…hello; in my opinion, 23-24 wide and may be 3 thick is too much for your weight and size. Why so big? it s not necessary.
I have a customer that is 1.92 tall and 120 kg that has a 9 2 x 22 1/2 x 3 1/4 or less for good waves and a 10 4 x 22 3/4 x 3 1/4 for small waves as a tanker.
You ll have problems with the offshore winds and toobs. Then you can barely (in not so mellow conditions) turn that big volume board
Regarding the Walden pop out, the other day I saw a guy here struggling to catching (in a point break) waves with that board however a customer with an used 9 2 x 22 1/4 x 3 max 50/50s pinched on tail, low nose rocker took almost all the waves. Both have similar surfing skills; the guy in the pop out is a bit taller but same type of body than the other guy.
-Bear in mind that Takayama passed away, and for long time, like most of these, now brands, the main shaper does not shapes your board…more now that is a pop out.
Of course the design could be good, but may be if you live in coastal California, you can find great longboard shapers; real ones. Also, most these shapers, if do not laminate the boards, they send them to the best glassing shops. If you are in other markets like Aussie land, you still have some good longboard shapers, if you are in places like Japan, France, you can have big names longboards that are better than these other boards. Also I know a few shapers there than can shape you a great longboard.
Make your own. You probably got as much skill on this site as most. Design wise; those Walden boards suck. Takayama pop outs are usually thin and can handle most waves. But with Donald gone they are pop-outs. I read recently that his wife and the estate had resigned with someone to make those boards. Can’t remember who. Surftech or Boardworks??
If you’re 5-8 / 170# and are stuggling on any longboard to catch waves then you need an entry-level design that’s super forgiving. That would mean staying away from any of the specialty boards. Really, that also means staying away from non-longboard friendly waves, too.