Pickup Stick 6'6"

No diss to the board or design, I have buyers remorse for going with the 6’6” for Uncle N8’s surf camp for my kids and their cousins - when I should have popped for the 7’6” or 8’ for more versatility, or for a board with less dramatically chined edges. My 10-year old niece had the rides of her life on this deck, but it was a little too lively for the older cousins. I personally can’t wait to get some me time on this shape, it’s beautiful and deserves to get out a shred!

I purchased the 6’6 Pick Up Stix as a step down from my 7’0 fun board. I needed something to help me transition to shorter boards. I live in the mountains and didn’t start surfing until I was in my late 20’s so board volume has always been my friend as I only get to surf about 30 days a year. This board has been awesome for me. It’s got enough volume that I can still get I to waves sort of early and I am learning to to duck dive too. I prefer it as a quad. It’s a really versatile board and durable as hell too.

I've been doing the injury dance the last couple years and haven't been able to get back into the water and I took this thing out yesterday and had one of the best sessions of my 10+ year surf career. I have only been out maybe 4 times in the last 6 months and I hopped on the 7'6 and felt like I didn't take a single day off. I'm 6'3 and around 200lbs and I was out paddling everyone, even some people on logs. I find it goes really well with shoulder to head high waves.

I looked at this board thinking it's more of a beginner style board. But was surprised at the wider spectrum it filled. The indestructible nature and short longboard design appealed to me. I needed something for PNW waves and It fit the gap. The 6'6 is perfect for me and with the twin or quad set up it's fast and makes the sections. The downfall is in more pitchy steeper waves. The lower entry rocker makes it more difficult to get into waves and the beatings from late drops to pearl diving had me scrambling for a more advanced board, with more rocker and flex. But that was expected, I just needed to see if I could. Futures option would be nice. Great for the days when there is lots of driftwood or soft toppers in the line up. You don't care what your running over because it's that indestructible. Why buy a wavestorm when this one will be kicking around in your quiver for years to come.

No actual dings. It has ridden 1/2ft faces huntington slop all the way up to about 10 foot huntington cliffs boxcars. Two small, watertight cracks along the rail. Not the bottle rocket version, so I can only imagine how the new ones feel. For beginner/intermediate skill(me) level and up, you will discover a ridiculous end section float/tap/late lip bash potential on this particular model. Accumulates so much speed down the line and responds to a closeout section in a heartbeat. The shape, outline, rocker, everything is dialed. The only issue I had recently was with screwports stripping badly, but with enough effort and JB weld I've found a way to rethread the finboxes for FCS screws. This was the first board I purchased (non rental) in my life, and it won't be the last libtech I get! As soon as you guys send out squash tail shortboard shipments, I'll be all over them to progress my surfing. Thanks!