Thought I'd do a quick review on the new weapon of choice, the jp slate 7'6 x 29 115 ltrs. Was planing a video review with motion graphics on after effects, go pro footage and a banging homemade soundtrack on ableton live but my pc decided to impersonate a toaster.

The rider 5'11 x 88ish kg supping for 18 mths
Waves generally 2 to 4' gold coast beachbreaks and points
Previous boards ( points of reference ) 9'6 psh hull ripper carbon, 8'2 jp surf widebody wood gloss, 8'6 jp surf wood gloss.

The board
Initial impressions, the usual jp pro high quality matte finish. Super light with sick looking nose and tail channels and as a side note the leash plugs on the corner of the tail and it seems to help keep the board fins down after a wipe out. Have also found that its small enough to grab the tail kicker and pull it through a decent size wave and not have it suck back over.
The stability is remarkable on par with the 8'2 x 32 you really don't have to worry about the nose and tail sinking so you can concentrate on the side to side adjustments.
Have only ran the board with pc7 fins as a thruster so far.
Paddling out is a little slower than the 8'2 but for it's size it gets along nicely pops over whitewater really well and the added stability is great on the recovery side of the wave.
Paddling in it took a while to get the timing of the board swinging round without paddling past a straight entry.
Picks up and planes really early and just continues to accelerate. Have found it's really easy to surf on rail sort of requires a progressive bottom turn with rail pressure building throughout the turn i seem to surf a little more back foot orientated than any other board. It's also really easy to surf it flat if you are getting a bit lazy just pull on the paddle and dishpan round on the fins. Around the lip is where the real fun begins just jam the rear foot into it and it comes up on edge savagely and just bites hard or set the inside rail and smoothly carve round a planted paddle which is where you really notice the lack of nose as it swings round with almost no effort.
On the square nose front it is a little strange to look at first but havn't nosedived a take off...yet. i have caught it a few times coming down from a speed pump and stopped like i was on the front breaks think this is mostly due to the insane speed this board generates and the rider not gifted enough to keep up with it. Honestly it can be a little unpredictable but thats what makes it so much fun turns your usual carve, carve cutback wave into a whole new experience with gouges, snaps that slide at the end, lip smacks all done at high speed. Now just got to get the mind and body to catch up to the board.

Hi Matty
Interested to hear how it compares to the JP 8'6"' (I have a JP 8'10" surf pro and looking for something smaller)
I am guessing its a lot more stable, a little faster but maybe not as 'drivey' through the turns.
When paddling do you have to change sides a lot to maintain direction?
I am also worried about these designs catching the nose a lot in bottom and top turns. Interested in your feedback.
Thanks

To be honest flying high i struggled on the 8'6 surf 2014 model not only with the tippyness but on the wave i was getting stuck at the start of the top turn then the board would resease and I'd over cook the turn. Maybe a technique thing as id just come off a quad and could slide the fins to engage the turn. Yes the surf has a little more drive the slate is a bit more skatey in comparison but that might be because you dont need to push as hard to get on rail. The slate is a lot faster both down the line and through a turn i guess if i wanted to race a wave I'd go the slate if i was trying to hold a bottom turn around a big section i go the surf ( if that makes sense?) I dont think the nose is really an issue it does have quite a flat rocker but doesn't seem to dig your more likely to catch a bit of the corner than to accually nose dive. Hope this helps for my 2 cents id go slate over surf 6 days a week on the 7th id pick the surf if im trying to draw out lines on a big hollow day

Opps as for strokes its comparable to the 8'6 its pretty much got the same amount of board in the water. Probably 6 to 8 per side once your cruising ill post a vid paddling in when i knock off tomorrow morning

Just took delivery of mine - only took 10 months! My first JP and am impressed with the build quality. Survived a long trip with no dings.

Installed a five fin set of Rob's first gen V6 fins and have only paddled it in a lake so far. It is way more stable than my 7'11" and 8'4" King's Customs.

Am 5'7" and weigh 66 kg so the 115 liters offered up plenty of float for a 67 year old geezer. Was immune to side chop, but will clearly not be my choice for flatwater touring.

Getting closer to getting permission from the docs to go for a surf in small waves. Can't wait to get back at it!

Good stuff cbigsup good to hear that you'll be back in the waves soon. I'd probably run it as a thruster to start with i think 5 x v6's is a bit over finned especially in small surf and the way the board works best is to get your weight back and over the fins. Dont worry you'll have heaps of hold and a big parallel rail to drive off. Have a go at getting up the front it accually noserides surprisingly well.

Hey Matty you touched on a really good point . Back foot on the kick this is really important and you may feel you back foot is back but you need to look down and see if it is. What I found when I surfed the Slate mid board I looked down and found my foot on the rail like this shot.


The next shot looks like a bottom turn and you are still way forward . These are super short boards and your feet don't need to move as much. Think as the tail pad kick as the throttle and keep your foot on it. You don't need to run to the front for more speed. Personally I ride the Slate as a Quad or 5 fin. These boards like over finning as you drive so hard off the tail. I sent you a PM come over and pick some fins for a test.

Thanks for the advice Rob much appreciated. Yep can see what you mean thought i was a lot further back. Having an absolute blast trying to get it dialed though havn't had a surf yet where i didnt go wtf? That was the coolest turn I've ever almost landed. Definitely keen to give the new vp's a run what's your recommendation? Im thinking v6 as quads ?

Hey Rob, great to hear from you Glad the new fins are working out. When I was riding my 7'11" King's I had to surf it and make the drop with my foot right on the stomper. Sounds like the Slate will be the same. Are you going to have any V8's in the FCS center configuration available. My V8's are in my 7'11" with the long US box. Worked a treat as you lads say.

Hey big sup noticed on the zone you've been a bad boy and had the slate out for a surf sounds like you had a blast. Here's a couple from this morning, I'm still working at getting on the tail its a hard habit to break. Tried out a quad+ knubster combo yesterday they were just some old fins had laying about didn't realy click so gone back to thruster for now will try again when I'm more dialed in.

Mattyongoldy, Busted fer shure dude! I have ridden the Slate three times in clean waist to chest beachbreak conditions and it is everything you and Rob have said.

It is so fast down the line, and ridiculously easy to turn because of the low swingweight. As stable as my 8'4" in chop.

Have my 5 VP fins in place, always make the drop on the stomper, and off to the races!

Seem to be able to hold a high line backside with no issues, and front side is better than I imagined.

Have had no issues with the square nose whatsoever on either drops or off the tops.

Larger hollow waves who knows! My cardiologist doesn't..

Works a treat as you blokes say!

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mattyongoldy said..
Hey big sup noticed on the zone you've been a bad boy and had the slate out for a surf sounds like you had a blast. Here's a couple from this morning, I'm still working at getting on the tail its a hard habit to break. Tried out a quad+ knubster combo yesterday they were just some old fins had laying about didn't realy click so gone back to thruster for now will try again when I'm more dialed in.

Wrap you're thinkin noodle around this 5x fin set up I'v been using

Great minds think alike supa trooper accually popped the knubster in the side slot while i was taking out the rear thought it looked cool. Are they darc drives? How flexible are they? I think the knubster flexes way too much makes it a bit too unpredictable. Found i was getting hung up on take off a bit too.

Supatrooper, I spy Harold I. thruster I believe. I have the quads. Like the look. My experience with nubsters with quads on my 7'11" King's were not good. Eventually went to a thruster with Piros's V8 with a us plate center and V8 sides. How do you like that massive 5 fin setup?

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mattyongoldy said..
Great minds think alike supa trooper accually popped the knubster in the side slot while i was taking out the rear thought it looked cool. Are they darc drives? How flexible are they? I think the knubster flexes way too much makes it a bit too unpredictable. Found i was getting hung up on take off a bit too.

Very little/ nil flex on the darcs, just a adds a little more grip when turning as these boards turn on a dime without much foot pressure, found the quad not enough as i was doing 180s spinning out too easily. Tried a 5 fin set up but took it out in 4 ft at kirra and it was too hard to turn properly plus got huge vibration/ humming when gettin up some speed

Hey Matty, Here's a fun way to accessorize my nose ding!

i borrowed a friends jp 7´2 x 28, the Word VERY describes this board

Very good finish, very very ligth, didn´t like the handle (very small) the sweet spot is very small to and combined with the flat rocket makes it very dificult to find the place (a Little pressure on the back and the tail under the wáter, pressure on the toes and the nose under the wáter) You can do some tree or four strokes per side in a straigh line

i´m 85 kg plus gear. I use a Naish 9´5 gt/ 140 liters.

Used it two times, first one was on monday in flat wáter, no wind, 40 minutes, really easy to paddle, fairly stable, i´m really in the very limit of the board volume, wáter above the board (from my feet until the tail) Never fall.

Today i tried in the ocean, perfect conditions, glass, 4 foot beach brake waves, no wind.

3 hours session, only caugth 3 waves, the rest of the time, i was struggling trying to stay on my feet with some time just standing still with some feel of comfort.

On the wave, its incredible fast, never used before a Quad and the big square tail its something different of what i´m used to. really really fast, very manourable, go´s up in a straight line, rebound with no effort.

Bottom line:
i will need some practice
will nedd to loose some pounds
its doable (i never before used a short board, only a fanatic prove 8´5 and only a few times)
it has a place in a quiver for perfect conditions, no wind ,4-6 feet.

I ordered the Starboard Hypernut 7´2 x 28´´ in Wood edition.