hey all, this is my first post and a newbie downwinder, i'm looking at Naish Glide 14's and wonder if the (significantly) lighter GX is more suitable than the GS for my main issues, which are related to their weights:

1. getting up and gliding quicksmart in between side-chop (eg1: heading along shore in an onshore wind for paddle events, eg2: heading out from shore in longshore wind before a downwinder).
2. quick response "steering" on runners, hey even mushy surf! (also pivot turns elsewhere). doing this comfortably without having to throw my bodyweight around on the heavier board too much.
4. i'm only 75kgs. the GX (carbon) this year is 13kgs but the GS (AST) is 16kgs. i see last year only 1.4kg difference.

Yeah so i put a 1.25kg plate at each end of my 8ft10 Allwave (in cover!) and lifted it up and swung it a bit side to side with and without and the weight it is quite noticeable. but since the 14footers are twice the volume of the 8footer (a nightmare to get up and going in those sidechop conditions at 25kts), is this just a storm in a teacup for the 14fter and should i just enjoy a ding-free GS and the 700 bucks saved*?

i'm about to drop the hammer on a GS - any advice appreciated!

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sup46 said..a ding-free GS

Can't wait for one of those

GS is pretty much bomb proof, have a 4 year old Jav 14 thats been beaten to death but still water tight.

GS sits lower in the water so is a bit more stable than the GX, GX is slightly faster to paddle.

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sup46 said..a ding-free GS

Can't wait for one of those

haha! - relatively - most of my damage is in storage and handling!

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DoubleO said..

GS is pretty much bomb proof, have a 4 year old Jav 14 thats been beaten to death but still water tight.

GS sits lower in the water so is a bit more stable than the GX, GX is slightly faster to paddle.

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yeah thanks - sitting lower - that might help in a few ways. that and the bomb-proofness kinda heads me back towards the GS.

I also have a new GS 14' Glide on order.. I should have it next week.. The lighter GX would be noticeably easier when lifting it on and off the roof of the car.. It should accelerate better to catch runners.. But it will be slightly more fragile,, and I've noticed a slight wobble.. It will be interesting to see if the GS is stiffer.. I'm thinking that even though the heavier board will be harder to get going it should keep going for longer.. I think if they were the same price I'd take the lighter option..

DJ

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DavidJohn said..
It will be interesting to see if the GS is stiffer..
DJ

I though carbon was meant to be stiffer? (but less resilient)

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foamballer said..

DavidJohn said..
It will be interesting to see if the GS is stiffer..
DJ

I though carbon was meant to be stiffer? (but less resilient)

So did I.

DJ

I would dearly love to get a lightweight carbon version as I carry my board 500m to the beach. Doesn't sound far, but you feel every extra kilo. At it would be great to have something that's easier to swing around on the water.

I made a quip about the ding free GS version before, but in retrospect, I have to admit that my GS glide is in fact ding free, despite hitting it on rocks when cartwheeling on windy days, banging into other boards, whacking it with the paddle every time I fall off, etc. etc.

I think I'll be happy to live with 3 extra kg for this next board. I'm just haven't got enough finesse to look after a carbon board just yet.

thanks guys very helpful, i reckon i'll stick with the AST. in this day and age i think Naish can do a lot with 3kgs in the right places.

As a short guy of 75 kg's (but thankfully reducing with this paddling thing), I'm looking for every kg saved in board weight.
Not sure how tall you are sup46, or what kind of car you drive, but I find loading onto the car a big consideration.
I have a 12 6 Naish carbon Jav, and I'm pretty thankful of the carbon weight saving every time I load it.
I crunched a reef on a recent downwinder (thankfully with the stem only), but did more damage to the mussel shells than the board.
An extra 3 kg's is a lot when you're hoisting a 14' board above your head...it's almost an extra 25% (16 / 13 kgs)

I have had the GX for 2 months now and love it, no issues with it being fragile at all and the 3kg weight compared to the GS is noticeable and worth buying the lighter board.
Yu can man handle it with one arm with the new handle and the ability to do that prevents damage.

I have a GS on order too. Would have bought aGX as I demoed them and they are awesome.

Unfortunately can't come up with the extra $1000

Enjoy

ET.

Thanks all. I went for the GS. It's due here 2 weeks, so I guess i won't be in the Fig tomorrow.