no sense to me seeing as all the surfing on that board is done from the back 2/3. My 9'9 is such a cool board except for that nose and the light weight. Becomes quite comical when hard offshores are blowing. Really wish it had the pulled in nose of the Outlier. That 9'0 Outlier definitely seems like a board to consider for fast, steep stuff if you don't need the paddle power of the bigger Parallax (with a thoroughly f'd up shoulder I need all the foam I can possibly get, so that 9'0 isn't an option for me)

 

[jvri]

Why oh why did they make the Parallax with that stupid wide nose? It really makes no sense to me seeing as all the surfing on that board is done from the back 2/3. My 9'9 is such a cool board except for that nose and the light weight. Becomes quite comical when hard offshores are blowing. Really wish it had the pulled in nose of the Outlier. That 9'0 Outlier definitely seems like a board to consider for fast, steep stuff if you don't need the paddle power of the bigger Parallax (with a thoroughly f'd up shoulder I need all the foam I can possibly get, so that 9'0 isn't an option for me)

I had my 9’6 parallax out in head high surf yesterday, fairly slopey take offs but the reform stood up a bit steeper…the entire time I was like “damn, why did they make this nose so wide?!” Haha, agree @Glide&Flow! Nonetheless had a great session and still love the board.