Strapless board for a big guy

[Bushflyr]

Can anyone recommend a good board for a big guy. I'm 6'5" and 215 pounds (195 cm and 98kg)?
.....
I prefer the surfboard shape to the shorter style with a flat nose.

thanks

What you "prefer" seems based on cosmetics rather than performance. At 215 you need to be on a 5.4 or 5.6 FW Vanguard or the 5.3 or 5.5 Vader depending on your rocker preference and what waves you typically ride. The FW boards simply ride SO much better than any of the boards the kite companies are putting out. The kite boards are super stiff and have terrible flex patterns, great for surviving huge, strapped airs, but not so much fun on the water.

[tautologies]

You're missing out on riding a long board imo.
I'm your weight and I ride a much shorter global and fort lighter days a skater.

On boards like that riding as daft as we do with kites I doubt flex is your number one concern.

Three negative side is needing to take a bigger kite...but that's just physics...unless we go on a diet...it'll stay that way.

[Bushflyr]

You're missing out on riding a long board imo.
I'm your weight and I ride a much shorter global and fort lighter days a skater.

On boards like that riding as daft as we do with kites I doubt flex is your number one concern.

Three negative side is needing to take a bigger kite...but that's just physics...unless we go on a diet...it'll stay that way.

How so am I missing out on a long board? I have, and ride a 5'10" Global in bigger conditions, once it gets much over double OH the narrower tail makes it easier to stomp down, slow down, and stay in the pocket whereas the wide tail on the VG is simply too fast and I tend to blow out bottom turns. It's only an issue on big, steep waves, though. There's simply no advantage to having the extra nose on the Global, it doesn't prevent pearling any better than the VG, presents more windage, and more swing weight. Also, flex completely matters, in chop the Global is MUCH stiffer than the VG; Almost painfully so. I rode the G exclusively for a few years and liked it, but after riding the VG, which is just SO plush, the G rides like a slammed Honda.

A bit too much marketing BS around and about those modern type boards.
They lack in waveriding compared to the classical ones.

How so? You make blanket statements with no evidence or experience to back your assertion. I've ridden surf shapes almost exclusively for the last 18 years, I learned on them and, despite several forays into the TT world, stuck with them. The last 4-5 years have been 80% VG switching back to the G on big days. I've also paddle surfed the VG and swapped out with my bro on a regular surfboard, same day same wave. I can honestly say the MPH design gives up absolutely nothing to traditional short board designs either in kite or paddle surfing.

[tautologies]

You're missing out on riding a long board imo.
I'm your weight and I ride a much shorter global and fort lighter days a skater.

On boards like that riding as daft as we do with kites I doubt flex is your number one concern.

Three negative side is needing to take a bigger kite...but that's just physics...unless we go on a diet...it'll stay that way.

How so am I missing out on a long board? I have, and ride a 5'10" Global in bigger conditions, once it gets much over double OH the narrower tail makes it easier to stomp down, slow down, and stay in the pocket whereas the wide tail on the VG is simply too fast and I tend to blow out bottom turns. It's only an issue on big, steep waves, though. There's simply no advantage to having the extra nose on the Global, it doesn't prevent pearling any better than the VG, presents more windage, and more swing weight. Also, flex completely matters, in chop the Global is MUCH stiffer than the VG; Almost painfully so. I rode the G exclusively for a few years and liked it, but after riding the VG, which is just SO plush, the G rides like a slammed Honda.

A bit too much marketing BS around and about those modern type boards.
They lack in waveriding compared to the classical ones.

How so? You make blanket statements with no evidence or experience to back your assertion. I've ridden surf shapes almost exclusively for the last 18 years, I learned on them and, despite several forays into the TT world, stuck with them. The last 4-5 years have been 80% VG switching back to the G on big days. I've also paddle surfed the VG and swapped out with my bro on a regular surfboard, same day same wave. I can honestly say the MPH design gives up absolutely nothing to traditional short board designs either in kite or paddle surfing.

haha sorry man, I wasn't referring to you. I actually agree with you..only I like the skater over the VG, but that is a personal preference type thing. OP wanted a board over 6'0''.
I was also on a phone so I cut it a bit short so that might be why it was a bit broad.

[BrianMaiden]

At 215 you need to be on a 5.4 or 5.6 FW Vanguard or the 5.3 or 5.5 Vader depending on your rocker preference and what waves you typically ride. The FW boards simply ride SO much better than any of the boards the kite companies are putting out.

Ok, you're actually not the first to say that but at 6'4" i have a seriously wide stance which is why i like longer boards. Maybe i'll try and test a FW sometime if i can

[Bushflyr]

haha sorry man, I wasn't referring to you. I actually agree with you..only I like the skater over the VG, but that is a personal preference type thing. OP wanted a board over 6'0''.
I was also on a phone so I cut it a bit short so that might be why it was a bit broad.

LOL, no worries, I really do want to try the skater, just from pix it looks like they did pay attention and get the bottom contours right. And that oh so yummy thinness.

Ok, you're actually not the first to say that but at 6'4" i have a seriously wide stance which is why i like longer boards. Maybe i'll try and test a FW sometime if i can

I understand your concern, but it really isn't an issue. When going strapless your stance is going to vary in width by over a foot or so. You just put your feet where they need to go depending on whether you're groveling upwind or dropping down a 20 foot face. One is narrow, the other is wide. You're not going to feel cramped on a VG either way.

[Bushflyr]

No evidence? Only because you are doing something for a longer period, doesn't mean you do it better or the right way. Just my experience. Maybe even because of this circumstance I am closer to the target group than you are?
Maybe you like it more when I say that I prefer the classical more lively feeling of a traditional style shape over the MPH design, as you call it.
Flat water and freestyle - Skater
Wave and boosting Freeride in high winds (yes, on a directional! ) - Global

Once again, you provide no evidence or support for your position. Perhaps these things called logic and rhetoric are beyond your ken?

[Da Yoda]

A bit too much marketing BS around and about those modern type boards.
They lack in waveriding compared to the classical ones.

YES!!! Please keep believing this. Don't buy the hype! All you're hearing is alternative facts. Classic shapes work better for all waves.
We can't stand those boards here in California because our waves just suck. Even Felix can't stand them surfing on Hawaii's famous waves because they lack in waveriding.

[Bushflyr]

[bigtone667]

My opinion....

6'3" 100kg...wide stance

Skater 5'6 - great board, you need 20+ knots to ride it, too thin for a big guy.
Vanguard/North CSC Pro 5'6 - great boards, you need 15+ knots
EVO 5'3/North Nugget CSC 5'2 - great boards, you need 12+ knots

Skater, vanguard, evo, north csc pro are all great, fun boards on a waves and snappy....Nugget can be a bit of hand full if you are trying to turn sharply.

Have a Lost Timbertek Fish 6'2 - also a great kiting board but all turns feel slower than any of the above boards. Still love it.