Rideordie: Nobody i have spoken to has ridden the 25' version . The 26' wide version is a gret board, very versatile. I would not hesitate a moment recommending it to you. For me ( 180lb-ish) 26' is a lot more usefull than 25

No doubt both boards are great, I am just thinking maybe the 25 is a little better. SIC is betting on it. I like the fact that the 25 has more volume and might be a little faster. If I ever decide to sell the 26 board in the future, I would have to explain that this is a rare pre-production model. I think am going to wait it out and get the 25. Don't think I will have any regrets.

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Rideordie said..
Just to be clear, as I have seen this question a couple of times in the thread, the production board will be 25 inches wide and 290 liters of volume.

I think it was the 25 but now I'm not sure

I am hoping there is someone that give me thoughts on the 25. I have written to the SIC Marketing Director. Maybe he can provide some thoughts. Will let you know if I get a reply.

I begin to doubt that there is a 25' wide version coming ...

Maybe someone should outright query SIC on Facebook.. It's a fair question, it's not like they haven't already advertised it as 25" and 290 litres.. It's even listed as such in their 2016 catalogue.

Don't remember how wide was this one. I've tried it in the beginning of October

The 25 or 26 debate could just be rounding error. SurfNiels' board has 66.0 cms written on it. That's a smidgeon under 26". So whether you call it 25 or 26 could be just a matter of who you are talking too. The volume difference is harder to explain, but then again volume figures on SUPs are rarely very accurate anyway. Manufacturers often seem to put whatever they think will appeal to the market.

The only problem with this theory is that Mark R himself said they are 25 wide in a trade show video. But maybe that's just easier than saying "just under 26". Or maybe the custom ones they make are 25, and the Cobra ones are a tiny bit wider.

I'd prefer the 26" wide lower volume one, personally. 290L and 25" wide with a flat deck sounds like balancing a log to me.

@Souselas that one was 26 as well. i remember after chasing you , when you were on the 24' xprolite :-)

@area 10: the board says 66cm and that the exact width I measured that roughly translates to 25,98 inches ( I know it doesn't really work that way)

I would chose the 26' wide version without any hesitation

Well that's the conundrum isn't it? A 290 would be too corky for lighter paddlers, and a 255 would be a "sup-marine" for heavier paddlers.. Don't suggest a wider board - that's only a crutch for taller paddlers with a high centre of gravity... Maybe there should be board volume options as well as width..

I believe SIC is going to offer a 17-4 Bullet V3-XL using this logic - the same width as the V3, but with added thickness for more volume. Of course these are both SIC Custom boards, not production, but it shows that MR thinks along this line too..

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SurfNiels said..

@area 10: the board says 66cm and that the exact width I measured that roughly translates to 25,98 inches ( I know it doesn't really work that way)

Funny to me (a yank), that euros (no offense to any and all across the pond) think decimal inches instead of fractions is somehow not legitimate. Yes, it does work that way, we use it all the time and we've got no issues in doing so:) 25.98" = 25 98/100" = 66cm

As pointed out, MR said 25" for the 14' and 25 5/8" for the 12'6". Seems like he was pretty sure in the video. Based upon the volumes floated around, I'm more interested in hearing about the 12'6".

Area 10,
That is an interesting thought about calling it a 25, if it is just under 26, but in the same video Mark said that the 12 6 version is 25 and 5/8's, as I recall. So, I would infer that to mean rounding the width to the nearest 1/8th of an inch, as needed. If true, then it would be proper in that scheme to call 66CM wide board a 26. I completely agree on the inaccurate volume by many manufacturers. I have seen and ridden some huge boards with ridiculously low volume numbers written on them. Perhaps, as DJ has suggested in a note to me, the SIC Team riders may have simply asked for a more narrow width and a bit more volume after testing out the 26s. My dealer took the initiative to inquire with the SIC Team riders to see if he can get any feedback. I will be sure to pass along and response we receive. (FYI, I found out the Marketing Director that I wrote to is no longer employed there.)

I can quite believe that team riders might want a narrower and thicker board. But they probably ride customs anyway, that might be narrower than 25". But what is right for them is unlikely to be right for the average Joe buying a production board. The board that DJ shows being paddled in his video already looks pretty tippy to me, and presumably that's the 26" wide one.

Anyway, this is all guesswork at this stage. and the account that best fits what we know right now is that there was a design change after a limited run of the 26" wide ones. Other possibilities are that there are going to be two widths, or maybe there just been a miscommunication somewhere along the line.

At least this situation has got us all talking about the FX, so SIC aren't likely to be sad about that. Creating confusion as a marketing strategy...hmm

This is likely to affect orders though - how can you order a board when you don't know what you are ordering? And what's the point of a demo board if it might be different from the one that you'd eventually get?

I wish I could find a way to get one of these 26 ones from Denmark to the UK. But I might have to go with a Bark Vapour instead - at least I know what width it is. And it is a lot cheaper. Shame though, I have three SICs and although I deliberately try not to get too locked into a particular brand, sometimes it does seem like SIC can read my subconscious desires.

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I had indicated to my dealer that I was anxious to read some reviews to see if in fact the FX 14 x 25 PRO 290 liters board would indeed be as stable or better than the x 14 Pro. So, he inquired with the SIC Team riders. Here is the response I got:


<div>"Feedback from the team is the FX 12 and 14 is stable. They actually want it to be 24’ width similar to the X-Pro Lite. But as we all know they are the 2 per centers.

<div>Overall stability will be very similar to the X-Pro. Like Thomas mentions, the 1’inch less width and increased volume, plus flat deck and wider tail really does even out the stability.

<div>You probably know the X-Pro in flat water is faster because of the flat rocker line compared to of course the slight rocker in the nose and tail on the FX. But when you have side chop or head wind-chop the FX will push through cleaner and quicker."

This is the type of response that I was looking for. Although downwind could have been mentioned. I would expect the FX to be significantly better than the X 14 Pro on downwind conditions as well. My sense tells me that in mixed conditions the FX will be the better and faster board as compared to the x 14 Pro. The X 14 Pro would excel in flat water conditions. But really, what percent of the time do you get really flat water conditions? Probably significantly less than 25% of the time I would bet. Flip that and I would rather be on the FX 14 x 25 Pro significantly more than 75 % of the time. And following that logic, I should be faster on the FX in most conditions. (I have never experienced flat water conditions in a race.) If this describes the board performance well, then I will be one happy camper!!

@rideordie , thats an answer that really doesn't say a lot isn't it . The Fx stable, we knew that, its better in cross chop and (a lot) better in downwind than the xpro/xprolite .
I guess hat we are much wiser in a month or so

Yep. I will let you know for sure. I am supposed to get the very first one from my dealer. early March I guess.

Area 10,
You might be right about the custom race boards. Check this one out. Custom FX 14 x 24. Can't tell you where I got it.

Wow - that looks fast.

It also looks like paddling it would be close to a log balancing act. I'm very envious of the guys who can manage those boards, but at least around where I am, the guys that are young enough to do that don't have enough money to buy one. The disposable income is with us old wobbly farts looking for a flattering board.

I know what you mean. I briefly tested the SIC X 14 Pro Lite at the Carolina Cup last year. There is a world of difference between the 26 X 14 Pro and the 24 X Pro Lite. Gosh, it was so fast, but I knew that I would be swimming frequently and too heavy for the board.. A man has to know his limitations. I thought that 26 was about as narrow as I wanted to go. However, the FX description seemed to check all of the boxes for me, so I am going with my gut and dropping down to the 25. There are a lot of features of this shape that I think/hope will enhance stability and make it seem wider than it is, if that makes any sense.

By the way, the board above does not belong to me. I just snagged the image. I can neither confirm nor deny that the 24 shown in the picture above will be ridden by one VERY fast team rider at the Carolina Cup. Can't wait to see what he can do with it.

Here's an update on delivery. The container is loaded in Thailand on Jan 29 with ETD Feb. 5, with an ETA in California on March 1. They will then ship the SIC boards up to the dealer by the first week/second week of March. Then ship my FX - 14 to me. I am hoping to receive by 2nd or 3rd week in March. That leaves me just a few weeks to prep for the Carolina Cup with the new board. I am hoping that the additional drag of the 3.5 inch wider X -14 board will serve as beneficial resistance training. I am the eternal optimist!! :) Here's what I think may have happened. Feedback obtained from SIC Team riders on how to modify the X series race boards to create an all around race board for 2016. 14 x 26 x 266 liter FX -14 boards created and sent to expos. Additional feedback from (late) testing reflected that board was super stable and could go more narrow to enhance speed without an unreasonable loss in stability. Late order entry or possibly a specification change at the Cobra factory caused a delay in production. Due to NO confirmed reports, it appears that absolutely zero FX 14 x 25 boards are out there at present, unless there have been some customs created. Those that have purchased and/or tested the 26 inch boards have provided excellent reviews.

Two significant changes from pre-production to final production
1) Dropping down to 25 inches wide and
2) increasing volume from 265 to 290 liters

At this point, we can find Nobody that owns or has tested a 25 inch version. From what I have read on the Zone, it appears that a parallel (width and volume) situation may have taken place regarding the FX - 12 6. We will have it sorted out as soon as the boards begin hitting the water.

Gosh - that's a tight schedule SIC have set themselves. If they aren't careful, everyone will already have bought themselves their boards for the 2016 race season.

I've ordered boards before, only to have them stuck in customs or at some other staging post for a couple of weeks or (sometimes a lot) more. But maybe Europe is particularly inefficient that way. I hope you get your board in plenty of time to get used to it before racing. I guess there's a lot you can do ahead of time though, like get on a balance trainer a couple of times a day maybe.

Those changes must have been worth it for SIC to go to so much trouble. Knocking an inch off but adding quite a bit of volume is quite a big change.

Area 10,
Thanks!! I agree with you. I am certain that the the late delivery and lack of reviews (pre-production versus production size issues) have hurt sales. If I had to go through this process again with full knowledge of the delays and lack of information, I might have made a different decision. I hope that my patience and brand loyalty are rewarded by an excellent product and no more delays!!

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Rideordie said..
Area 10,
Thanks!! I agree with you. I am certain that the the late delivery and lack of reviews (pre-production versus production size issues) have hurt sales. If I had to go through this process again with full knowledge of the delays and lack of information, I might have made a different decision. I hope that my patience and brand loyalty are rewarded by an excellent product and no more delays!!

More importantly, I can imagine that anybody having seen the 14x26-266L and made a pre-order based on this to be told after the fact or months later that they would receive a different board 14x25-299L could have been mightily pissed with the practice. Thankfully it does not seem that it was the case or if so nobody has yet come forward.
As it stands it seems that the company might just have hurt their sales this pre-season with the uncertainty and this could stick for their next new board if no clarity is provided at the time. (and the people that might have preferred the pre-production model but that goes both ways). I am just very glad that I knew in advance through the forums that it would indeed be a 14x25-299L instead of the other size or I would have been considering putting an order specially seeing that SIC Canada seems to have kept some sanity regarding the pricing of the new board.

Luc, I believe it is 290 liters.

I'd rather SIC take their time at the production end to get it right than be in a rush to get product out the door only to have customers disappointed with the quality, or even have a bunch of warranty claims. Of course this is my perspective - mine isn't due in until May. Not to mention that the lakes are pretty much frozen over until late March.

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Rideordie said..
Luc, I believe it is 290 liters.

Yes I think you are right. Still does not work for me as an All-around perfromance board. The Vapor specs are more on-line with what I would like. And possibly the JL Sidewinder when specs are published.
For a narrow high volume board, I already have my Boardworks Eradicator 14x25.

It is an interesting question for sure. The Vapor has plenty of volume and a wide tail. It is super-stable for 26" wide, and feels an inch or two wider in terms of stability. There is no washing of water on the deck even in rough stuff. So why would the FX need more volume despite being an inch narrower and having a slightly more pulled-in nose? Clearly it is bringing some definite benefits otherwise SIC wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. As a rough waters paddler I know that there can be a cost of high volume in terms of stability and handling in chop. You don't want to be standing far above the waterline in tricky conditions if you can avoid it. So, the volume of the FX is a bit of a puzzle to me, and I'm waiting to find out why it is there. Mark Raaphorst knows his stuff, so there must be a reason. My SIC X14 is only 6 litres more volume than the FX and it is 28.5" wide and is often quoted as a good flat water board for big guys who like stability. So why would a board 3.5" narrower need the same volume? I presume that a lot of that extra volume comes from having a flat deck. But the Bark Downwinder has a flat deck, and is 28" wide, but still has only 275 litres of volume compared with (apparently) the FX at 290 and 25" wide.

But... taking too much heed of manufacturers' volume specs can lead to madness, methinks. Maybe the 290 figure is yet another of these "lost in translation" moments that has often happened over the years in brands' marketing literature. So until the long wait is over and you guys have your new FXs, I'm going to reserve judgement.

I wonder how long we can keep talking about this FX board without any information to go on! This board sure had better be something special when it finally arrives. It speaks volumes (apologies for the pun) for SIC brand loyalty that you guys will put up with this uncertainty and crazy-late delivery. That really is something that SIC should think carefully about. They owe you, IMO. The board should be coming with a handwritten apology from MR himself, and free t-shirt (at least). And it would be useful if that note could explain why the FX has (or is quoted as having) such high volume!

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Area10 said..


I wonder how long we can keep talking about this FX board without any information to go on!

Coffee just came out of my nose...

"But... taking too much heed of manufacturers' volume specs can lead to madness, methinks. Maybe the 290 figure is yet another of these "lost in translation" moments that has often happened over the years in brands' marketing literature. So until the long wait is over and you guys have your new FXs, I'm going to reserve judgement."

touche! Lots of boards seem to have questionable volume claims..