Opinions on a new board

[Dandy]

The 4'6" in a Chaos sixxer or a Flyboy would work well for your weight ranges. The smaller boards are easier to get up on for the lighter weight riders. We have had guys at 220 riding the sixxer at 4'6". The 4"8 does make a big difference though for that weight range. However at 195 and if you know how to surf already the sixxer will work very well.

Thanks for the quick reply. I am waiting to hear back from Shred Stixx on the availability of the Bamboo Sixxers. Thanks again!!

[loudelectronics]

Make sure it is shredstixxusa you are contacting not shredstixx. Shredstixxusa or Chaos is the original shredstixx. The now Shredstixx sold through slashtank are not real and you will be luck to get what you wanted.

[Dandy]

Make sure it is shredstixxusa you are contacting not shredstixx. Shredstixxusa or Chaos is the original shredstixx. The now Shredstixx sold through slashtank are not real and you will be luck to get what you wanted.

Already have started working with Nick. Thanks for pointing this out, I didn't realize there was a different Shread Stixx. Nick has been quick to respond. With luck, my new Sixxer will be on the way in the next few days. Nick was in agreement with everything you had recommended.

[loudelectronics]

Enjoy! It's a great sled and tons of fun.

Oh and try it with the twinzer setup instead of all 6 fins. If you run it as a quad or sixxer you will need to pump to gain speed. With twinzer it's a cruiser and can hang out in the wake for days with no effort.

[dj2]

I am 225 and ride the 4'5" powertail with no issues at all. Also have to look what you are surfing behind

[WYTige?]

The Powertail was going for $299, tell me I'm an idiot for not getting it.

[loudelectronics]

Cheap does not mean good...

[Dandy]

Cheap does not mean good...

Agree- I have a few cheap boards I would be happy to part with, cheaper than what I paid. It costs to learn sometimes.

[loudelectronics]

I learned my lesson with the Ronix, Byerly, hyperlink, cwb surf boards. After spending thousands trying to save a few bucks I spent more on a good board from Chaos and TWP and never looked back. You get a board that makes surfing fun and much easier and more longer have an excuse for the board. It's all skill after that.

[Stingreye]

However for newbs, put them on my twp bomb pop or diamond carbon skim and they struggle. Put them on our big hyper light broadcast and they have fun. There is a learning curve before you should drop money on a custom board. I even think there is a spot in between where you can progress on a triple x slayer, ronix carbon thruster, or other mid level board that can be had in the 400-500 range. I would still own both my carbon thruster and triple x if the fin boxes were futures find.

In the custom world, I am surprised how affordable you can find a doomswell board.

Plus at that point, you really need to demo a few to know what board works for you before spending big cash on a custom. I love my bomb pop but I have also demo'd several customs I would HATE to have spent a grand on. I am also sure there are surfers that would not like my bomb pop. I would actually think it would be worth paying for a plane ticket to go to southern surf fest or wake9 s polar bear to get a chance to ride a bunch of custom boards to get a feel for what you like.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dj2]

Cheap does not mean good...

The 2014 powertail was dropped to around $300 in many stores when the 2015 version came out, it was $550 - $600 new last year.
The 2015 powertail is still $599 with the carbon fiber version coming in at $699. IMHO the 2014 is one of the best boards you can pick up for under $300 right now ( if you look around you can find the 2014 Thrusters around $300-$330 )

Inexpensive isn't always "cheap" sometimes it's a good deal....

[WYTige?]

I definitely can see the benefits of going with a board built by just a surf company and I'm always a little wary when it comes to buying from a "box" store, but this seemed like a good deal. I might just do what has been suggested and wait for a custom board.

The b!&@ch of the deal is I was just found out I'm under strict doctors orders to not do any water sports for three months to let some small tears repair in the arteries in my neck. I'm relegated to driving and teaching the kids to surf. Oh well it could be worse.

[JLG]

Something worth doing is sitting at the local lake weekend hangout cove or beach and talking with other boaters who surf. Most boaters will loan or trade boards for a test spin.

[Stingreye]

Something worth doing is sitting at the local lake weekend hangout cove or beach and talking with other boaters who surf. Most boaters will loan or trade boards for a test spin.

ABSOLUTELY! We hosted a fellow Tigeowner and we dragged out all my boards and my friends boards for a day on the lake. Even though we had a Doomswell and a TWP Bomb Pop, the board that rode the best for the rider was the Green Triple X. And to be honest, if you search, you can find an old thread where I was hating on my Bomb Pop and giving my Triple X all the love. My riding and style progressed to where the Bomb Pop is now my favorite board by a lot but.... it wasn't love at first shred



Most wakesurfers seems to be a friendly bunch and love to share boards and the stoke! The family we go boating with the most we met at the launch ramp wiping down the boat and wakesurfers in the board racks definitely helped spark the conversation

[Chaos]

First thank you for the kind words.

As to custom versus production or off the rack. Custom boards are true customs, not just a model board made in the USA or abroad. Off the shelf boards made in the USA or even customized versions are not necessarily more expensive than your average off the shelf board made overseas. On average, a board made here in the USA will cost the consumer a little more than a board made overseas. Overseas boards have a much greater range in price, with boards produced by Inland Surfer in Thailand running more than your average USA made board, and compression molded skims from various wakeboard brands being hundreds less than USA made composite sandwich board. Your average foam core overseas board costs less than the material cost in the US. This is why they exist, and it is simply the only way to have 3 tiered pricing (manufacture, dist/rep and dealer). Even at this point, someone gets squeezed and it is usually the manufacture.

Since this thread started with a powertail, let's talk about it. Interesting shape, I have never seen that shape before. These board run $599-699 retail, about the same as most USA made board, and are provided with silly symmetrical wake fins, which you need to replace, unless you just plan to cruise around. They are fitted into fake (chinese knock off) fcs fin plugs. The 2014 is a fully painted board (fully painted boards are painted to hide imperfections and poor quality). The 2015 is lighter (very lightly glassed) manufactured clear with painted rails (this add color, and hides the sanding and glassing imperfections on the rail). I have fixed way too many carbon and non carbon thrusters and powertails. The impressions I received about the 2014 pt is that it is slow, very slow.

Not all customs are created equal. You should ask your shaper, about glassing and the foam they use. If they do not provide a variety of glassing schedules and cannot tell you about different foams and different densities, get a new shaper. Most here in the US just glass each board the same. They usually try to make them as light as possible, which results in a board that feels great when you pick it up, but is very fragile. 1 tap and it's cracked. Lighter is not better, both from a wear and tear and ride-ability standpoint.

Nick