All opinions / thoughts appreciated! I'm looking to purchase my first race board. Currently on a fanatic ray 27.5 - 5'5" and 70kgs. Really liking the looks / reviews of the infinity blackfish , however also like their whiplash. I'm looking for an all water solution that can hold its own in the flat water. The Evo also looks brilliant IMO! Not sure what width to go? The 27.5 is really stable for a short arse like me so was thinking maybe 25?? Will paddle mostly flat water and choppy estuary conditions, with a bit of estuary / ocean downwinding planned in the summer. Planning on demoing all in the coming weeks.......

I reckon you would be fine on a 25 Evo (or Infinity), that is the one I would get if I was in the market for one and I am 90kg and 5'10.

I have got the 26 ONE Storm because I am mainly interested in ocean down winding and for flat water I still have a 23" Starboard Sprint so I will have to wait awhile for an Evo or Edge.

Either boards will do and the width 25 or less would suite your weight. I strongly suggest to demo those boards before you buy?

At 70kg you will be sweet on the EVO 24 or 25 but if you want to go in some rougher water go the safer option with the 25. Its built as a alround board and is good in the flat and works in the bumps ok as well as a one board option its perfect and thats why we built it.

As the guys say above if you can demo it go for it as this can sometime really help but if not then really think about what you will paddle in the most and get the board the will suit the best.

For me the EVO is my alround training board and when we do a half flatwater and ocean session this is the board i grab.

If you have any questions on the EVO please feel free to ask or message me anytime.

Cheers Jacko
(Onesup owner)

Hi Jaffa,
i have a 14'x26" Blackfish, 12 months old, great condition & good flat water / ocean board. About to upload on Seabreeze buy & sell if interested. You are welcome to demo it.

Id take a look at the 17' SB All Star 24.5. The kicked rocker on these works well for cross over (flat/downwinding). They are also dominating most pro races in variable conditions.

Thanks to all for your input! JEG you are spot on - I will be demoing all before making a decision!

Jacko - love the look of your boards! I think action sports stock them here so will hit them up for a demo if possible in the next couple of weeks. You mention you like to train on the EVO boards - are they competitive in competition? (not that I'd be at the front of the pack!) What are the conditions they perform best in?

Maxeeboy - thanks for the offer. I'm demoing a 25 next week so may get back to you if I feel I need more stability. Do you mind if I ask why you're letting it go?

Carbine - perhaps another to consider?! Not wholly keen on the look but willing to demo to see how the AS performs as I know many rate them highly.

Will keep an update as I demo!....

Hi Jaffa,
its a good board, super light & stable with speed in the flat & on the ocean. Also surfs well.
I'm spoilt for choice & moving it on as I prefer a 14' board that can handle the bumps better. It's a good board for doing a lot, particularly ins & outs, just not the best down winding choice, it will DW, in saying that, I believe other boards can do it better.

ps if anyone has good footage of the Blackfish catching bumps, love to see it & be proven wrong.
So you just have to weigh up what your priorities are on the water.
All the best

Select to expand quote

jaffa said..
Thanks to all for your input! JEG you are spot on - I will be demoing all before making a decision!

Jacko - love the look of your boards! I think action sports stock them here so will hit them up for a demo if possible in the next couple of weeks. You mention you like to train on the EVO boards - are they competitive in competition? (not that I'd be at the front of the pack!) What are the conditions they perform best in?

Maxeeboy - thanks for the offer. I'm demoing a 25 next week so may get back to you if I feel I need more stability. Do you mind if I ask why you're letting it go?

Carbine - perhaps another to consider?! Not wholly keen on the look but willing to demo to see how the AS performs as I know many rate them highly.

Will keep an update as I demo!....

Yes they are great for racing and would do really well, but these days if it was a flat water race the the Edge is faster and if it was a bumpy ocean the the Storm is quicker as having one board that can win in all conditions really is pretty much impossible these days. In the perfect world you have 2 boards but for those who can not the EVO is the one board quiver!!

Select to expand quote

paul.j said..

as having one board that can win in all conditions really is pretty much impossible these days. In the perfect world you have 2 boards

Words to the wise. But only two is a challenge in itself :-)

I ride the Evo a bit and we had a race here the other week for 8.5km with very little wind, pretty glassy and averaged over 9km per hour for the 8.5 km. So the Evo is a quick board on the flat because it was a slightly overweight 46 year old paddling it!