Great Question; I believe that one of the keys to being comfortable in waves is being super familiar and comfortable with your equipment. So, I like to ride the same surfboard in almost all surf conditions. I use the North 5.7 Charge because it fits my style perfectly and allows me to focus on the wave and not think about my board.

It has incredible hold and grip at high speeds but allows for great release on top turns. Depending on the wave's size and amount of bump/chop, I go back and forth between straps and no straps.

I will use that setup for waves up to about 30ft which is when we start to use custom weighted configurations specific to each big wave. Jaws boards range from 10 - 20 lbs, whereas Nazare boards can be up to 40 lbs. These boards only work in XXL surf and have to be custom-tailored to each rider's specific needs.

I hope that answers your question; thanks for being a part of the community, and feel free to ask me more about big wave kitesurfing.