The guy makes nice boards, and that one in particular looks like a keeper. That said, I find most online descriptions are designed as a selling tool, not really for conveying information accurately.
Expressions like “ultimate longboarder’s shortboard, just enough curve in planshape and rocker to make it fit into waves not just upon them, it makes old guys rip, small to medium wave board for older guys who can still do some proper turns”, etc. You know, if its for older guys who can still do a proper turn, then what are longboarders doing, improper turns? Or at a certain age do proper turns become improper? If a guy can’t surf worth beans, will giving him a particular board really make him rip? And so on.
Anyway, it seems to me there are three facets of moving from a shortboard to a longer (i.e. midlength) board: Paddling, Pop-up, and Riding. The first two seem to be the driving impetus for the existence of midlengths, since I believe most intermediate surfers could ride a shorter board just fine, its the paddling around and catching waves and standing up that prevents them from riding a shorter board. I have seen video of guys surfing decent waves on a skimboard, but they were towed in. They could ride the board, but couldn’t paddle it or pop-up on it. If I could tow in to all my waves, I believe I could ride a much shorter board than I need to paddle into a wave and stand up. Compare the boards the tow-in guys are using for big waves vs the boards that paddle-in guys are using for big waves.
So to my mind, the midlength is striving to give increased paddle power (here, I suspect the aging surfer’s increased weight and decreased strength / stamina are the motivating factors), and a more stable pop-up platform (the need for this is probably related to issues of balance / reflexes / limberness that are a direct result of the aging process), while retaining some of the speed and maneuverability of a shorter board. I think a smaller board’s speed results from having less drag due to decreased surface area in contact with the wave, and greater maneuverability due to the increased leverage (proportionally) of the surfer, and the smaller amount of mass / surface to actually maneuver.
Paddle power comes from greater planing surface, increased buoyancy, and minimized rocker. Stability for the pop-up comes from a wider, longer plan shape, more volume, often a wider tail (which I think also aids in catching the wave as a wider tail seems to rise with the wave giving a little more downhill impetus to the takeoff). The “secret sauce” to a good midlength, then, would be to balance maneuverability and late take-off recovery against increased paddle-ability and pop-up stability.
Regardless of what others say, my experience has been that a midlength board still has to be “walked”, I just don’t think you can get the maximum performance / maneuverability from one “sweet spot”. Moving the fins forward may lessen the need for walking, it seems from the commentary that is what they are striving for. Admittedly, if you look at that initial video that was posted, the surfer doesn’t seem to be walking his egg, but if you watch closely, he is shifting his weight by moving his back foot. And some waves he is clearly farther forward on the board than he is on others. DEVON HOWARD SURFING A 7'2" EGG on Vimeo
Anyway, these are just some thoughts off the top of my head (as an aging guy who can’t ride as small of a board as I once did). Be interested to hear what anyone else thinks.