In yesterday's blog, I mentioned that I was on Simeloo Island in the Sumatra archipelago in Indonesia for an interview with Surf Trip Journal magazine, but the only day I was able to surf during the 10-day trip was yesterday, and filming ended there. Since it takes two days to get there and back, I'm currently updating this blog from Medan, Indonesia.
Nishii brought three boards with him to Simeulu Island this time.
I surfed at four different surf spots, and I'd like to introduce three of them.
LOST 5'5" "RNF-REDUX" CARBON WRAP
This board is the one I have surfed the most, called "DLYANS".
I rode only on the light break. This is a reef break with a lot of power.
The set includes hollow barrel waves and lip-bulb waves.
It was the wave quality. I rode the smaller waves, from chest-sized to overhead size. Regardless of the size, the takeoff is fast and the speed is easy to pick up, so I was able to easily get through the fast-breaking waves and surf comfortably. I rode both the QUAD and TRI, but Nishii felt that the QUAD was faster and looser, which allowed me to ride better.
PLACEBO 5'8" "EL-DIBALO PLUS" FLEXLITE-HYPER
This board is a combination of the overhead size "DLYANS" and
I rode at a point called "PEAK."
At DLYANS, I rode it hoping to gain an advantage in catching waves when joining other groups, but it also felt amazing on Indonesian reef breaks. The paddle and takeoff speeds are self-explanatory, as anyone who's ridden it knows them. Even on deep reef breaks, it had good maneuverability, and the narrow tapered rear from the EVW wing provided excellent lip action and control in the barrel. I'd definitely recommend it for surf trips to places like Bali, which has many reef breaks, as well as beach breaks. PEAK, the point where the biggest waves in the area are always in stable conditions, was great for riding overhead-sized waves that broke along a roughly triangular overhanging reef, a mix of right and left beach and reef waves. The R2-Channel's speed was also impressive.
LOST 5'9" "POCKET ROCKET EDD" POLYESTER
I rode this board on a 40-minute surf trip to a spot called "TEA BAGS" on a remote island. I had heard that "TEA BAGS" has some decent-sized waves, so I brought my longest board with me, but I ended up hitting a triple-overhead, Hawaii-level wave like Sunset. It took a long time for Nishii to hit a wave the size of a Hawaiian wave, but the board had some rocker and, being an EDD, it had plenty of buoyancy and volume, allowing him to catch the wave well and take off. The wave would probably have been better sized with a board around 6'6", but out of the three, my board choice was the best, and I was able to ride several decent-sized waves. The "POCKET ROCKET EDD" really is the perfect fit for world-class wave quality!
I also rode it on one round on the final day when I surfed at a beach break in Rivermouth called "INOR," which is head-sized. The waves were hollow and fast, so I chose this shape design so I could quickly turn sideways and start sailing.
He will be returning to Japan soon and coming to our store for the LOST Surfboard Fair.
We will be happy to assist you! Nishii will be at Love Surf from the 22nd, so please come visit us!
