Exal wrote: ↑Tue Jun 25, 2019 3:45 pm
83ish kg, 185ish cm, want to do downwinders, smack lips and do inverted backrolls over waves
In lightwind I would toy around with some strapless stuff. Am a big fan of duotone stuff.
I have offers for a 5'10 wam, 5'11 pro session, 5'2 whip.
For your weight and desired riding. I'd focus on the Whip 5'2 if you're going to be riding smaller and slower waves and/or wanting to perform strapless tricks.
If the waves are big and fast or mixed, I'd focus on the Wam since it's so versatile and is still a fun board for "strapless stuff". I think the 5'8 would be a better size for you in the Wam, but the added volume of the 5'10 won't hinder you.
Avoid the Session as it's their BIG and FAST wave board and is not as versatile as the other two.
If you go the Airush route, the MiniMonster would be the Whip equivalent and I believe the Comp is the Wam equivalent. I'm not familiar with the Airush boards since they're rare around here.
Note: Some will say that going with a bigger board (added surface area) would be the better choice, especially if this is your first board and you're just learning. For the most part I agree, but riding a surfboard with a kite can allow you to go smaller. It may take you a bit more time to master, but you'll be happier in the long run. Don't be afraid to get something that looks like it's for a teenage surfer.
Personally when buying a production board, I focus on the board's liter volume and shape (intended use) verses the board's dimensions. Now length mostly means nothing to me. The board's width I'm more concerned about, but barely.
Knowing what your "liter volume" should be for your weight helps out a lot for board selection, but it's just a shortcut to narrowing it down. The liter volume is not critical since you can kite with a wakeskate or skimboard, but it simplifies things when there are so many options and sizes available. Right now I'm riding a board that's about 4 liters less that my intended liter volume for my weight.
Btw, don't worry about fin-box configuration right now. Fin shapes and sizes will be more important. The board's fin-box configuration has been dialed in for the intended board and once again won't hinder you. Later on you may become more discerning.