After seeing a similar review of his elsewhere, where he put two similar stand up paddle boards through their paces, we were keen to let him loose with a couple of Loco sticks.

Over to Tez, and remember you can find out more about these boards here – loco-sup.com

The boards

When Joe Thwaites approached me to do a comparison test on two of his performance stand up paddle surf shapes I jumped at the chance. I love all forms of SUP but have to admit that it’s riding waves that gets my juices flowing.

As stand up paddle board trends continue to evolve I was keen on seeing what Loco, a British based brand, had to offer and how two of their popular surf shapes would stack up against each other… CLICK HERE to read the full review.

1) Don’t go too small too soon. Although there is an obsession with using the smallest board possible at the performance end of competition paddle surfing is this really the right way to go for your average intermediate? This type of board affords the rider very little volume (float), can be very tricky to balance on in any kind of chop, suffers from minimal glide which often translates into lots of scratching versus maximising your wave count. As a general rule think about multiplying your body weight by 1.5 so if you’re 80kg you ‘should’ be able to paddle a 120L surf sup. That said other factors do come into play. Width is a key element. If you’re light (<65kg) then you should be able to get away with a board of circa 27-28.5” wide, for the majority (75-90kg) 28.5-30.5” is a good place to start and for the heavier paddler we’d recommend 30-33” although a lot will be governed by balance and ability.

2) Match your board to your style of surfing and prevailing conditions. If you only get slow powerless waves at your local break there’s little point having an aggressive surf shape as the board won’t work in those kind of conditions. You’d be much better off with a longer more voluminous stick that can pick up the slightest ripple. If you’re home spot gets lovely pealing glassy conditions but at the expense of offshore wind is a feather-light carbon board really the best option? You’ll struggle to drop in on a super light board unless you can effectively cross step to the nose and force the issue which take a bit of practice. If you favour longboard type surfing you’ll probably feel most at home on a 9’5”-10’6” board where you can still nose ride and cross step around with those old skool type moves. If you’re more radical and want to smack lips and lose the fins then sub 9′ board is going to offer you better carving options.

3) Double Leash Plugs. These come in very handy as you start pushing yourself in larger surf. Until you’ve done the 300m swim of shame back to the beach with a paddle in one hand you can’t appreciate how valuable double leash plugs actually are! Essentially if one cord snaps the other ‘should’ ensure you manage to make it home without too much egg on your face. Always a good idea to check your equipment before each session to make sure leash and attaching cords are in good order.

Check out more tips from Loco SUP here. 

Loco SUP

1)      Getting out through white water – for the complete newbie Loco recommends paddling out prone (lying down) from the shallows. Wait for the set to finish then make a beeline for ‘outback’. If you’re more accomplished, paddle on your knees until you’re in waist deep water, then stand up.

As whitewater approaches you should switch to a surf stance with your weight slightly back and try to bunny hop the board over the flotsam. Keep paddling to maintain speed and move feet back to paddling stance once you’ve cleared the foam.

2)      Positioning yourself in relation to the waves – for the best results look out to sea and watch the waves coming in. Identify the peak and then try to position your board as close to the shoulder as possible. If you imagine the beach is 12 noon you want the board pointing at 3 if you’re a natural footer, and 9 if you’re goofy.

The action of paddling on the seaward side will turn the board towards the beach as the wave approaches. You should aim for as close to 12 as possible to make the drop trying not to over-rotate. By standing parallel to the waves already in surf stance it’s possible to take off very late as your technique improves.

3)      Paddling in surf stance – this is a key element to paddle surfing success. You can generate more power in this compact stance and you’ll benefit from not having to change your feet. The further back you stand the quicker the board will pivot. It’s a feeling thing so persevere and you’ll soon reap the benefits.

4)      Using the rail to steer the board – following on from the surf stance tip, if you weight the rail on the same side as you paddle this will stop the board turning in the opposite direction. It takes a bit of practice and you might feel a bit twisted in the hips but once mastered this makes life a lot easier.

5)      Using the paddle to engage turns – the paddle can be used in a variety ways but to get started think about it in terms of a rudder. When you’re about to drop in, position the paddle on the inside of your intended turn, flare up the leading edge so it doesn’t drag and skim it across the water at the same time exerting pressure on the toe side rail to carve a fluid arc.

Check out five more top tips from Loco on their website here. 

It still winter in the west coast of Scotland  Judging by the amount of ski days I am sharing with my friends and family in Glencoe, I find it hard to peel off jackets and hats and don a wetsuit and jump in the water. However, a few weekends ago i decided to stick the new SUP in the van and go for a paddle on Lochan na h-Achlaise in Rannoch Moor. I have often wondered when its really windy that it would be a great flat water windsurf spot… I managed to quickly get off the hill and drive to the loch and get a short paddle session in the dying light. I now realise why it’s not a great windsurf spot as it’s shallow and there are rocks everywhere…

The decision to get a SUP was pretty much a no-brainer for me. In between work occasionally getting in the way of my social life, I pretty much spend the weekends either chasing a windsurf forecast or up in the mountains when its a little colder. For me, coming from a windsurf background, the SUP seemed like an essential addition to the quiver and it will be on top of the van no matter where I go this year.

The second SUP outing was almost a repeat of the first. However, Lochan na h-Achlaise was frozen. So I dropped down in altitude to Loch Tulla, close to Bridge of Orchy. I quickly jumped out the van, stuck on a beanie, rashie and a pair of boardies and went into the water. I have windsurfed for years in Scotland and have experienced cold feet. However, the water must have been on the verge of freezing as I had instant foot pain.

I paddled out on the board and managed to get some really good shots with the sun setting over the hills way in the distance. This was to be probably the shortest SUP session ever though as the cold took its toll on my feet. It took me about a good hour to get feeling back! Definitely not a day for boardies and bare feet!

Andre Le Geyt. Image credit ISA/Michael Tweddle

Day 2 

Andre is a rider for Loco SUP, check out more about Loco here.
Check out more round ups from previous days on the next page.

Joe in action on his Loco SUP

Loco is comprised of a number of collaborators; some paid, some stoked to be part of something new and exciting, some just along for the ride. The main driving force behind the brand is Joe Thwaites who’s been teaching people to paddle surf through his Tynemouth based school (Boardskillz) for almost five years. Bouke Becker from Witchcraft Sailboards Fuerteventura transforms Joe’s ‘often demanding’ concepts into reality. He also acts as Loco’s construction consultant ensuring that strength is key but not at the expense of weight. Current National Paddlesurf Champion Andre’ Le Geht continues to test all of our boards and he’s taking an increasingly more active role in R&D.

Joe started the brand just over a year ago as he felt the first and second generation offerings from the usual suspects weren’t cutting it in the surf, weights were poor, the aesthetic was lacking and prices were prohibitive for the average person wanting to get into SUP. He wanted to simplify the buying process offering a core line of boards that could work differently depending on rider weights, ability and aspirations.

There's a SUP for any conditions

Loco is home grown so our boards have been designed specifically for European conditions. All our boards have surf optimised rocker lines that simply outmanoeuvre other boards of similar size. We manage to achieve the impossible by packing more volume into shorter outlines but not at the expense of performance, making our boards really user-friendly. We provide GoPro mounts, double leash plugs, ¾ deck pads and proper fins as standard (most don’t). We offer a personal, friendly service and can offer time-served advice on everything from board selection to more advanced information on optimised fin set up. We primarily sell direct so we can offer bleeding edge, lightweight constructions at sensible price points, frequently offering package deals on full carbon paddles and other accessories.

Andre' Le Geyt at the BSUPA finals

In the future we’re looking into distributing the brand internationally. Hopefully Andre competing for Team GB at the World Championships in Peru this month will be a step in the right direction. R&D never stands still at Loco. We’re currently developing two very different, radical surf shapes which we’ll look to put into production in 2014. We’re also playing around with various elements of our race boards in our quest for the ultimate glide. We’re making real progress with our accessories and interest in our merchandise has been fantastic so we’re looking to offer these more widely in 2013. We’re also looking to recruit fresh talent and motivated brand ambassadors to spread the Loco love in the UK and further afield. We’re also interested working with more SUP savvy retailers in key areas to compliment our demo days that will be kicking off in the spring.

SUP action

Joe Thwaites:

“I’ve been windsurfing from a very early age but got back into it properly in my mid 20s. Since then I’ve graduated through the ranks from flat water enthusiast to motivated wave sailor. I take a very active role in the local scene, acting as social secretary for the Northumbrian Windsurfing Club as well as teaching beginners through my windsurfing and paddleboard school. I also organise the Northumberland Wave Slam which is a forecast-driven amateur wave sailing competition which attracts wave heads from far and wide.

SUP is a great alternative for when you get skunked by the wind. It’s much easier to learn than traditional surfing. The paddle effectively replaces the rig so it kind of feels intuitive and the foot placement is very similar to carving a windsurfer out of the straps. It’s fantastic exercise and is proven to promote core strength and stability. The surfing side certainly helps as cross training for windsurfing and the extra no wind hours you get in the waves will give you the advantage next time you’re windsurfing! Typically I SUP two to three times more than I windsurf annually, as it provides so many more options.”

Joe Thwaites

Joe Thwaites

To check out their progressive 2013 shapes please visit www.loco-sup.com or to speak with Joe direct call 44 7779 127230. For the latest videos/snaps/competitions/news features find them at www.facebook.com/locosup and to keep up on twitter @loco_sup.