Twintip board recommendations for people with knee issues

[Havre]

The wood core are cheaper and harder and less flexible than the carbon. I started with the wood core and now only ride carbon

The carbon boards are more expensive (downside) but not by much these days. But they’re custom not mass produced. The upside is they are tough, really lightweight-next to nothing. They are very flexible so absorb the waves; the wave cc TT is shaped like the mako so awesome in waves but with TT fin setup I prefer. Bottom line is the carbon are really comfortable to ride for a 51 year old’s knees. I was also advised by Simon to shorten the width of my stance to help protect my knees. Wise words.

This is interesting. I have never even tried a carbon board, but their reputation is that they are stiff and not very comfortable in choppy conditions. Now my primary hobby is cycling so I am quite familiar with carbon as a material. The biggest upside to carbon is how you might change the characteristics of a board (or a bike) depending on the direction you lay the carbon. So in bikes a carbon bike might at the same time feel as stiff (if not stiffer) than an aluminium bike while at the same time being more comfortable. The reason being by having spots on the bike that can absorb vibration while other areas that would be under more tension when pedaling is stiffer. I have kind of been waiting for kiteboards to develop the same way. From your description that has now happened? If so very interesting. Certainly not how carbon boards are generally perceived among the kiters I socialize with.

[ScoopZ]

Had a good session on a friends 150 Mako, so smooth and comfortable in chop. But found it hard to land from rotations, it’s difficult to find an edge if you are not pointing directly down wind. You also have to use a different stance from normal twintips But a brilliant board in the surf.
Owned an old Xride 2008 141, good flex, and was good all rounder. Very grippy board.
Strapless surfboard is not for everybody, unless your hunting waves, have the right kite or suits your local conditions. But it is very easy on the knees. .

Avoid generalisations, all knee injuries are not the same. Whether it is or is not easy on the knees depends entirely on the type of knee damage. In my case I have to avoid all twisting motions - a locked in TT is fine but the pivoting twisting motion turning a SB is not.

... a strapless surfboard is the best for knee and ankle joints.

See above.

Locking your joints is like removing the path of least resistance, you can swivel your feet both on a tt and a SB (to a greater extent) for comfort. The foot is not always rearmost.
Now the continuing bouncing of a sandwich board can be harsh and in some water conditions a nice sharp cutting rail would be preferable.

[leeuwen]

The wood core are cheaper and harder and less flexible than the carbon. I started with the wood core and now only ride carbon

The carbon boards are more expensive (downside) but not by much these days. But they’re custom not mass produced. The upside is they are tough, really lightweight-next to nothing. They are very flexible so absorb the waves; the wave cc TT is shaped like the mako so awesome in waves but with TT fin setup I prefer. Bottom line is the carbon are really comfortable to ride for a 51 year old’s knees. I was also advised by Simon to shorten the width of my stance to help protect my knees. Wise words.

This is interesting. I have never even tried a carbon board, but their reputation is that they are stiff and not very comfortable in choppy conditions.

First, how the board feels is highly depend on multiple aspects, board shape, board size, wave lenght, footpads, riding style etc.
So if you are just riding then board shape and size probably has the biggest influence regardless of materials used.

Regarding carbon: all carbon board still have a wood core even if they are marketed full carbon.
Depending on the board you might have a few single strips of carbon reinforcing the board up to a "full" carbon board where all the wood has been encompassed by carbon.
Carbon is used for weight reduction and to STIFFEN the board. Regular boards use fiberglass which has a lot more flex. You can do the same sort of directional weaving with both so that should not matter much.
So e.g. landing a jump your knees are better of with a fiberglass board with a lot of rocker.
However a stiff carbon board "pops" better so you can e.v. potentially jump higher and if you are heavy rider you might need to have a stiffer board in powered up riding conditions: if the board flexes to much it will start to create a lot of drag.
I am not sure how much stiffness has impact on riding through chop but my guess is shape and size are way more relevant.

[Havre]

Of course. I mean you would theoretically have to compare the same board being made with or without carbon.

Your description of things fits better with the general perception of carbon boards. Which is why I didn't buy a carbon board last time around.

Both can't be right in my opinion.

[adamj2281]

Mako without a doubt. It's basically the difference between riding on powder and riding on ice with respect to smoothing out chop. Obviously that comes with loss of really being able to pull off your edge to boost, but........I feel like when I did ride a twintip still, if it was in choppy water, I could hold more speed because of the added grip of the Mako, and the added control made it to where I could go just as big. Mako 140 is a good call.

[iriejohn]

Had a good session on a friends 150 Mako, so smooth and comfortable in chop. But found it hard to land from rotations, it’s difficult to find an edge if you are not pointing directly down wind. You also have to use a different stance from normal twintips But a brilliant board in the surf.
Owned an old Xride 2008 141, good flex, and was good all rounder. Very grippy board.
Strapless surfboard is not for everybody, unless your hunting waves, have the right kite or suits your local conditions. But it is very easy on the knees. .

Avoid generalisations, all knee injuries are not the same. Whether it is or is not easy on the knees depends entirely on the type of knee damage. In my case I have to avoid all twisting motions - a locked in TT is fine but the pivoting twisting motion turning a SB is not.

... a strapless surfboard is the best for knee and ankle joints.

See above.

Locking your joints is like removing the path of least resistance, you can swivel your feet both on a tt and a SB (to a greater extent) for comfort. The foot is not always rearmost.
Now the continuing bouncing of a sandwich board can be harsh and in some water conditions a nice sharp cutting rail would be preferable.

More generalisations.

[SENDIT!]

Yep, Mako. The best chop destroying board that I've ever ridden. They ride a little smaller than their size denotes, so keep that in mind if you start looking for one. My 150 is closer to a 144.

[sergei Scotland]

What weight you are? All those reccomendations can be all wrong if you are 100 or 120 kg for example.. Just a thought.

[espana2323]

What weight you are? All those reccomendations can be all wrong if you are 100 or 120 kg for example.. Just a thought.

I am 76Kg.

Some good information here. Thanks to all that replied.

[Faraz56]

I asked my Orthopedic doctor the same question .
Basically having the pads in an angle would grind your meniscus up slowly, so his recommendation was to have the pads as straight as possible !