JustCruising said..
Good post thanks Kieran

When you say the bullet 14 was too big for your weight, what do you mean and how heavy are you?

Area10 said..
Did I see Caspar Steinfath on his 2015 Naish Javelin just beat Connor Baxter on a Starboard and Jake Jenson on the new Fanatic Strike in the "fastest paddler on earth" race at the Lost Mills event in Germany?

And Manca Notar came third in the women on a Naish Javelin despite paddling a 12-6 when everyone else was on a 14.

I guess that maybe if you take race results as a sign of a good board then maybe the Naish Jav has NOT been "found wanting" at the intervational level at this event?

Kieranr said..




Hey buddy,
The ever elusive all rounder is a very hard thing to pick!!
Here is my 2 cents for what it's worth.

I've always liked the 2013/14 Naish Jav; goes good in the bumps and flat.
The 2014/15 Naish is a good race board; very well suited for flat to mild chop. I felt it got tricky when things got bigger and steeper.

I've owned the Fanatic Falcon 14 x 24.75" and I really liked it but I felt I didn't have the agility to make it work as good as it could in the bumps.
went good in the flat for a board with the rocker it has; one of our paddling crew averaged 10km/hr over our 5km time trial course.

I really liked the V2 Bullet 14 but it was a bit big for my weight. (Traded the 14' in on a 17'4") Super fun easy board to surf and DW. Gones ok in the flat too. Fantastic construction quality and finish. Good option for a bigger paddler Or someone starting out in the bumps.

I owned a 2012/13 Starboard Allstar 14 x 25" but found it waaaaaaay too tippy for me back then. Was fast as on the flat.
The newer Allstars are very good. I like that each different width has an accordingly different rocker line rather than just the same board with inches cut off the sides. The 2016 Allstars are very interesting. I think the 2016 14 x 28" Open Ocean Allstar will be pretty popular with the DW crew.

there is some very nice looking gear coming from JP too. I have very little experience with them but one of our paddle crew, James Casey is getting involved with the ocean board design and it seems to work very well In bumps.
Their flatwater board is a rocket!!

I've become a Starboard Ace convert this year. I absolutely love it DW and it's very capable in the flat. (Over 25kn and I jump on my 17'4" Bullet, but I have had the Ace out in 40kn enclosed water and it flew)
The Ace is very hard to beat as an all rounder in my opinion. If you can get over the dug out deck and pin tail it's bloody good.
I have the 2015 14 x 25" and I love it.

Kieranr said...
Takes one to know one mr Zeusman!!!!
your new stick is looking very nice indeed. Slats does good stuff eh.

swimarko said..
here's the 2016 all star

baddog said..




Looks bad ass and Sprint narrow! I was planning on getting the 2015 Sprint, but now? Time to start saving pennys... Lot's to drool about. Like the low tray, the Spinty'er nose with the rounded bow and the slimmed down tail. With that full single channel the volume has to be low.