I used to surf the Starboard 8'5x29 Pro carbon but unfortunately didn't bring it with me on my trip to Capetown.

I can get a secondhand JP Surf 8'6x29 PRO for a good price and wonder if anyone can tell me how the two compare.

I will be in Capetown for another 4 months and have to get a nice board asap!

I haven't ridden the SB carbon, but I have demoed the JP surf pro and I have tried a SB 8'6 pro and found them quite similar stability wise.
Cheers.

own the 8'5 sb demoed the jp 8'6 found the 8'6 to be a little more stable both pretty similar boards though.

How do the pro version of the JP Surfs compare with the standard version ride wise? The pro versions are obviously a lot lighter in weight but what other differences are there? I've got the 2013 9' 2" but I'm wondering how I'd go on the 8' 6" pro or would the 9' 2" pro be enough for now.

i've just come down from a naish 9'0 to the sb 8'5. never though i'd be able to go sub 9'0 but board design and construction are improving heaps demo the 8'6 i think you'll be surprised just how easy it is to paddle and stand on.

Depends on the year of the SB 8'5 and your weight. I had a 2011 SB 8'5 that was 125L, but the new ones are closer to 105L. I now have the 2013 JP 8'10 Pro and I would say that this has similar stability to the 2011 SB 8'5, but I also demoed a 2013 SB 8'5 pro, and at my 90kg it was a lot less stable. That said, I would rekon that the 2013 SB 8'5 and JP 8'6 would be pretty dam similar.