9ten
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 05/21/09
Posts: 226
Loc: NJ
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When I first saw these boards a couple years ago I was intrigued but thought they were specialized boards that wouldn't work well in average east coast surf. Having sampled a good assortment of shapes over the last few years, I've had that opinion on many of them and have kept it relatively simple lately - a couple thrusters and a quad, all shortboards. I wanted something for very small, weak surf and wasn't in the mood to get a longboard for this summer so it made me think of the Mini Simmons again. When I saw this board pop up in the classifieds I jumped on it (thanks kingseal!).
Rider:
5'8", 165 +/-, 34 years old, intermediate. Surfing lately whenever a ripple appears - 60% at a forehand point and the other at various beachbreaks w/ different personalities. As a reference board, my goto is a 5'11" x 19.65" x 2.5" Bulkley Hipster Quad that I ride in any waves 2'+ with good shape up to a few feet overhead. For the mush and bigger days I ride my other boards.
The Board:
5'2" x 23" x 2 3/4" poly w/ custom Pro-Box fins, 4/4 + 4 glassing keeps it fairly light for its size. Shaped by Tim Stamps as a personal board. I think it may be the first one he's done???
The Ride:
Effortless is the best way to describe this board - from the super stable takeoff to getting speed to connecting sections. I thought there would be some adjustment to surfing it, but there really was none. Probably the biggest adjustment was paddling with such a wide stroke due to the width of the nose. Otherwise, it surfs pretty much like a shortboard with pumping more neutral footed. Most of all, I was really blow away by the turns such a wide tailed board was able to do. It just surfs a lot more agile than it looks. I've had 10 sessions so far in thigh to chest high surf. On the weakest, mushy days it makes the waves seem like they are actually good and you can make some fun turns, pump through a section or glide through the flats, connecting to the inside for some longer rides. On those better days, it's pretty much the same only a lot faster but quite controllable, never squirrely or tracky. I really like this design compared to my previous keel fish for those reasons.
I think this Mini Simmons is a really functional design. I absolutely wouldn't have thought that just by looking at it and glad I took the gamble. I really bought it for longboard surf and was really surprised that it worked so well in better conditions. I can see riding this board alot here on the East Coast. I'm not sure how close this Mini Simmons is to a Bauguess/Swift but the Tim Stamps version is highly recommended! 
 
 
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rid
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 11/20/08
Posts: 1068
Loc: Long Beach, CA
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Nice review
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bordsmnj
Billy Hamilton status
Reged: 08/08/08
Posts: 1628
Loc: So. Cal.
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x2
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sakana_kid
Nep status
Reged: 02/24/09
Posts: 716
Loc: da aloha state
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Thanks for the review! I know a lot of different shapers are doing these mini Simmons nowadays, but who else's version of it would be good choice? The one's I've seen in the shop by Swift Surfboards are over a grand. 
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airboy808
Nep status
Reged: 05/22/09
Posts: 918
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Anyone in Hawaii doing this shape? I think the easiest for us would be maybe the lost plank board. Or get one from Cali and shipped down. I too am interested in a mini-simms for longboard days.
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retodd
Tom Curren status
Reged: 02/22/09
Posts: 11166
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griffin has a felix that is kinda sorta similar.
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Shank123
Nep status
Reged: 01/22/03
Posts: 796
Loc: Alta CA
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You just beat me to that board. I was fighting tooth and nail for it. I am bummed to hear such a good review if only because I wish it were mine even more now. Good choice tho, and good review. I will be getting in touch with Mr. Stamps again very soon now. 
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inRhythm
Grom
Reged: 01/05/10
Posts: 11
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 Hell yeah. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I need to get an order in for a Simmons before the summer doldrums go into full effect.
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Bonzer111
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 04/19/10
Posts: 262
Loc: San Diego, CA
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Looks like fun! Perfect summer wave board.
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sakana_kid
Nep status
Reged: 02/24/09
Posts: 716
Loc: da aloha state
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That Griffin Felix thing looks crazy. Anyone have a chance to try that one out yet? I'm gonna see if i can demo a mini simmons first, but I'm pretty sure no local shapers doing those in the islands.
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ewafish
Grom
Reged: 12/05/08
Posts: 32
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9ten,
Great review...I too love this shape and can't figure out why it's being passed over. My 5'5" can almost be called a daily driver...knee-high to a foot or two overhead.
Don't want to highjack, but Hawai'i guys...I call mine Keiki Simmons though!
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surfboards by sasquatch
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twinzerfan
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 10/26/06
Posts: 1201
Loc: Santa Cruz
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nice review, and always cool to see a BBer, and all around nice bloke, get some good press.
hand built, custom surfboards are the way to go...
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rob
RightCoastKook!
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laidback
Miki Dora status
Reged: 02/09/07
Posts: 4192
Loc: NOC
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The mini simms look fun,
So does this one
http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/showfla...rue#Post1761627
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"You can observe a lot just by watching."
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TStamps
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 262
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Quote:
The mini simms look fun,
So does this one
http://forum.surfermag.com/forum/showfla...rue#Post1761627
super stoked you are liking the mini-simm!
not to change the subject, but the link that Laidback posted is what i have come up with from the mini-sim...this is my latest 4'10" i just finished up today....if you like the mini-simm, well, then i think you'll REALLY like these things(the WTF). not to knock an historically important design, but these just seem to surf so functional! so fast and loose....smooth and predictable...
not the best design for all conditions, but they make just about anything super fun....
 
a quick sequence form a left hand point break on the 5'0"
i have more photos if anyone cares to see the board surf.
enjoy..
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tim stamps
stamps surfboards
www.surfboardsbystamps.com
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retodd
Tom Curren status
Reged: 02/22/09
Posts: 11166
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quad or keel?
dig the moon tail and blunt nose.
is there a tail kick in the rocker off the moon tips?
and yes more pics 
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TStamps
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 262
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Quote:
quad or keel?
dig the moon tail and blunt nose.
is there a tail kick in the rocker off the moon tips?
and yes more pics
i'm running with a quad set up. has a nice positive feel and is real fast.
i kept the nose blunt so i could keep the rail line of the outline straighter in the nose. these are pretty short so the extra rail line helps.
the contour off the tail is a slight vee. starts just about in front of the leading fins.
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tim stamps
stamps surfboards
www.surfboardsbystamps.com
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9ten
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 05/21/09
Posts: 226
Loc: NJ
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nice schwack
i already thought the mini simm you shaped was super functional. if the wtf is even moreso, then whoa lookout...
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TStamps
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 262
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Quote:
quad or keel?
dig the moon tail and blunt nose.
is there a tail kick in the rocker off the moon tips?
and yes more pics
here's a couple more pics...
...
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tim stamps
stamps surfboards
www.surfboardsbystamps.com
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retodd
Tom Curren status
Reged: 02/22/09
Posts: 11166
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nice !!
are you participating in the AB3 ?
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kingseal
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 04/07/08
Posts: 270
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Great review and thanks, Tim, for chiming in and sharing. Tim, I have 2 of your boards and love 'em both! 9ten it looks like that board is working great for you -- stocked. I'm budget-challenged currently so I'm scouring the classifieds and craigslist for something smaller but I almost never see them in the right size. But stocked for you, JD! 
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TStamps
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 08/29/08
Posts: 262
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Quote:
quad or keel?
dig the moon tail and blunt nose.
is there a tail kick in the rocker off the moon tips?
and yes more pics
a couple more and that's it....
...
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tim stamps
stamps surfboards
www.surfboardsbystamps.com
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