I hear so many people talking about bringing step up boards when they go somewhere sweet to surf like Pr and whatnot. So what exactly are they? Is it like a bigger shortboard? How do you determine what size is right. I'm not planning on going to PR any time soon just wondering.
A good step up board will be very close to your every day shortboard, but it will paddle faster and be more controlled. The obvious way to do these things is to (1) make it a little longer or possibly thicker to add some foam, and thus paddle power. Important in a step up not only because bigger waves are harder to get into, but also because there are likely to be stronger currents and longer distances to paddle etc. And (2) pull in the tail and possibly narrow the board out a little, this will give you greater control in bigger/more powerful waves. In a step up board your priority is no longer generating speed and being loose. The wave is already giving you more power then you need, and the emphasis shifts to keeping all this speed/power in check. Just take a look at some popular semi-gun/ step up shapes, i think a lot of guys only get step-ups 2-3 inches bigger than their normal shortboards.
Typical step-ups are a bit longer, perhaps a bit narrower but not necessarily, a bit thicker, a bit more rocker, a bit narrower nose and tail, and usually have a rounded pin. They also move away from single concaves and move toward single to double with some vee. Fin choices are personal, but you can get away with slightly smaller fins... some people don't, some do. As stated, it's about handling. You're not talking a bout very large surf... just bigger or faster surf. You still want to have your step up perform, so the changes are subtle.
so like when someone says they rides a 6'0, but brings a 6'2 or 6'4 with, those 2 extra boards are considered the step-up boards?
Depends on the shape of the board, if you ride a 6'0'' sb and bring a 6'4'' single fin egg to the beach... that is probably NOT going to be your step up. The idea of a step-up is to be somewhere in between your regular shortboard and a full on semi-gun. So in order of magnitude it would go something like {fish - shortboard - semi gun - gun - rhino chaser}. Each shape of board is just a little different then the last, and those are just broad categories. There is an infinite amount of possibility for personal preference and fine tuning. A "step-up" has less to do with size, more to do with shape, i could have a step up in the same exact dimensions as my regular shortboard, but maybe just with a round pin tail instead of a squash.
i've always understood that step-ups should be more or less the same, width & thickness wise, as your regular shortie, just a bit longer. for example: my standard shortie: 6'4"x19.25"x2.5 w/ a round tail or 6'3"x19.25"x2.5 w/ a squash (i'm on the bigger side) my step up: 6'8"x19.25"x2.5 w/ a rounded pin the bottom contours are the same...it's just longer. those extra 4" get me into waves a bit earlier, which is nice on bigger days. & by bigger, i mean i don't break it out until the surf is running 10-12ft. i'll ride my standard up till a couple feet OH, then it's step-up time (as a general rule...it really depends on the conditions). & i actually like a bit more fin area on it, w/ stiffer fins as well. where i'll ride the pc g-am's in my standard shortboard, i ride pg-7's all the way around in my step-up. the am's have a smaller center fin & a bit more flex to them, while the 7's are stiffer (being solid fiberglass) & all 3 fins are the same size. like someone else said, i'm not looking for speed or maneuverability, i'm looking for a bit more control. the 4 extra inches & more pulled in tail does that more me.
on a step up you dont want a single concave to a flat contour. your going to want a single to a vee-double concave
shallow single to deep double set in vee out the back...basically, a bonzer bottom. i run them (w/ some modification) on everything except my log.
I do slight vee in the entry, to flat, to deep double set in vee on my big wave board. My psb is single to double, no vee... but I only ride that when it's chest to head high... on up to overhead. Same bottom on my groveler... which is a quad.
If you have a step up can you post the dims on it vs your standard shortboard along with your height and weight. I'm tryna get a ball park range for my first step up board and already have an idea in mind.
6 6 by 19.5 by 2.5 shorty. 6 10 by 19 by 2 9\16, both square tail but step up tail is about an inch narrower ind the nose about the same. also a little more rocker. im 5 9 and 180 and in me 40s ,hence the boards being a hair big
My go-to every day boards are roughly 6'1" x 19.25 x 2.18 of which I have one in a thruster and one in a quad (the thruster is a thumb tail the quad is a diamond). Those boards have a flatter rocker in the nose and tail. I change fins quite a bit, so can't lead you to a "good" setup on those boards. My step-up is 6'6" x 18.33 x 2.25 thruster with much more entry rocker, about the same tail rocker but the rails are much more pulled in towards the nose and tail. All of my boards have about the same volume, so I rely on the planing surface of my step-up for larger waves since I can't stand too much float on anything but a longboard. I generally use medium to large fins in the same size for all three fins on the step-up. If I pull that board out, it's gotta be over 7' and hollow or at least have tons of power and be moving fast. It's all about rail-to-rail and energy control on the step-up. I'm 6'3 170 lbs.
5'11" 155lbs, 5'11"-6'1" 11 1/2-18 1/2-14-2 1/4 Rounded squash/thumbtail Shortboard 6'3"-6'6" 11-18 1/4-13 5/8-2 3/8 Roundpin Step-up 6'2" 11 1/4-18 1/2-13 3/4-2 5/16 Swallowtail Backup board I like vee to flat/slight concave into double with some vee off the tail in my step ups. More rocker less concave for stabilty in windy or pitching conditions and a domed deck for paddle power. Design depends on how you want to surf it. Either getting in early, pulling in under the lip or a combination of those. They're generally made for a particular wave with a dedicated plan of attack in surf you dont want to be guessing in.
Question to NJsurfer40 Hey i am planning a trip to mex and trying to figure out what boards to take. i usually ride a 6'3 x 19 x 2/3/8 but this doesnt really handle in waves over 6ft. I weigh ~87kg and 6'4. Basically i just want to see if you simliar weight to me so i can figure out what kind of board i can take for bigger waves. i will be taking a 6'3 and 6'4, but not sure to step it up too 6'6 or a 6'8 for a step up. I wont be surfing anything bigger then 10ft. Any suggestions?
given your height & weight (about 192lbs), i'd say a 6'8" would be better than a 6'6", even in 10ft. the extra length will paddle faster & get you into waves easier. if there's a current, the extra length will also help you battle that. then again, i prefer to err on the side of going too long as a general rule. i'd rather have too much foam than not enough.
