Fatso... I'm 100k, 5'10. I am super happy with my 2014 9'6 Prowave in HRS... so much so that I have been considering my next step.
I was thinking... if it is this good in HRS... it would be just
that much better in LTD.
The other thought I had was.... since the 9'6 is so stable, maybe I should move down to the new 9'2?.
At your size, I have to think that the 9'2 would be perfect for you, after the initial adjustment period.
Never surfed the Hokua, but since the Mana was suggested... here's my feedback on that comparison.
I really liked my 9'5 Manas (2013 & 2014) a very stable, fun board.....but once I got the 9'6 Prowave, there was no valid reason to keep it. The Prowave did everything as easily as the Mana did, but at a much higher level, so I sold the Mana.... no contest.
1. turning, holding a rail and speed (performance i suppose)
My 9'6 has fatter forward rails than the 2015 model...
My goal in surfing has always been to lay down the hardest turn I can.... the 9'6 has proven to me, that it will handle any turn I throw at it.
Speed is fine, I hear some who disagree, but I think they stay on the tail as they run down the line, I move forward when looking for speed and have never felt that speed was a problem. Not warp drive.....but makes waves and turns super crisp
2. stability and wave entry
The fat rails of the 2014 9'6 make it almost too stable
paddling into a wave is easy... I can get in early
sometimes the thickness in the forward rail will turn the board out from under me, if I lean too heavily on the front of the board at takeoff. The water wraps around the thicker rail and sucks it down a bit. Easily avoided by weighting more to the center
3. durability and strength.
If you want that... think about the HRS version.... not a lot heavier and MUCH less expensive. I have virtually zero damage to my HRS Fanatics after 3 years and 6 boards. One fingernail sized ding when a 6' wave, body slammed my 9'6 Allwave into a car sized rock.... it would have mangled most boards.
I hear the older LTDs mark up and ding much more easily. I'm hoping the 2015's are better
I'm including pics of me on my 9'6 Prowave in HRS, so you have a frame of reference to judge the board by. I'm old, inflexible and not getting upside down in the lip anytime soon... but these are my attempts, on a pretty big board
....... the last one
is rotated to try to put a more realistic perspective on a nose GoPro.... any straightening crops everything out.
