HYPR Nalu Hawaii — Local services in Hawaii

I spent 2 weeks in Hawaii split across Oahu, Kauai, and Big Island. I am a beginner surfer and wanted to try learning as much as possible, so I took a lesson at each island. HYPR was by far the best for many reasons:

1. Great Instructors / Instruction Ian does a great job explaining the necessary fundamentals and takes the time to ensure you understand why you are doing certain things. I took both a paddle board and surf lesson, but will focus this review mainly on surfing.... This is not a "just jump and stand" lesson. You start at the shop and practice on a board and bosu board which help simulate what it's like riding on a wave. It will help you anticipate what to expect and how to handle different situations. They also teach you how to turn! like i said, it's not just standing and riding straight...it's learning the right technique, repeating to enforce muscle memory, and much more. By far the best lesson i've had and most i've learned!

2. Accomodating During one of the first days on my trip, i walked over the the shop and expressed my interest in surfing. I was told the waves were not great that day and the forecast showed improvement in a day / two. I took their number and called them the next day. It was after store hours, yet Ian still tried to give me updates on conditions and that he would check conditions in the morning. I was impressed that he still was communicating after / before business hours.

3. Will not waste your time with poor conditions As mentioned, they will not take you out unless conditions are good. They will do their best to reschedule for a day that is good. I've been out surfing where waves were nonexistent and felt like it was a waste of time and money. Ian even told me waves were not looking great in the morning, but two hours later when i went for a paddle boarding lesson, he told me waves were improving and wanted to get me surfing since i wanted to go so badly.

4. Size you up for an appropriate board The benefit to practicing on the board and bosu is that Ian is able to see your technique and give you an appropriate board. Based on my technique, Ian had given me a shorter board (i forgot the exact size, but ~9-10 feet). I was used to the huge 12 foot boards from prior lessons that I was a bit intimidated. Let me tell you, I have never had so much fun. I was able to get a better feel of the board, able to turn, and even felt more comfortable walking forward to get more speed. Ian trusted my skills, and I am happy he did. Another lesson on a 12 foot board would have probably bored me out of surfing and I needed that extra push to try something more advanced.

Overall, I cannot recommend a better place to go to. If you are even slightly interested in learning or want to work on your skills, use HYPR and do it the right way! My only regret is not doing it earlier in my trip and surfing multiple days. Next time i'm in town, there is no doubt i will be paying them...

This was our first time on the Big Island and being a paddling enthusiast, I could not visit one of the Mecca’s of paddling without seizing this opportunity to learn from a seasoned waterman. I’ve paddled dragon boat and have been transitioning to an OC1 to cross train. I’ve found Ian’s YouTube channel three years ago and was immediately drawn to the way he’s able to articulate and break down the mechanics of the body in a way that’s clear and easy to understand. Of course watching videos and reading are different from doing. When I reached out for a lesson, I thought I would get on an OC1 immediately but Ian had other plans for me. I felt like the young monk who ventured far from home with one intention and coming away with more than I had bargained. Like a shaolin master, Ian led me through a progression of watercraft from a surf board to a paddle board and then to a surf ski. I was puzzled at first but with each progression, the intention became clearer and clearer. My insecurities and weaknesses bubbled up to the surface. Paddling in my OC1 in flat water hid my flaws and Ian knew that. The ama of my OC provided stability but it was also a crutch that caused my balance issues (leaning towards my left) The rudder and steering capability of my boat also dulled my sense of direction - on a paddle board, I no longer had foot pedals to course correct. Being on the ocean with wind and waves meant I could not evenly paddle the same strokes on each side like I would on a calm lake or river. I was forced to feel the water and account for the wind direction and adjust and switching sides as needed. After the surf ski land lesson, again I was deathly afraid to get on it but Ian said he would rather let the surf ski float away than to let me drown 😅. Once we mounted the surf ski, I understood how planting the blade in the water becomes the anchor point. My fear of falling into the water made me shy away from using it to give me the stability I needed. This must be how my son felt learning to ride his oversized bike with training wheels, and as soon as we realized that was going nowhere, we switched him to a balance bike without pedals and his learning accelerated. Similar to riding a bike, it’s counterintuitive to turn the wheel in the direction the bike is leaning towards in order to balance but paddling is similar but I only realized this while working with Ian. I can’t thank Ian and Lauren enough for their guidance, encouragement, time, and generosity. I feel like a whole new chapter of my paddling journey has just begun. If anyone is coming to the Big Island, please look Hypr Nalu and you won’t regret it. Until next...

I recently purchased HYPR NALUs 12’6” and 14’ Carbon race boards. I’m coming off a 15 month layoff do to shoulder surgery and am only paddling at about 70% capacity at this time. I am very impressed with the boards, both in the quality of the workmanship and the performance of the boards. The shape of the hull on both of the boards is not flat like most other boards. The hull flares up a bit before reaching the rails. This gives the hull a bit less wetted surface and therefore I tiny bit less skin friction. The advantage here mainly theoretical and you can’t really notice it. The real advantage comes in the board’s stability points. As the board leans over a few degrees, the shape of the hits a secondary stability point and feels very comfortable there. It doesn’t always want to fall back on to the flat hull. When it gets choppy this enables you to keep your board level and steady under you while the water is constantly changing. The boards may feel a bit tippier than you expect when you first get on them but once you get used to the secondary stability point, that won’t be an issue. The boards have excellent glide. I was averaging 4.1 mph on the 12’6” and 4.3 mph on the 14’ and I am far from being 100% physically. I have a Pau Hana Viper 14’ as well and I would say that in perfectly glassy conditions it has a bit more speed, but it is only 24” wide and very difficult as it gets choppy. The HYPR NALU 14’ is 26” wide and holds its speed well as the water gets choppy. And more importantly continues to comfortable and fun to paddle when it is getting rough. If you are super competitive and have the balance, I believe Ian makes the 14’ in narrower versions as well. I’m 63 now and believe those days are...