The NSP shortboard is like a funboard shortboard. Because of the fatter body and the NSP epoxy design the board is extremely buoyant. This made for easy paddling and I was easily able to catch mushy waves. It also did well catching faster, bigger waves. The ride felt more like I was riding a funboard than riding a performance shortboard. The extra body gave a lot of resistance on turns, but maybe that's something to get used to. If you don't care about being the most progressive surfer out in the water and like to cruise down the line, then this board is awesome. I actually borrowed this board from a friend and he got it as a transition board from longboard to shortboard. He was able to ride the board on the first day he got it. Because he doesn't get out often he needed something that would work in poor to good conditions, easy to ride, and have a little more manueverability than a longboard. Plus, he beats up his boards so the epoxy helps. I gave it 4 stars because as a performance shortboard it's really not that good. But because it's easy to ride, inexpensive, and very durable it's perfect for anyone interested in getting into shortboarding.

Whenever I ride my friend's 8' M13 in Tuflite and he has to wrestle it away from me by the end of the day. Because of it's size and the Tuflite material, it paddled like a longboard. It could even catch small, mushy waves like a longboard, so you could go cruzing on this thing on small days. The board handled bigger waves like a dream. The drops were smooth and it flew down the line without much pumping. The only downside is making big snaps and turns on this board is pretty hard. But then again, this is a hybrid and not a shortboard. The M13 is a blast to ride and works well in almost all wave conditions.

The South Point longboard is a heavy longboard that takes some time getting used to. It paddles fast and catches ankle bites with no problems but handles like a battleship. This board is not really suited for surfing in crowded conditions or for those that are relatively new to surfing. I haven't tried the newer models, so I don't know if their new epoxy is lighter. The board works on anything from ripples to head high waves. It a does a good job cruising down the line, and generates a lot of speed on its own. I had a hard time making tight turns, so I ended up bailing a lot. On the upside, these boards are very durable. I've had my board, 9'2", for a few years now and it's gone through a lot without needing any repair. Plus, these boards are inexpensive, I got mine for about $350. For someone getting into surfing, I recommend getting the South Point funboard, it's a lot lighter and just as durable.