Beginner Skim Style Recommendations

[eubanks]

Yes, another board recommendation post!  Our family has only ever ridden surf style boards, but my 15-year-old daughter really wants to learn some threes this summer and try more skim style as do I. Looking for something that would work for both of us and isn’t too advanced to learn on.  The phase five avenger looks like a good option, but any other recommendations on model and also board size?  Daughter is about 110 pounds and I am 175.  I would rather get some thing that suits her better than me.

[CaptainMorgan]

i got a Hyperlite HiFi (53") last year as a foray into skim style; been very happy with it as an all-around skim.  i'm 165#, fits me fine and doesn't come in smaller sizes but i'd bet a growing 15yr old would be fine as well. 

it'll be 60% the price of a phase 5, but Phase 5 makes nice boards and will have more choices of sizes (i just got overwhelmed with their options so went with the generic cheaper board before dropping >$1k on a top-end skim i wasn't sure how to size or what i'd like).

[shawndoggy]

IMHO there is no skim that's too advanced to learn on (if you know how to surf).  Is a true skim a different ride from a surf board?  YES.  A skim should be sized as small as you can possibly ride it. 

Your daughter should not be riding your skim... she will have a very hard time driving the rail into the wave, and the board will tend to slip out on her (banana peel).  My wife and I are about the same weights as you and your daughter.  I ride a medium victoria factor pcx, she rides a victoria project v. 

We had several skims before I got my wife the project v and she hated them all because they were too hard to ride (because they were too big).  That might have seemed like "too advanced," but once we got her one that was her size, problem solved, even though it's a "pro model" board.  Especially on a skim, the worst thing you can do is go too big for the rider in question. 

https://wakestore.victoriaskimboards.com/product/pro-v-2023-s-211/

https://wakestore.victoriaskimboards.com/product/pcx-2023-m-200/

Edited March 24 by shawndoggy

[dizzygti]

For the most part, a skim is a skim (traditional shape with tapered tail to match the nose).  It's just how light do you want it (how much do you want to spend)?  Get something with a decent fin (2+") and change down to a shorter (1") fin as your skim skills progress.

[eubanks]

Thanks for the help. Looked at a lot of boards at the dealer today. Talked to the pro shop manager for a long time and settled on the Phase Five Hypsta. Looks to be a great option to get a more stable skim style for us to start learning spins on. 
https://www.phase5boards.com/products/24-hypsta?variant=46557096050996

[Hemmy]

On 3/29/2024 at 10:23 PM, eubanks said:

Thanks for the help. Looked at a lot of boards at the dealer today. Talked to the pro shop manager for a long time and settled on the Phase Five Hypsta. Looks to be a great option to get a more stable skim style for us to start learning spins on. 
https://www.phase5boards.com/products/24-hypsta?variant=46557096050996

Nice choice.  A few years ago one of the guys that used to work at the pro shop at my dealer said that is one of his favorite boards.  he said it is a really fun board to ride.

[MustGoFast]

On 3/24/2024 at 5:03 PM, shawndoggy said:

IMHO there is no skim that's too advanced to learn on (if you know how to surf).  Is a true skim a different ride from a surf board?  YES.  A skim should be sized as small as you can possibly ride it. 

Your daughter should not be riding your skim... she will have a very hard time driving the rail into the wave, and the board will tend to slip out on her (banana peel).  My wife and I are about the same weights as you and your daughter.  I ride a medium victoria factor pcx, she rides a victoria project v. 

We had several skims before I got my wife the project v and she hated them all because they were too hard to ride (because they were too big).  That might have seemed like "too advanced," but once we got her one that was her size, problem solved, even though it's a "pro model" board.  Especially on a skim, the worst thing you can do is go too big for the rider in question. 

https://wakestore.victoriaskimboards.com/product/pro-v-2023-s-211/

https://wakestore.victoriaskimboards.com/product/pcx-2023-m-200/

Second the Victoria boards and they often have good off-season closeout that are easy on the wallet