If anyone has an Underground Kipuna out there they no longer need, check with me first, please.

I know they are now the Axis New Wave, but I prefer the ALLEGEDLY stronger, higher build quality of the Kipuna.

Prefer 5' 8", but other sizes considered.

No previously damaged heavily ones, please.

Hey there A'stone - I enjoy these boards and have talked to Adrian a bit about the construction over the years
My avatar shows my first Kipuna 5'8 - great board but apparently Adrian played around with different foam densities so one Kipuna may not be the same as the next. My experience is the bottom side of the board eventually gets tension tears running across the board - if you do nothing about them they eventually go like a zipper from one side to the other - trust me - I can show you the 2 times my Kipuna did that - but because the top deck was Ok it was possible in both cases to sticth it back together again amd Im still riding it but now strapless cuz I dont think it will survive a third 'zip'. I boosted on that board big time so didnt spare the machine at all and I weigh 90 kg.
I then got the Axis new wave with the white base and mostly blue deck - seems to be similar but shortly after a newer Red Yellow Blue model came up so I grabbed it - sold the blue axis new wave to a mate and hes more than happy with it but Ive had a close look at the base - its starting to show the classic bottom side stretch maks in the gel coat. I suspect he'll be back to me to fix his board before the year is out.
The newer Red Yellow Blue model isnt bullet proof either but seems to have held up better than the orange Kipuna. Adrian claims they are now using a better grade of foam and of course have more years of experience with this construction style - Id prefer the newer model of the New Wave ( but Im looking for a replacement for mine so perhaps should be showing my interest in getting yet another one!!).
To strengthen the board with no apparent impact on riding comfort Im contemplating on running a 50mm wide carbon layer along each rail from just in front of the back fin to about the front strap forward bolt hole - thats what Ive done with my current board to fix the small tears that have started to appear - and so far the extra strength has solved my board issues (and bugger all additional weight)
Sorry for the essay - just my experience over the last 6 years of riding these boards!!

... this is a mates old 5'8" Underground, started as a crack near the fin box then blew out. He loved the board so is looking for another one!

Out of interest what do these sell for? (New.) Unfortunately I've never seen Axis in a bricks and mortar kite store.

They're fun boards to ride but they're not built very good. I had two crack on me, tried to contact axis but heard nothing..... kite power was a great help and replaced the first one but the second one was out of warranty. Luckily my credit card insurance helped me out.

Not very good for a $1k+ board.

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Puetz said..
... this is a mates old 5'8" Underground, started as a crack near the fin box then blew out. He loved the board so is looking for another one!

Looks familiar. When I 'found' mine unloved in the corner of a local kite shop it had similar damaged repairs to the nose. I tidied it up - including a very dodgey red spray job - and had a ball on it all summer. The nose eventually snapped off, but I my worth out of it for the $160 it cost me to get it on the water.

Just might bite the bullet and get a New Wave, if Axis ever reply and actually send some boards to their suppliers on both coasts ;).

Not urgent now, as we're just going into the autumn, flat water Easter lull here in Perth. Fishing instead, which is kind of nice for a change.

I had a New Wave and cracked it right in the middle after my 3rd session on it. I was very disappointed by the build quality. My recommendation would be not to use straps on it, as it will only speed up the inevitable crack appearing (because your feet are always in the same position I guess).

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Lambie said..
Hey there A'stone - I enjoy these boards and have talked to Adrian a bit about the construction over the years
My avatar shows my first Kipuna 5'8 - great board but apparently Adrian played around with different foam densities so one Kipuna may not be the same as the next. My experience is the bottom side of the board eventually gets tension tears running across the board - if you do nothing about them they eventually go like a zipper from one side to the other - trust me - I can show you the 2 times my Kipuna did that - but because the top deck was Ok it was possible in both cases to sticth it back together again amd Im still riding it but now strapless cuz I dont think it will survive a third 'zip'. I boosted on that board big time so didnt spare the machine at all and I weigh 90 kg.
I then got the Axis new wave with the white base and mostly blue deck - seems to be similar but shortly after a newer Red Yellow Blue model came up so I grabbed it - sold the blue axis new wave to a mate and hes more than happy with it but Ive had a close look at the base - its starting to show the classic bottom side stretch maks in the gel coat. I suspect he'll be back to me to fix his board before the year is out.
The newer Red Yellow Blue model isnt bullet proof either but seems to have held up better than the orange Kipuna. Adrian claims they are now using a better grade of foam and of course have more years of experience with this construction style - Id prefer the newer model of the New Wave ( but Im looking for a replacement for mine so perhaps should be showing my interest in getting yet another one!!).
To strengthen the board with no apparent impact on riding comfort Im contemplating on running a 50mm wide carbon layer along each rail from just in front of the back fin to about the front strap forward bolt hole - thats what Ive done with my current board to fix the small tears that have started to appear - and so far the extra strength has solved my board issues (and bugger all additional weight)
Sorry for the essay - just my experience over the last 6 years of riding these boards!!

Good info. Thanks.

Very strange that these companies go to all the effort of manufacturing a range of great boards but don't respond to inquiries.

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slyfox said..
Very strange that these companies go to all the effort of manufacturing a range of great boards but don't respond to inquiries.

maybe cos all the enquiries are around "my board broke can you replace under warranty"

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slyfox said..
Out of interest what do these sell for? (New.) Unfortunately I've never seen Axis in a bricks and mortar kite store.

Kite Power had them on sale for $990 last time I looked, but they'd sold out.

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Kajo said..
I had a New Wave and cracked it right in the middle after my 3rd session on it. I was very disappointed by the build quality. My recommendation would be not to use straps on it, as it will only speed up the inevitable crack appearing (because your feet are always in the same position I guess).

I only ride strapless anyway. I liked the Kipuna's all-over decking that I could wander around. Maybe some extra lengthwise stringers would be beneficial - even something that created a small ridge on the underside behind which the fins could sit. If they protruded on the top side, the rubber decking over the top could create another ridge your could use to grip with your feet strapless. I'm only talking a couple of millimetres.

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Puetz said..
... this is a mates old 5'8" Underground, started as a crack near the fin box then blew out. He loved the board so is looking for another one!

I'm no design expert, least of all surfboards, but what I do know is that right angles, like that pictured at the bottom of the rail, create points of stress.

Pretty sure the 2012 was a paulownia core. I still have one and never had any issues with it. I've hit reefs many times, lost a few fins but the fin box never failed.

Only issue for strapless is that it is on the heavy side.

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alverstone said..

Puetz said..
... this is a mates old 5'8" Underground, started as a crack near the fin box then blew out. He loved the board so is looking for another one!

I'm no design expert, least of all surfboards, but what I do know is that right angles, like that pictured at the bottom of the rail, create points of stress.

... my mate did a lot of jumping on this board and I'm kind of not surprised it broke,,,, but I am surprised the fin didn't break first. The crack appeared at the front of the fin box (which he fixed) and obviously it was a sign of things to come as it was inline with the big blow out. Clearly a lot of stress has been put on it from coming in too hot during landings. Now he has to go back to his old Naish mutant which luckily is still going strong since 2004!!

Livit - my understanding is that the rails are pawlonia but the board itself is closed cell foam.

the boards were made in china for a while and the construction was not so good long term but the new ones are full on bullet proof. james storm carew has been training on my one for 2 years front rolls ect and i use one every time i kite surf. still looks like new. hard to tell but the chinese ones seem to chip the gel coat easy. Adrain is an absolute legend in design . He used to shape all the underground boards. And a real stand up guy.

Despite all the 'issues" - including anyone doing big airs on any board is likely to see it break up - the fact that I can slide a Kipuna/New Wave into a bag with my TT, it's non-conservative design, being able to walk around a completely covered, recessed deck, and it's light, still keeps me intrigued. Hell, methinks I'll just bite the bullet and get a new one come my birthday. We now have a 'Big Depression' here in WA, given the State Budget forecast yesterday, so I may as well play my part in restarting the local retail economy . Now to see if the maker ever delivers any to either coast ...

Can someone please verify what the bottom contours are on this board? Ie concave, vee, flat, etc??

the boards have a subtle concave -to flat about where the front fins are - to a very subtle V around the back fin