Morning everybody
Im looking at picking up a second hand Raptor or JP Slate
The Slate is 115 litres and the Raptor the smaller 95 litre version
It's for small waves
I'm 77 kg and coming off a 125 litres Hokua
Surfed as long as I can remember
I know the smaller one would take longer to work out but would I be wasting my time.
Cheer everyone
can't comment on the slate, but I do have a raptor 95. I'm the same weight as you, and the 95 is surprisingly stable for the volume.
it took me a while to work out to paddle with my feet almost in surf stance all the time to maximise balance, but once the penny dropped it's been heaps of fun in the sunny coast wind slop that I can't even take off on with my hipster twin or hokua.
it's an awesome board for small, mushy waves. you can flick it around on the face and snap turns very easily. virtually no nose rocker and wide nose make it no good for anything steep or hollow though.
If it was me I'd get the slate. But I will always say it depends on the surface chop that you have to stand on whilst waiting for a wave. I weigh anywhere around 77 to 82 kilos. My favourite board in most conditions is the 110 litre x 29 wide x 8ft 3 inch Sunova Soul. But a Raptor or Slate has a wider nose for better stability.
I've also got a JL 94 litre Super Tech board that is easy to stand on in flatwater. But as soon as I get in choppy water, game over! Being due to its refined performance surfboard shape being a bit like a Hokua. I'm off it more than on. But it's a fun board to practice on. But a big waste of surfing time with lots of missed waves.
My most comfortable volume with performance would be 115 litres. Maybe 105 to 110 litres in Raptor or Slate shape.
So if you fall off often on your 125 Hokua then the Slate is for you.
If you are quite confident & have lots of non fall off time on your 125 Hokua and don't mind more fall off time and like the challenge and would be happy to use it less then maybe the Raptor.
In my view the Slate would be an easier good performance step up board as a mate of mine went from the Raptor to the Slate but now preffers the Vex Profusion. In saying that he likes surf when its overhead & pumping.
So again in smaller waves the Shorter slab type boards do well.
Again I think it depends on stability time versus fall off time on what you've currently got.
Select to expand quotegoggo said..
Raptor all day long. Shape for both is way more stable than volume indicates. 
Goggo is right. But go back to what Stamp says. Same weight as you & first found it harder until he mainly got into a difference stance etc. If your up to the challenge & changes then so be it. It's what you want in stability or performance in small waves. Sacrifice stability for better throw around performance on a wave or better wave count due to better stability.
