Does the added length make up for the decreased volume of this board relative to other mid lengths on the market? thx
I’m trying to decide if the 5’4" or the 5’8" is better for an average weight beginner with aspirations to prone surf and dw.
Yes i think so. Dont know how big you are but some of the other mid-lengths are pretty high volume, and would probably be a bit too floaty.
I only prone though, so i want to be able to duck dive and paddle faster. I think that the length definitely makes up for some lower volume.
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Interested in this board when it becomes available. Not sure how the construction of gong stuff is but for the price it’s worth a try
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Looks pretty cool, definitely would want 3” thickness and not 4” but I like seeing these low(er) volume boards coming out for the sizes
i ended up getting a custom 5’8 42l from appletree, its similar to the kruzer. For prone i dont think ill go back to my 4’10 42l appletree because the advantage of the extra paddle power is well worth any downside. i was wondering does it ever make sense to keep going longer while keeping low volume
for example, would a 46-48L 6’2 be good, or 52L 6’6? Is there a point where it starts not making sense? I see the largest kruzer is 40l 5’8, why not keep going longer?
5’4 Kruzer has ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made, catching so many more waves than 4’4 Spitfire its crazy. The pump is noticeably worse but the ride experience doesnt feel different. Also the paddle is so much easier that worse pump doesnt matter as much. I would definitely feel comfortable going above 6 ft on a prone board. Probably not much of a market for it, but I may order custom someday.
For me its just all about the wave shape and steepness, I will still use my 4’4 but only when it makes sense. Which will be rare compared to the 5’4.
I picked up this secondhand board back in February to see if it would work for prone DW and catching some outer sandbar, barely breaking waves. I have yet to give it a go on the DW but I can say it’s amazing for crumbly, barely breaking waves.
It’s quite a bit longer than a mid length but the box placement combined with the the fact that the board is super light makes it really fun. I’m terrible at pumping and no spring chicken but can manage to pump this 7’7” x 17” enough to link a few waves. I believe it’s roughly 65L as it’s pretty thin.
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interesting observation on the pump, i have a 4’4" raptor and switched to a 5’0" kruzer and i barely notice the difference.
How does it paddle compared to the 4’4”?
I got a 5’4 x 18 x 2 11/6 33.5L Kruzer, not 5’0 so I would guess that another 6 inches of length makes a more noticeable difference. It’s nothing crazy, just more length to move and I definitely cannot pump it as long. Paddling is much easier both into the wave and back to the lineup, keep in mind its still only 33.5L so its nothing like a normal mid length with tons of float but my 4’4 Spitfire was grueling to paddle back out against any current and this is doable (but still slow). But thats the trade-off, I didnt want a bulky wing board feeling on waves.
When you look at the board, it looks pretty sizable. But it’s still as low volume as most other prone boards. The length is what gives you the benefit. And the benefits of this are basically that you can paddle into waves earlier, which means you can paddle into larger waves, which means you can use smaller wings and have a way better riding experience. You’re trading off pump-ability for the ride. The worse pump is then compensated by the length, making it easier to paddle back out again.
I’m pondering even a 6’4 x 19 x 3 ~40L someday for bigger swells and easier paddles back out since our rides can be like 300 yards if you catch at the top of the break.
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definitely paddles faster, my new board is 17 3/4" wide so that helps, bit narrower than the raptor, its also 36L. I was hoping it would paddle a little faster but i can definitely catch more waves. My intention was to be able to get in earlier on some bigger waves so the drop either isnt so critical / i dont have to catch the white water. Its an adjustment from the raptor and i havent had a lot of time on it. But i think it will do that…
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