Surf

GENERAL GOAL | THEME OF THE BOARD:

A performance all round longboard SUP.

WAVE TYPE | SIZE IT'S WORKING BEST:

Most wave types. From knee high up to overhead, more if you feel comfortable.

MANEUVERS IT DOES BEST:

Being an all rounder, it's really hard to identify any one move that stands out. 

SKILL LEVEL IT'S BEST FOR:

Novice to Pro.

PADDLE POWER:

SPEED: Good.

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL: Above average.

OVER WHITE WATER: Above average.

WAVE CATCHING ABILITY: Great.

WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF WHEN YOU DESIGNED IT?:

Credit goes out to the Naish Nalu 10’6”, when Sunova first started to seriously look at releasing a range of SUP’s, nearly all our retailers said that the Nalu was one of their best selling models and that every other brand that tried to copy it to date had not come up with a better performing version, so we accepted the challenge. The board has similarities to both the Naish Nalu and the Sunova Style 10’6”, so most comments about performance are in relation to either of those two models. 

WHAT IT POSSIBLY COMPROMISES ON THEN?:

Having a narrower nose and fuller rails, with harder bottom edges than the Style 10’6”, it tends to drop off the face and go into a drift earlier while nose riding suckier waves. So if you specifically want a nose rider friendly board, don’t pick this one.

OUTLINE:

Slightly more pulled in longboard style nose, clean curve into a pulled in rounded pin. The more pulled in nose with the extra curve through the middle compared to the Style, allows the board to be pumped for speed a little easier from the middle. It’s also slightly more sensitive initiating turns while standing forward. The tail pulls in relatively narrow with a tighter arc through the rear end so the rail to rail transition is easy and turns are tight off the back foot. 

RAILS:

Fuller but pinched down, harder bottom edges with a nice refined thinner tail. One prerequisite was to keep maximum volume in this board, so the rail apex doesn’t quite drop as low as the Nalu which has better stationary stability. In contrast, the harder edges offer a faster feeling and better sensitivity with more squirt out of turns.

ROCKER:

Flat nose, clean arc through the middle into an accelerated tail kick. The flat nose carry’s well while positioned on the nose, it keeps its speed on softer sections and allows the board to also plane at low speeds while perched. The clean arc through the center allows for easy adjustments without the need to step back to the tail, so you can go nose ride, take a step back, readjust, pull a new line and step straight back up to the nose. The accelerated tail flip helps to stall really well, so a stomp on the tail and you can wash off speed quickly and set up easily for a walk into a nose ride. If you have enough speed, the flip will allow pretty decent tight surfing off the tail.

BOTTOM:

Single concave all the way. The single helps get the board on rail easier, engages the rail better on the drop and while nose riding. It creates slightly more rocker on the rail line while keeping the centerline flatter for carry and speed.

DECK:

Super flat. This is a real flat deck that carries volume to the rail, it’s another reason the board has slightly less stability than the Nalu with a subtle recess and also compared to the Style with lower rails. 

FINS:

2+1. This fin set up works well with the longboard theme, the single offers good stability while walking, and good direction while on the nose. The side bites come in handy when you want to rip some turns.

FINAL STATEMENT:

A nice all round performance longboard style SUP, it has a little bit more performance and squirt off the tail in comparison to either the Sunova Style or Naish Nalu, but a little less stationary stability than either as well. Best suited as an all round SUP that does a bit of everything.