How small board for tall intermediate 220lbs/100kg rider

[Delta99]

Advice on what board to get after my introductory Xenon Rayo 145x44, would be very appreciated. I'm 194 cm 100 kg and we get 14-22 knots if we are lucky but more typically we get 10-15 knots. Looking at a Cab Ace 138x41,5 (or similar) but sizing charts from every brand rather suggest to stick with 141x43 but that seems too close to what I have. Even though characteristics will be different. Any tall (and heavy) riders that have tried to size down just one step? I'll keep the Rayo for marginal days but look for a board that can hold the edge a bit more on the more windy days with rather choppy conditions. Thanks!

[FLandOBX]

I'm a bit smaller than you at 188 cm (6'2") and 81 kg (178 lbs). But I typically use a smaller sized twin tip (132 x 41) because I like to use larger sized kites. A smaller board allows you to hold down the power of a larger kite. If you like big air and full powered tricks and often (or want to) ride larger sized kites than others are riding, then a smaller board would be useful. The answer probably depends on what style you prefer to ride and the relative size of your kites in any given condition.

[runner1]

The design of the board has a huge impact, some boards ride much bigger than others. I had a 134cm Monarch (it was the longest model available for the first version) which was great and I weigh about the same as you, a few cm shorter. The 138cm Monarch of later versions I find rides really well, I found the 142cm too big. I have tried 142cm of other brands/models which felt smaller.

[TheJoe]

Still don't understand people and the obsession with undersized boards. I weigh 190 (fat from surgeries normally 180-185) I ride 140-142 sized boards. If I where you I would stick with the size you are on. For the winds you described I might go a little bigger or flatter rocker profile. Height does not mean anything outside of your stance it's all weight for a board.

I'm sure people will disagree with me there usually are some that do.

[BigZ]

I am not riding twin tips a lot of these days but when I do I love my 135x42. I am 192cm and 110kg. Hope it helps.

[Ice101]

You can go smaller in efficient boards like the monarch. Also something like a 138 flyradical 6 which is also a very efficient board would do you.

[Herman]

Assuming your foot size matches the rest of you I would try and get a demo of a Monk 137X44 or something similar. I think you will be better off keeping the width and trying reduced length.

(When riding an edge look at the shape of the board actually in contact with the water and try to visualize how much length could be lost for that particular rocker line/flex !!!!)

[Havre]

We are more or less the same (I am slightly taller).

Couple of "problems" going too small. Assuming you are placing your straps in the widest position going short means the board will flex a lot less. This is in my opinion underestimated by riders that are not using the widest available stands. As for too narrow you get into the issue Herman is talking about - matching the width of the board up with your foot size for edging.

I got a 140x43 board. Went out in very choppy conditions the other day and even if my edging technique is hardly stellar I can't say I struggled much to keep it. Might have been an issue if I had tried to jump (wind wasn't strong enough).

To me this obsession with smaller boards reminds me a bit about the obsession with big gears in cycling. In certain circumstances for very skilled riders it makes sense, but for most people I'm not sure if it really does. If you are struggling to keep an edge trying to jump in challenging conditions I get it. Slightly bigger kite with a smaller board it makes sense. How many of those do I see on a regular beach on a regular day? 1? 0? I can imagine that among the posters on here there are quite a few very skilled riders - as they are interested enough in the sport to be on a message board, but I do believe that also sometimes gives the wrong picture of what is useful for the "normal" rider.

I can't give very specific advice as to which board it makes sense to complement your current. I wouldn't have the knowledge to do so. 138x41.5 is however very small for riders our size. Not so that you can't ride it of course (maybe it even makes sense to have such a jump between the boards to really notice the difference), but really not comparable to someone being 75-80kg and 20cm shorter. Personally I think you would have noticed a fairly significant difference between my 140x43 and the one you got (without knowing your board specifically). My previous board was 142x42 and even if I can't tell it is because of the size or the different design my new and my old are quite different. The old 142x42 was a lot more difficult to ride in choppy conditions.

Also worth pointing out I got a friend in the same weight range as me and he prefers smaller boards. Not sure if that is because they are better to ride or that old stigma of having big ones. In any case he is a lot more capable than me at handling small boards in marginal wind than me.

Now more confused than ever

[Ice101]

If you go too wide and notice this massively on different boards after 139-140 wide you start to lose board speed.

[Coopes]

Advice on what board to get after my introductory Xenon Rayo 145x44, would be very appreciated. I'm 194 cm 100 kg and we get 14-22 knots if we are lucky but more typically we get 10-15 knots. Looking at a Cab Ace 138x41,5 (or similar) but sizing charts from every brand rather suggest to stick with 141x43 but that seems too close to what I have. Even though characteristics will be different. Any tall (and heavy) riders that have tried to size down just one step? I'll keep the Rayo for marginal days but look for a board that can hold the edge a bit more on the more windy days with rather choppy conditions. Thanks!

I am 95kg, currently on 137x42, my son is close to your size and uses a 140x43. I would not drop below 42cm in width, yes you can have a blast on a smaller board if you are overpowered. We used to have a Airush Misfit 115cm back in the day. I could ride it, it was fast and twitchy but I was struggling upwind after 20min and you needed a grunty kite in a gale.