hi there!!!!

I{m about to pull the trigger either on a Jp Slate Surf (7´2 x 28 103 liters) or a L41 simsup ST 7´4 x 29.5¨ (115 liters)

could anyone tell me the big differences between them??

It´s going to be my first small sup (only rode 9´5 hokua)

Thanks a lot

Hi
If you are interested in the JP Slate you might want to check out this little video shot with Keahi and James Casey while we were in Maui last week.
They also talk a little about what fins they run in the Slates.

I'm 75kg, 6'0". Bought the Slate. Couldn't wait for the Hypernet. Intermediate level. Rear 1/2 of board is just underwater when paddling. Squat shape is much more stable than you think considering the length. Obviously this shape is 'boxy', and if you overlay the board on, say an 8'5" trad shape, you're looking at the same kind of 'volume on the water', i.e. the whole middle section of a trad board sitting in the water with the nose and tail cut off. So I'd say the stability is very similar to an 8.5'-9' "pro" board. Paddles well, tracks well, nothing radical or unexpected because of the shape. Just took it to the Maldives. Waist to head high, clean conditions. Turning to the catch waves needs a bit of practice because the boxy nose digs in if you're slightly tipped on a rail, and it always looks like it's going to nosedive but for some reason this shape recovers from pearling better than a trad shape (!). Takes a few waves to trust it isn't going to nosedive! Picks up speed very quickly on the wave. Very "alive" underfoot. But if you're not on the tail the first time to try a bottom turn this thing just slides right out! They should call it the Surf Slide! If you're on the tail and push down on the back rail the width and diamond shape of the tail makes that corner sink in very deep and just stops the board! Seems like to ride this shape properly you need to be very smooth and use the entire rail with just enough tail pressure to engage the fins. Too little and the tail just slides out, literally skates away from you: too much and that back corner digs in and puts on the brakes! With smooth pressure is hooks up and goes... Seems like you can generate a lot of speed down the line with just subtle heal-toe rocking, then pressure the rail and it carves a hard turn. At the top of the wave just flatten off the board and push out the tail and it slides away; point the nose down the face and off it goes again! I'm an intermediate so this is the best way I can describe my experience with this board so far. I think I'm going to try as a thruster for smoother bottom turns and more confidence that the board will bite when I lean it over! I'm still trying to get a good feel for this board but relatively small, smooth inputs give you very fast transitions which makes the board a lot of fun. I wish I was a better surfer because I'm sure more talented riders will absolutely rip this shape!

What is the hull shape on the tail? By reading your impressions, it looks like the board does not have the deep concaves/channels that can be used to give more control to a wide tail, at the expense of speed (flatter is always faster).

You may want to ride it as a twin fin, with only 2 big twins (C-Drive twins, MR-X, ...) in the rear boxes: this way the board will now let you dig a rail properly before trying to turn too soon and slide, and also hold better without having to stall, as the big fin in the rail corner will bite deep in the water to hold the rail properly without having to sink too much the whole tail.
A small trailer/nubster at the back of the center box may help, too.

I'm late to the party but just picked up the JP 7'6 x 29- 115 litres slate yesterday and got it wet this morn in 2-4 ft fun. I'll throw in a snappy review for the riders of larger proportions as I'm in that class. For perspective I crack the scales at the ton mark (100 kg+) and 6ft tall. This board was a cracker to ride and I'm betting it will be my goto board for while it was so much fun.

Stability- 8/10 (for me it was only a little less stable than my 9ft SB surf pro).

Glide- its got nearly none...... I miss timed my paddle speed on the first 3 or 4 waves and fell off the back of the wave as my other boards would have had enough speed to get on easily......after that I changed tactics and my take off position and got on a nice 3 footer. It didnt help that I was also paddling into an offshore medium breeze during this surf.....easy paddle out but paddling onto a wave felt like I was facing an industrial fan...

Turning- (board was set up as a thruster).... 12/10..... Got on the wave and put the board into a bottom turn applying the same amount of pressure as I would with my other other boards and this thing was fast and turned (too easily) on a dime.....which took me by surpirise as I had put the board into a 360 before I knew what was happening.....wipeout.....the next few waves I dialled back the amount of pressure I usually use to turn and the board was magical and down the line speed was huge.

Some other points of note were, the ability to take off on a wave with extremely steep first section and this board just ate it up handling it easily where as my other boards I would have been leaning back to the extreme to try and keep the nose out of the sandbank for the takeoff.

I will be playing around with the fins a bit more as I would like a bit more control when turning in waves with a bit of speed/ power to them......maybe even a 5 fin set up to see how it goes....

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DRun said..
I'm 75kg, 6'0". Bought the Slate. Couldn't wait for the Hypernet. Intermediate level. Rear 1/2 of board is just underwater when paddling. Squat shape is much more stable than you think considering the length. Obviously this shape is 'boxy', and if you overlay the board on, say an 8'5" trad shape, you're looking at the same kind of 'volume on the water', i.e. the whole middle section of a trad board sitting in the water with the nose and tail cut off. So I'd say the stability is very similar to an 8.5'-9' "pro" board. Paddles well, tracks well, nothing radical or unexpected because of the shape. Just took it to the Maldives. Waist to head high, clean conditions. Turning to the catch waves needs a bit of practice because the boxy nose digs in if you're slightly tipped on a rail, and it always looks like it's going to nosedive but for some reason this shape recovers from pearling better than a trad shape (!). Takes a few waves to trust it isn't going to nosedive! Picks up speed very quickly on the wave. Very "alive" underfoot. But if you're not on the tail the first time to try a bottom turn this thing just slides right out! They should call it the Surf Slide! If you're on the tail and push down on the back rail the width and diamond shape of the tail makes that corner sink in very deep and just stops the board! Seems like to ride this shape properly you need to be very smooth and use the entire rail with just enough tail pressure to engage the fins. Too little and the tail just slides out, literally skates away from you: too much and that back corner digs in and puts on the brakes! With smooth pressure is hooks up and goes... Seems like you can generate a lot of speed down the line with just subtle heal-toe rocking, then pressure the rail and it carves a hard turn. At the top of the wave just flatten off the board and push out the tail and it slides away; point the nose down the face and off it goes again! I'm an intermediate so this is the best way I can describe my experience with this board so far. I think I'm going to try as a thruster for smoother bottom turns and more confidence that the board will bite when I lean it over! I'm still trying to get a good feel for this board but relatively small, smooth inputs give you very fast transitions which makes the board a lot of fun. I wish I was a better surfer because I'm sure more talented riders will absolutely rip this shape!

Hi DRun - I am heading to the Maldives in a month and need to decide which boards to take. I have a 7'10" Minion which I imagine is similar to the Slate. I have also had trouble digging the nose when turning for the wave, and a few stability issues - when it is choppy. Did you take more than one board? If so, which was best suited to those waves? I plan to take two. My other options are Hokua 8'8" X32 and Speeed 8'10" x 29". I am most comfortable/familar on the X32. (I am 6'3" 90 kg intermediate at best.)

Hi cantSUPenough, I did a Maldives trip in late April early May, took 2 boards & would recommend this, be nothing worse than damaging a board & not being able to surf. I have a 8' x 30" Simsup S4 a bit like your X32, am very comfortable on it & used it 90% of the time, found it was perfect for the waves. other board was a custom 9' x 28.5" only used it on a really small day, or other guys on boat wanting to have a go at SUP. have now bought a 8.5' Speeed & wish i had it for the trip.

Guess what I'm trying to say is take a board your comfortable on, waves are awesome & you don't want to be falling off trying to catch them.

Cheers

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TWs said..
Hi cantSUPenough, I did a Maldives trip in late April early May, took 2 boards & would recommend this, be nothing worse than damaging a board & not being able to surf. I have a 8' x 30" Simsup S4 a bit like your X32, am very comfortable on it & used it 90% of the time, found it was perfect for the waves. other board was a custom 9' x 28.5" only used it on a really small day, or other guys on boat wanting to have a go at SUP. have now bought a 8.5' Speeed & wish i had it for the trip.

Guess what I'm trying to say is take a board your comfortable on, waves are awesome & you don't want to be falling off trying to catch them.

Cheers

Thanks TWs. After damaging a board on a previous trip I will definitely take two. Mind if I ask your weight and skill. The X32 is a keeper IMO - it is my comfortable board, and I love it on a wave. The Speeed is narrower and would be a bit of a step-up I guess, and a great backup. But then there's the Minion. It would be a great opportunity to "master" it. But with 7 mates in the water with me, it is a long wait if I fall off trying to catch a wave (assuming we do actually play fair...)

Do you have any vid or photos from your trip?

hi cantSUPenough if it's like my trip, it's just wave after wave & you'll be letting them go, always fun when it's a group of mates in the water. There will be a lot of other boats & found others don't like to share but usually pulled up by someone.

im somewhere between 87 & 90kg comes down to beer intake, am 187cm tall, your standard short XL

cheers

You are a step up on me if you are going for the 8'5" speeed - mine is the 8'10" and I am the same weight (bit taller).

Cannot wait for the trip!!

Thanks cantSUPenough, 2nd day on the Speeed, still feel like a leaner on it & if anyone saw me they would think I'm hopeless, but it's more stable than I thought, was a big step down in volume for me. Once on a wave it's so much fun.

You'll love the Maldives waves, so much fun, but it will test you also. You'll get intimate with the reef :)

cheers

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TWs said..
Thanks cantSUPenough, 2nd day on the Speeed, still feel like a leaner on it & if anyone saw me they would think I'm hopeless, but it's more stable than I thought, was a big step down in volume for me. Once on a wave it's so much fun.

You'll love the Maldives waves, so much fun, but it will test you also. You'll get intimate with the reef :)

cheers

Thanks TW. I went to the Maldives three years ago (as a proner) and got up and close with the reef a few times. Plenty of lime juice... But nothing like a couple of years earlier in Indo (from Telo Island Lodge). Cuts, scrapes, leggie tangles with the reef, long hold-downs - the works. Those waves had intent!