I had the honour of testing out the new carbon VBOX model at the alley the other day. So light (4.5 kg without grip and fins) compared to my regular one. I was still running the same fin setup.
I noticed that it was a lot livelier especially on my backhand and I could just get a little more higher board angle in each turn off the face. I almost put my back out on my back hand on one backhand transition turn. Any hoo, here are some pictures of it at rest and at play. Lots of car park comments from this particular board.

Looks smick what size ?

This is the 7'3 board 95 litres.

Hey Porchey is this a full carbon wrapped board?

Nice pics Porchey! So far i really like the look of the Gulliver shape over all the others. Would love to try one.

supgman; it has carbon and innegra with some extra carbon. It wraps around onto the hull. The carbon patterning looks nice and well laid. I have had a lot of people come up and really look at it as it is a pretty board.

Zeusman ...This carbon one is very new at present.. Still wet behind the ears. Good question. I had not considered that. I will find out when a demo one will be available for this lay up. The shop at Burleigh has a water tank feature where you can check out volume etc. I will try to find out and see if a demo one like this can be released.

Sweet!

In three weeks a carbon demo will be available..

Porchey what is the difference between these and the gambler model ? Are you riding vbox as a quad

curious to know what sort of range you guys are finding these boards goin in terms of wave types.
e.g. fast punchy beach breaks, do they get up and boogie for a quick snap or tuck in barrel or is the wide tail too big to handle?
i think having the shortness could give great ability to throw around and get a snap in, like progressive prone shortboards, but if handlable.

Then the other spectrum of larger waves, will it handle head high solid powerful reef breaks, say like a tombstones kind of wave?
For fatter waves like Mettams pool (Perth) or shoulders around the traps think these look mint to use.
I am in Perth, WA so we dont see this sort of stuff, just production boards and IOPS.
always keen to see what is working over east where these progressive shapers are driving a future of one kind of board.
Will it work for our local conditions? who knows but the idea of riding a 7"3, plus throwing it in the car, travelling with etc is appealing compared to an 8"9.

Please send us some vanguard style sups we poor sand gropers are so interested in trying this new shape yet have no means
Vbox, minions, gamblers, fridge doors, we would be happy for a go on any of these

The difference between the gambler and the vbox is length and tail shape. The vbox allows you to surf a shorter board say for me a 7'3" whereas a gambler would be slightly longer at 7'5" as the nose has a little less volume. A diamond tail is on the gambler with the same v bottom and rails as the VBOX . I travelled through bali recently on a family holiday and rode three different rented mopeds to go surfing every day. It was awesome for that sense of security when you have your wife, kids and luggage as well as your board and paddle to go in the Suzuki van or SUV that you have commandeered. It is really important that it fits inside. You can also just stand it up in the corner of the room you are in no probs so it can be locked up. I keep it in my Kluger at work in case I can get away early for a few sneaky waves before the hordes arrive.

I will reply back to the other queries when I have had l a think about it a bit.

I dont understand how this board can possibly weigh 4.5kg with 95 litres under the bonnet.

Carbon makes the board lighter than using other glass Kevlar innegra types of cloth. It is an awesome material to use but unfortunately more expensive for manufacturers. Especially since they started making giant A380 jumbo wings out of the stuff. Will get some rotor cam footage up soon so you can check out how it goes.. I think with different fin setups this will handle most conditions. For surfing real ugly choppy conditions will require a bigger longer board.. For me a 7'9" gambler maybe or a 7'6" VBOX. It went good on the weekend on 4-5 ft waves..

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porchey73 said...
Carbon makes the board lighter than using other glass Kevlar innegra types of cloth. It is an awesome material to use but unfortunately more expensive for manufacturers. Especially since they started making giant A380 jumbo wings out of the stuff. Will get some rotor cam footage up soon so you can check out how it goes.. I think with different fin setups this will handle most conditions. For surfing real ugly choppy conditions will require a bigger longer board.. For me a 7'9" gambler maybe or a 7'6" VBOX. It went good on the weekend on 4-5 ft waves..

Hey Prochey. On the website they show all the figures for each size except the weights. Do you happen to know what they all weigh?

Ok I went down to flat rock (right on between the two shark attacks) on the weekend and took some footage a made a quick video for you.
Or you can search on Porchey SUP on you tube . This was all filmed on sat arvo..

I'm leaning into those bottom turns with you with that angle,
Im Loving the VBox too

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porchey73 said..
Carbon makes the board lighter than using other glass Kevlar innegra types of cloth. It is an awesome material to use but unfortunately more expensive for manufacturers. Especially since they started making giant A380 jumbo wings out of the stuff. Will get some rotor cam footage up soon so you can check out how it goes.. I think with different fin setups this will handle most conditions. For surfing real ugly choppy conditions will require a bigger longer board.. For me a 7'9" gambler maybe or a 7'6" VBOX. It went good on the weekend on 4-5 ft waves..

so how much $ r thay?

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What fin set up are you using on the v-box

At the moment I am using shapers fins Jackson Close at the front with sx's quads at the back with a nubster in the tail... I will change the rears to a larger pair when I am encountering serious size. I will try a new setup soon, but am very happy with this setup..I will be sniffing around a normal quad setup for a shortboarder with the inclusion of the nubster fin. Will let you know how it goes...

Hey porchey thanks for the reply , also do you reckon you could use a large thruster setup or is the tail just to wide?

It just didn't feel right at all for me. But it might have for you! I felt that I had more grip on the wave face and the board was faster. If anything, I would be experimenting next with a larger nubster fin in bigger waves. Azza recommends trying a junior from back fin in a bonza fin setup as a possibility in larger waves. I have yet to find a wave that big yet. Probably 10 ft plus maybe.. I was surfing Indonesia reef breaks at 8 ft and had no problem at all with this current setup..this is fast and loose.

Just try my 6'5"28" looking close as your Vbox but shorter. I try few fins set up but i reckon FCS Nexus H3 in front with H2 as quad fins works unreal. Just crank, no dishpan just releasing progressively at end of carving.
On wide tail as Vangard style SUP 7' long, i believe that short fins like H3 from FCS allow tu bury rails even flying on the tail off bottom turn as well than up the face.
After surfing head on for 4 weeks in islands, i really think to get fin shallow as possible so there is less fins surface to sink so the rail board digs deeper in the face.
Can you try that idea of fins with Futures boxes
Can be the bonze fin which Azza is talking about

Thanks for the advice guy's

Kami you sound like you have a similar preference with me for how a board should react. Some other people I know keep talking to me about having bigger fins to get more drive etc. but I feel that I would lose the "looseness on tap" that I have now with this board.

interesting shapes.
I have come to the point where I seriously consider forking out the $$
paddled a 7'9 in no wave, just on shore chop. jumped on and paddled for half an hour without falling in.
I weigh about 75kg and would say the 7'3 is the one quiver board for me??? Or is one up or down a better idea.

I hope to get the 7'9 out in some waves soon before pulling the trigger.
I hear some serious positive feedback on these! the looks are awesome and they are so light. Great first impression.

7'3" would be perfect I think for you. .. As you progress you could even drop to a 7'0 if you don't put on too much weight.. I love this size board ( 7'3") !!