 | Boards |
| Boards |
2009 Board Guide  From L to R: Murray Bell, Lucien Alpelstein, Chris Wilson, Ivan Pulic, Alex Mills & Nick Gornall.  4Play - Dallas Singer Tech (Sky Blue deck / White slick) PE. Also available in PP and Tri-Core 39”. Also available in 38”, 40”,41”, 42” Rider customized template. PE core, HDPE, channels, nose bulbs, stringer and nose & tail bumpers. RRP- $269.95 I surfed this board out at Canggu, a punchy hard-bottomed beachie on the west side of the island. It's the standard formula - stringer, channels, PP core, 50/50 rails - and worked especially well in the pocket out there. As far as executing moves the shape was great and the punch out of the lip was fantastic - Nick HB - Projekt 39', 40', 41', and 42'. PolyPro (PP) 1.9, Rolled Crescent Tail, Performance Template, High Density PP Slick, channels, slick bulbs, mesh. It's a simple board, PE core and a stringer with nose bulbs so I could hold on tight. I had the most fun on it in smaller, hollow reefs like a couple of the Padang days and felt like I had really good control when I needed it. It gave a little bit when landing big moves because of the PE core so hitting sections I knew I wasn't going to land too hard even when I'd get thrown out into the flats. The rail chine and channels gripped to the face but still released when I needed to - Ivan Turbo - Chad Jackson (38”,40”,41,42”,43”) Bat Tail or Crescent tail/ Channels/ Nose bulbs/ Full deck contour/ Single stringer/ Double stringer on 43” models/ Surlyn Slick Mesh on PE model PE - $340 / Beaded PP - $390 I'm a similar build to Chaddy J. so when I saw this board I knew it would suit me out in the water. I hadn't ridden a board with deck grooves before and didn't know what to expect. It's quite a stiff board and was great for driving in quick waves and cut through chop on onshore days and rode over shockies in the racy barrels around Indo. Even the deck features felt comfortable underneath - Chris  Inverted - Jono Bruce Jono's my favourite rider so I was pretty quick to grab his board. It performed exactly how I thought it would - perfectly set up for flowing, technical riding. It was a really good wave to surf in the pocket and projected well off the lip. I could draw speed anywhere on the wave and I thought the diagonally placed stamp was a cool look - Ivan Science - XI $429.95 40, 41, 42 PP core, Single stringer, Surlyn, Channels, Compression cells, Elbow lock, Nose bulbs, Raised thumb bar This was the most futuristic board I’ve ever ridden with its bulbs and grooves and deck features. It’s lightweight despite all your tech features and is really comfortable on the deck. I got one of my best waves of the trip on this board – the big reverse – and it was always an easy board to take to the lip - Chris  LMNOP - Skipper Core: XPP Price: $429.95 Lengths available: 41.5 I snapped up the Skipp early in the trip because Spencer has always been one of my favourite riders to watch. It performed well in all conditions from average beach breaks to smooth reefs. Spencer really knows his stuff when it comes to performance and board design. The board is noticeably wider making it awesome for critical in-the-pocket surfing and making small adjustments while in the barrel. The board would suit anyone from a beginner level to a professional - Alex LMNOP - Jake Stone Core: XPP Price: $389.95 Lengths available: 39.5, 40.5, 41, 41.5, 42 The fact that Jake has been snapped up by both Billabong and LMNOP is a testament to his skills. He had a good season in Hawaii this year and the polish in his shape was not a surprise to me. I rode this board more than any other on the trip. It had it's wide point slightly lower than your average board, so instead of getting most of your power from your upper body I could use my whole body to drive. Essentially it meant that I could put a lot more weight into my moves and my surfing felt more powerful than on other boards - Lucien NMD - Novy Core: XPP Price: $389.95 Lengths available: 39.25, 40.25, 41.25, 47.75(!! Must be a 42.75…) The Novy is a thin and narrow board built for speed riding on reefs or punchy beachies. It was responsive and gave enough flex in critical sections of the waves and the materials felt like a true high-end product. It rode like a dream at Mushroom Rock; a quick, right hand barrel and bowl breaking on a very shallow shelf. I felt comfortable turning wide to smack the section early because of the crescent tail or dragging my legs on take-off then racing to make the barrel with the extra traction given by the channels - Ivan  Elit - SD2 39.25, 40.25, 41.25 & 42.25, XPP / Flex-tip Stringer, or PE / Stringer / Mesh, 8lb PE Pro, Crescent, Refined shape, SD2 Deck Contour, graduated channels, Nose & Tail Bumpers, 55/45 Double Rails, Slick & Deck Bulbs XPP = $399.95 / PE/Mesh = $329.95 The SD2 is a fast board. The deck contours were really comfy and locked your arms and hands in place. The stiffness was perfect for driving through faster sections out at Padang Padang and Mushroom Rock. The board always felt solid and I knew I wasn't going to have any issues with it buckling when I needed to make it through shallow sections - Nick HB - Brad Hughes 39', 40', 41', 42' and 43'. PolyPro (PP) 1.9 or PE Clipped Crescent, stringer, channels, deck contours Hughesy's board was a narrow little beast and it's a shame the waves didn't get massive because I know with all the big-wave riding he's been doing of late it would handle really well in bigger waves. It was choc-a-bloc with bells and whistles but didn’t feel overdone - the nose bulbs and deck grooves were definitely a welcome feature in the bigger surfs of the trip. Regardless, Brad is also a gun technical surfer in smaller waves - check the early Tension vids for proof - and with a PP core and a stringer I could tear apart the small- to mid-range stuff - Alex  Cartel - Paul Roach 41”, 42”, 43” Flat Bottom/Double stringer/crescent tail/Surlyn Slick PE - $350 / Beaded PP- $400 I only road this board on the most critical day of the trip, the biggest day at Padang Padang, and it didn't let me down. The stiffness of the board was good in driving off my bottom turn and getting a lot of speed. It didn't have a very narrow nose so the board was also suited to going prone when the situation called for it. The deck, rails and slick were all white. If I'm not into a colour combo I feel like it detracts from my surfing and the white colours felt like a clean, blank canvas I could paint my surfing onto - Murray 4Play - Thomas Robinson HPS (Yellow deck / Orange slick) Tri-Core. Also available in PE and PP 40”. Also available in 39”, 41”, 42” Rider customized template. Tri-Core, full deck contour, surlyn with imesh, channels, nose bulbs, stringer and nose & tail bumpers. RRP- $419.95 I rode this board all around the island, beachies and reefs, everything. It had great flex and was really nice for surfing in the pocket. The deck grooves locked in tight, it had deep channels for grip in the face of the wave, the mesh/stringer combo gave good overall response and also made it possible to make tiny rail adjustments before you turn up out of the pocket and into the lip - Nick H Board - H2 LTD 39.5, 40.5, 41.5 & 42.5, XPP / Stringer or PE / Stringer / Mesh, 8lb PE Pro, Crescent Deck Contour, graduated channels, Nose & Tail Bumpers, 60/40 Double Rails, Slick & Deck Bulbs PP = $389.95 / PE/Mesh = $319.95 The H boards felt good in the water and looked well made out of it. The clean shape was similar to what I'm used to riding - your standard prone curves that have been proven to work in all conditions and wave types, this one especially fast and combined with the upper body deck grooves was perfectly suited to setting my line and racing through a barrel section in time to destroy the end bowl - Nick  Pride - Mitch Woodland 39', 40' and 41' DOW (PE) 2.2, Clipped Crescent Tail, carbon fibre stringer, finger bulbs This board felt great in the pocket. It’s got classic prone lines combined with a minimalist logo and colour scheme that creates a tidy set-up anyone would be happy to swing under their arm. I’ve known Woodland for a long time and he said he’d give me some royalties if I said this. No, it's all true. Functionality and looks - Chris Empire - Josh Garner 39”, 40”, 41”, 42” Crescent tail/Single stringer/Channels/nose bulbs/Surlyn Slick (PE model with mesh) PE - $320 / PP - $370 I rode this all over the island, probably more than other board. It had comfy nose bulbs, a PP stringer/core combo. I knew Rod wasn't going to miss a shot with the red deck and slick and felt like a ball of fire in the water, driving off the bottom and finding pockets of speed in the wave in any conditions thrown at me - Nick  H Boards - Black H1 39, 40, 41 & 42, XPP or PE, 8lb PE Pro, Crescent, Stringer, graduated channels, Nose & Tail Bumpers, 60/40 Double Rails, Slick Bulbs PP = $369.95 / PE = $299.95 H is another new company on the market and they've kicked off with some killer boards. The H1 was quite narrow and I felt like a cat riding an all-black board with red trim. The shape was quite straight, and coupled with the Polypro it was sweet out at Padang Padang, pushing through racy barrels. It also had a nice amount of curve in the nose so making small adjustments in the face of the wave and whipping tight spins was smooth and natural - Lucien VS - Ryan Hardy 39, 39.5, 40.5, 41.5, 42.25. XPP I rode this board on a couple of the better days. Hardy’s now riding with nose bulbs and elbow pads, but he’s a man who pays attention to details so you can trust that he’s tested their worth. I liked how locked in with this board when surfing on a rail. If it was a funnelling reef then this was always going to be my pick. - Chris Manta - Tom Smith Tri-Core (Sky Blue deck / Orange slick) Tri-Core. Also available in PE and PP 41”. Also available in 39”, 40”, 42” Rider template. Tri-Core, full deck contour, surlyn, channels, nose bulbs, stringer and nose & tail bumpers. RRP- $399.95 Tommy's board had some pretty rad deck grooves that made it comfortable on top. The new Tri-core worked really well in the warmer waters of Bali and had a good amount of flex for control. The shape reflects Tom's surfing, quite technical but also suited for reefs and big barrels - Nick  Manta - John Showell (Sky Blue deck / White slick) PP. Also available in PE 39”. Also available in 40”, 41”, 42” Rider template. PP core, surlyn + diamond mesh, channels, nose bulbs, stringer and nose & tail bumpers. RRP- $339.95 I rode this board all over Bali: Padang, Mushroom Rock, Canggu, you name it. The Showell was pretty good all-round. With the Island being his local you'd have to expect it to go alright in bigger waves and the PP, stringer and mesh combo was good for a little bit more overall stiffness to help with drive while the board still had enough flex to be responsive when slight adjustments and surfing rail-to-rail - Ivan QCD - Custom Prone 27-44 inches Any features you like: stringer, flex-tip stringer, mesh, nose bulbs, channels, deck grooves, all tails, all shapes. Create your own masterpiece. Startring from $310 (PE) and $345 (PP) This board also had the offset double stringers that came together towards the nose. It’s a relatively new advancement and seems to make the board incredibly stiff, especially when riding out of heavy impact landings. Instead of bogging into the wave or feeling like you’re sinking through your board it just seems to bounce straight out of the landing. It was a good board for my size and felt custom built for the waves of Bali - Chris Elit - Blank 38, 40.5, 41.5 & 42.5, XPP or PE, 8lb PE Pro, Crescent, Stringer, Phantom logos, graduated channels, Nose & Tail Bumpers, 55/45 Double Rails, Slick Bulbs XPP = $379.95 / PE = $299.95 I was impressed with the Elit. It's got a standard prone template and I knew I was going to enjoy the classic shape. Whether making critical turns at Mushroom Rock or locking in and racing out at Padang it instantly felt like an old favourite from the word go. You never know whether a new board brand will sink or swim in the market but with Elit's quality construction and shapes, as well as their core underground team, I think they’re making a really solid brand - Alex  NMD - Ben Player Chris Core: 3D PE/PP Price: $399.95 Lengths available: 40.5, 41.5, 42.25 The BP is straight and narrow, which I dig, and after a few sessions it’s little wonder he’s a dual champ. He’s had years on the same team, same shaper and the board feels a figure of refinement. It’s such a polished shape and a credit to the work. I know his favourite wave in Bali is Padang and so it was no surprise that the board worked best out there, especially on the bigger days - Chris Rheopaipo - Scorpion The Scorpion has a unique nosepiece. Instead of hand bulbs under the board it has a thumb groove on the top that keeps your leading hand locked in. It felt really secure when riding pulling off-the-lip manoeuvres. The board had a fair bit of flex and was best in nice clean conditions with a bit of punch. It’s got a pretty wild paint job on the bottom, too - Nick  Turbo - IV Flex Response Core (FRC) Available in 38,39,40,41,42,43 ( triple stringer system) $300 Beaded PP – 38”,39”,40”,41”,42,43”,45” (all single stringer, excluding 43” & 45” models which have double stringer system) $330 This board felt like one of the original Turbo’s so I loved it. They would be one of the most solid boards on the market - sturdy and built to last and the red nose pieces looked sick! It’s shaped like the original Turbo board that I loved as a grom but has a new modern feel with nose bulbs for that extra comfort and the modern materials are of a much higher quality. In terms of speed and manoeuvrability it was second to none when the waves called for action and got the job done - Alex VS - Mitch Rawlins 40, 41, 42. 3D PE/PP Insane shape, materials, board in general. I always felt like I had time on this board, especially heading towards the end bowl. Rode a lot of Padang on this board, which is a heavy reef, and it always felt really fast and in control driving on the rail. Up and out of the lip was much the same, an impressive all-round board - Chris  QCD - DK 27-44 inches. Any features you like: stringer, flex-tip stringer, mesh, nose bulbs, channels, deck grooves, all tails, all shapes. Create your own masterpiece. Startring from $310 (PE) and $345 (PP) Todd shaped this board with my height and weight in mind. I enjoy riding a prone shape even for DK, and with an inch more on the narrow nose it was easy to ride and stayed above the water when pushing through big turns and floats. The board has two stringers which didn't run parallel but actually came together towards the nose, which made it stiff enough to punch through chop and also perfect for driving through faster waves like Padang Padang. There were some cool deck grooves that helped lock in my back leg and the matching yellow slick and stamp were a nice finishing touch - Murray
Science - The Rig $299.95 38, 39, 40, 41 PE Core, Single stinger, Nose bulbs, Channels, Surlyn slick This is your standard shape, again built for those looking for a tried and true shape. The PE core/stringer combo is suited to the upcoming winter waters. It was stiff, fast and responsive and the neat colour combo was soft on the eyes. It rode well in average conditions at beachies but also handled well when the waves required - Nick Rheopaipo - Irrantant The Irritant was one of the last boards I rode on the trip. It's built with some hi-tech grooves that felt comfy and made me feel locked me in. The raised hand bulbs and a nose bar instead of the traditional nose bulbs on the slick worked just as nicely. The board was quite light and didn't have a stringer so if you're after a board with a little more flex it will definitely suit. I had a lot of fun on it out at Canggu in the a-framing rights and punchy lefts - Lucien | ShopBuy An IssuePurchase back issues and special editions. Subscribe To Movement MagSave walking to the shop, lock in your six or twelve issue subscription here. |