Hi all - just out of retirement (again) and haven't had any sup contact for over a year so I'm completely out of the loop board wise.

I am considering purchasing either a Naish 8.10 Mana or Fanatic 8.11 or 8.6 Allwave (and only these boards thanks)

These 3 boards have the dimensions and voume that I want but I don't know how they stack up construction wise ? I hear that the fanatic boards are bomb proof and you can't kill 'em - I also hear that the Naish boards are pretty crap construction nowdays and despite their good shapes and performance that I should steer clear ?

Can any non retailer - non teamriders please offer up their experience with these boards please - looking at brand new models.
I am 78kg, 6ft and fairly experienced, but only surfing up to maybe waist high or smaller waves.

Welcome..

As far as Naish go.. I don't think there's any quality or construction concerns..

If you're considering the 8'10 Mana you should also consider the new 8'5'' Mana..

I've heard it's just as stable and surfs even better.

Thanks DJ. I did consider it but I think that little bit less length may just make it that bit harder to paddle in and lose a bit of tracking.

Problem down here in Tassie is zero demos of these type of boards so you have to make decisions based on advice and gut instinct. Do you know anyone with an 8.10 Mana who only surfs small crap waves ?

Hi supnth,

my comments relate to the Fanatic Allwaves, I have no experience with Naish SurfSUP's, though I do own a Naish Glide.

I am 6'1" and 88kg and surf a 9'6" all wave. I have no complaints with this board, quality is good, it is light enough and surfs well enough for me. I generally surf right hand point breaks and varied beach breaks up to shoulder high. The Allwave performs well in these conditions and is very stable and paddles well enough for a SurfSUP. I would have no issue with recommending an Allwave to anybody except if you want a high performance board you may be better off going for a Prowave.

as far as Naish quality goes I think you may have come across a disgruntled person. I took delivery of my Naish Glide at Xmas and it has had heaps of use since then. In my opinion the Naish a build quality is equal to or better than the Fanatics, so I don't think there would be an issue there. Though DJ has several Naishes so he will be able to comment more.

Good luck.
ET.

Fanatic carbon Allwave is coming, can't wait

Carbon allwaves, I like the sound of that. 2015 models??

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supnth said...
I also hear that the Naish boards are pretty crap construction nowdays and despite their good shapes and performance that I should steer clear ?

What happenned here in France is that Naish seem to have had some "so so" Hokuas two years ago, which prompted a lot of people to switch brands then because of the high price compared to other boards. From what I gather, it was not that the Naish construction became specially bad, it was just that they didn't seem to have a better construction anymore (nor resale value) than boards twice cheaper. Not so an issue for one board, but a question for people looking for a quiver (for themselves, and/or familly).

Disclaimer: I am a Gong ambassador, but I try to be as non-biased as possible.

The allwave 8.6 appears to have plenty of meat in all the right places which I reckon would make it easy and fun in small surf - how would the thinned out and pointier mana 8.10 or even 8.5 compare ? (Fun and small surf wise) performance is not critical - ease of catching waves/stability and easy on the back and knees is way more important.

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DericB said...
Carbon allwaves, I like the sound of that. 2015 models??

YUP

i read the same regarding fanatic being bombproof, well they aint.
scratches on nose, did 3 big cracks in rails (dont know how) so be careful what you read.
oh and search thru here to see a guy snapped one in half not long ago.
good board to learn to sup surf with, they are super easy to balance and catch waves so fun.

i have the 2013 8' 10" Mana, and am just a normal weekend warrior. I would buy this board again, but actually would look at the 8' 5". We do not get a chance to demo before buying here, which is a bummer. the Mana is flat in the mid section which makes it a fast board for take offs, but the tip and tail curve is perfect for ripping. I'm 170lbs, and has massive float. The 30.5 width is very stable until the side-on-shore wind gets bigger(10-12mph???) then i swim a little more. I have abused this board from screw ups, and only 2 cracks on the rails have developed, one up near nose, and one just happened back on tail. I was worried about small waves, waste to chest, but handle them no problem. biggest i've been has been about 4 feet over head, and rips them up nice. the board is way better than my ability, and with the fatter tail, is perfect for the crappy waves we have.

As an Allwave rider i am a fan of the boards and the way they surf. I have the the 8'10. It is super stable easy to catch waves and really loose compared to other boards I have tried including coreban icon. (I am less than 70kgs)

Construction wise I would probably put the Naish ahead of the Allwave from (limited) experience I have had with the brands.
If you are in waste high mush all the time then I would not consider the 8'6. Go the 8'11, paddling for a small wave in chop on a shorter board is harder.

Good luck
Rory

I had a 2013 Allwave 9ft 6 and it is a great learner board for surfing but unless you are a REALLY big bloke you will soon dislike the disconnect from feeling like you are with the wave. Construction wise....my experiences were very good....tough!

i have a 2014 Naish Nalu GT....construction so far is top notch in my opinion. It is built more performance than the HRS Fanatic but have no reason to doubt the construction on it. The finish and attention to detail is better than on the Fanatic.

Ok - thanks guys - lets take it one step further - I have a preference for the look of the GS construction in the Naish - is this still going to hold up as well as the wood ??

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supnth said...
Ok - thanks guys - lets take it one step further - I have a preference for the look of the GS construction in the Naish - is this still going to hold up as well as the wood ??

The wood does add a little strength in regards to snapping in half in the same way a piece of full grain wood is stronger than a piece of chip board wood but even in saying that I have chosen the GS construction for both my 9'5" Mana and 14' Glide.. Sure they are also a little heavier but I've had no problem with strength or damage and IMO worth the money saving.. So unless you're a frequent board breaker or someone that's always falling onto your board or always surfing big dumpy shore breaks IMO the GS construction should be fine.

I have owned and like both the Allwave and the Mana.

I have had 3 different Allwaves
9'10
9'6
8'10

Big fan of them because they are particularly stable for big or older folks (I am 66 yrs old - 100kg)

The 8'10 was plenty of volume for me, even in full winter gear. It surfed very well, but I wanted more, so I went to a Prowave.

They ARE stronger than most other brands. I have put them thru the wringer... big crunchy shore breaks, smashed them into big rocks. They always held up to everything.

I trust the Fanatic HRS construction so much that I just bought a 9'6 HRS Prowave. I wanted more durability than the Carbon Prowave offers.

I currently own a 9'5 Mana (2014) that I think is amazing. It is a great mix of stable and performance. My 2013 Mana delaminated, but Naish replaced it quickly, so I upgraded to the 2014.... super glad I did, it is a very good board.

With what I know from loving both the Allwave and the Mana.... if I was your size, I would go with the 8'5 Mana for rip-ability. The narrower/thinner nose & rails will out perform the Allwave.

BUT... if easy and stable is your primary goal..... the 8'6 Allwave, with its thicker rails is the clear choice.

both good boards... you can't make a bad choice.

Oh yeah... I 100% agree... I much prefer the look of the GS. Clean and crisp. Don't personally like the wood look of the GT

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DavidJohn said...

supnth said...
Ok - thanks guys - lets take it one step further - I have a preference for the look of the GS construction in the Naish - is this still going to hold up as well as the wood ??

The wood does add a little strength in regards to snapping in half in the same way a piece of full grain wood is stronger than a piece of chip board wood but even in saying that I have chosen the GS construction for both my 9'5" Mana and 14' Glide.. Sure they are also a little heavier but I've had no problem with strength or damage and IMO worth the money saving.. So unless you're a frequent board breaker or someone that's always falling onto your board or always surfing big dumpy shore breaks IMO the GS construction should be fine.

If you have a long walk in the weight saving is worth it.....and they look soooooo much better. I got mine same price as the cheaper model.....happy boy!

Also,

I think the weight can help you , in off shore wind conditions and it also can be a little better for nose rides to.
The more you want to move into, riding it short board style, the more the GT version is coming up, as in low swing weight.
Don't know about the fanatics, the look good new, haven't seen a single one out here, no idea how there holding up.
As for Naish, I would choose GT, think the weight/strength ratio is just good.

HI Supnth,

i understand the demo problem completely. I had to take a bit of a leap of faith based on paddling a couple of mates boards here in TAS. I am up north and have a 9'10 Hokua and a mate has a 9'5 Mana. I know not exactly what you were after but happy to meet up and your welcome to try mine as an option. i am sure you could get a run on the mana aswell.

i am up north in Devonport if you are keen.

I know I said no other board options but didn't know this one existed !!! Can I throw a JP 8.8x32 into this mix ??
Lets have your thoughts as to how this compares to the naish and fanatic.

Remember - SMALL & mostly bumpy surf - no lip smackin' only cruisey fun with plenty of easy turns and as such needs to be responsive to avoid excess strain on back and knees.

Great board...I have one.....i am 90 kg plus wettie so you can go smaller. stable, fun and good on not so great waves. I tried to post a pic but for some reason it loaded but then the whole post got deleted. Do a search and you will find plenty on the Zone too.

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Slab said...
Great board...I have one.....i am 90 kg plus wettie so you can go smaller. stable, fun and good on not so great waves. I tried to post a pic but for some reason it loaded but then the whole post got deleted. Do a search and you will find plenty on the Zone too.

Did you by any chance try other JPs - like the 8.10x30 ?
I think the 8.8 is a quad only - is it a pig to paddle fast/straight ? Gee it looks and reads comfort plus I must say.

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Wiz5477 said...
HI Supnth,

i understand the demo problem completely. I had to take a bit of a leap of faith based on paddling a couple of mates boards here in TAS. I am up north and have a 9'10 Hokua and a mate has a 9'5 Mana. I know not exactly what you were after but happy to meet up and your welcome to try mine as an option. i am sure you could get a run on the mana aswell.

i am up north in Devonport if you are keen.

Very kind offer thanks. I did own a 9.5 a few years ago and have paddled the big hokua - both good boards but way too big as I want to be able to put them in my car. When/if I ever do get another board I will look you guys up for a paddle if you like - I love paddling/surfing the tiny waves at Hawley.

Sounds great. There is a few of us that are always up for paddle. Just been to Marrawah the last couple of weekends.

i am in the same boat as you and are looking for a smaller board. Good luck with the search

Supnth I know you are looking at fanatics/ JPs and Naish But at the length you are looking you should have a crack on the 8 11 DC NSP amazingly stable for its size / way more stable then similar length PSH boards , light as and great fun to surf .
Feedback seems to be the 8 6 is just as stable as the 8 11 , reckon they are probably cheaper then the JP s and Naish / Fanatics as well

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supnth said...

Slab said...
Great board...I have one.....i am 90 kg plus wettie so you can go smaller. stable, fun and good on not so great waves. I tried to post a pic but for some reason it loaded but then the whole post got deleted. Do a search and you will find plenty on the Zone too.

Did you by any chance try other JPs - like the 8.10x30 ?
I think the 8.8 is a quad only - is it a pig to paddle fast/straight ? Gee it looks and reads comfort plus I must say.

From what you said, the Surf range isn't what you after.....the widebody model is better for small bumpy stuff. The surf range is for better waves reefs etc. it paddles fine.....no better or worse than other boards that size. It gets you and easy enough due to stability and it handles cruise easy and more. Think you best decide and what surf you plan to be at most. I would go the 8 3 at your weight. Good luck in your quest!

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Slab said...

supnth said...

Slab said...
Great board...I have one.....i am 90 kg plus wettie so you can go smaller. stable, fun and good on not so great waves. I tried to post a pic but for some reason it loaded but then the whole post got deleted. Do a search and you will find plenty on the Zone too.

Did you by any chance try other JPs - like the 8.10x30 ?
I think the 8.8 is a quad only - is it a pig to paddle fast/straight ? Gee it looks and reads comfort plus I must say.

From what you said, the Surf range isn't what you after.....the widebody model is better for small bumpy stuff. The surf range is for better waves reefs etc. it paddles fine.....no better or worse than other boards that size. It gets you and easy enough due to stability and it handles cruise easy and more. Think you best decide and what surf you plan to be at most. I would go the 8 3 at your weight. Good luck in your quest!

Cheers slab. I have decided to buy my mates old 9.2 Ripper to get me back on the water - will use it to get my paddle surf fitness up until maybe september and shout myself a shiny new ........... for my 50th !!!
I will make a decision in the next coupla days about what I'm going to order.
Thanks everyone for their input - there seems to be a lot more unbiaised and genuine advice about now than there was pre-retirement a year or so ago.

Good call