We’re often asked,
> What boards are best for Macaronis?
> What is the optimal quiver to pack?
The opportunity to share waves with surfers from around the world has allowed useful insight into what designs work most consistently for traveling surfers to Macaronis.
While board design preferences are subjective and highly personal, we can’t help but notice that 3 designs consistently perform across a range of ability levels.
Below are the stand-out favorites for the
Optimal 3 Board Travel Quiver
The categories are:
1. Small Wave: JS BARON FLYER
2. Standard Short Board: JS GOLDEN CHILD
3. Step-Up Board: JS BIG HORSE
All of these boards are available in our JS rack of boards available for hire. See the range here.
1. Small Wave: JS Baron Flyer
The Baron Flyer Twin makes a great small/medium Macaronis board and conveniently fits into board bags thanks to its almost flat rocker.
It’s worth having a shorter/wider shape at Macaronis because it allows you to get the most from the smaller days in between swells.
Easily picking up waves and allowing plenty of time to set your pace with the wave, the Baron Flyer is great for when Macas is small.
The Baron Flyer has foam in all the right places to float over soft sections and fly down the line, yet still allows you to lay it on rail or bust the fins even when you’re going Mach 10.
2. Standard Short Board: JS Golden Child
Just about any standard high-performance short board works great at Macaronis. While a flat rocker board can also work very well, some find that designs with a touch more rocker and curve, especially in the back half of the board, compliments the shape and speed of the wave.
The shape of the wave at Macaronis is quite different from a typical Australian or Californian point break with an abundance of open-faced and flatter sections. In contrast, Macas peels down the reef uniformly making it so mechanical with an evenly paced pocket travelling at the perfect speed for cracking turn after turn or simply pulling into the barrel to grab some shade! This translates to a pocket style of surfing whether on your backhand or forehand, as opposed to a more drawn out or down-the-line approach to surfing.
Overall, the Golden Child has a flatter vee deck than the dome deck of more modern good-wave boards like the Schooner or FMN3. This brings you closer to the water for sensitivity, providing instant response. Golden Child also has less concave than the Monsta for extra hold, which is complemented by a narrower nose & tail outline for control in critical sections. All of these features come together to complete a model designed for rail surfing, to cut through the water like a hot knife through butter.
3. Step-Up Board: JS Big Horse
When it is big, hollow, and sometimes doubles up, Macaronis does not suit a surfboard with excessive length. This is because the wave’s curved shape is much like a skate bowl with a steeper take off, which a longer traditional step-up (6’6″+) does not fit into easily. In other words, too much extra length can work against you at solid Macas.
The newer, post-modern step-up designs overcome the need for excessive length by concentrating the board’s volume under the chest and combining it with a forgiving, wide-point forward outline for maximum paddle power to get into the wave from the take-off.
The result is a board with an extra couple of liters you need to match the speed of the wave and get you in earlier as it draws up off the reef. In addition to fitting into the wave and making the drop a bit easier, these designs assist in maneuvering and stalling into the barrel, where the extra length of a traditional step-up can feel awkward and more difficult to stall or pull into the barrel section.
When the swell is on the way, and it’s time to put the head down and go, saddle up the Big Horse.
Heading to Macaronis?
We’ve teamed up with JS Boards to make your dream board setup easier than ever. Order your custom JS surfboard before your trip, and have it delivered to Padang so it’s ready when you arrive — no more travel hassles or baggage stress!
ORDER HERE and make sure to mention that you are a Macaronis Resort guest.
Again, while board design preferences are subjective and highly personal, we hope this review will help you pick the perfect quiver for your next trip to Macaronis!
See you in the water!
