Good morning guys,

I need the help from the aussie crew on this one.

I'm 1,92 and my weight ranges from 92-95 kgs. I'm currently riding a 2012 Starboard 8'5 Pro (brushed carbon). Since the 2013 models are just starting to arrive here at Portugal, I need your help and feedback on these boards.

I'm going Carbon.

All I need to know is how do they go, by comparison in what concerns to on-wave performance, ding resistance, paddling stability and weight.

I consider my SB 8'5 Pro almost bullet proof, as it has taken a lot of abuse and has no dings at all. If I go JP, I may consider the 7'4 widebody as a second board. Any feedback on the board from some heavy weights like me?

If you've tried them, please tell me how do they compare to each other.

Thanks,
Johnny

Hey Johnny,
I can't help with the boards in your title but I did spend a couple of days testing the JP 7.4 wide body. I'm 173cm 85kg and the board floated me well but at your weight I'm not sure. I would've said up to 90kg ok but over that you may be underwater. I also didn't like the way it surfed. Unfortunately the surf was really bad when I tested it. 2ft windswell with no power at all. I felt the board had too much volume in the nose. I'm guessing they did this to really thin out the tail and I think that will work ok for lighter riders. I found I had to stand a long way forward to stop the tail sinking and then was catching the nose a lot when on the wave. Lacey has this board and likes it but I think he's a bit lighter than me. I ended up buying the Naish 7.6 which has the volume distributed a bit more evenly.

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JohnnyMaya said...

Good morning guys,

I need the help from the aussie crew on this one.

I'm 1,92 and my weight ranges from 92-95 kgs. I'm currently riding a 2012 Starboard 8'5 Pro (brushed carbon). Since the 2013 models are just starting to arrive here at Portugal, I need your help and feedback on these boards.

I'm going Carbon.

All I need to know is how do they go, by comparison in what concerns to on-wave performance, ding resistance, paddling stability and weight.

I consider my SB 8'5 Pro almost bullet proof, as it has taken a lot of abuse and has no dings at all. If I go JP, I may consider the 7'4 widebody as a second board. Any feedback on the board from some heavy weights like me?

If you've tried them, please tell me how do they compare to each other.

Thanks,
Johnny

At 90-92 KG my go to board is the SB 130L Pocket Rocket, then a 2012 8'5" Pro for if and when offshore, I tried the 2013 8'5" Pro in offshore conditions and struggled with the 106L volume, it rode more like the 2012 8' Pro with 110L with different stance more fore and aft it was more stable and managaeble than 106L, we're only talking 4L difference but makes it heaps more responsive... if you can get hold of a 2012 8' Carbon Pro, give it a chance and you wont be disappointed!!!

Thanks for your input.

Due to illness I didn't surf much during last year and my weight went through the roof all the way to 112 Kgs. It was a (REALLY) hard task but I could still surf the 2012 8'5 Pro if conditions were very clean.
Having that in my mind, I hope that a board on the 110L range will still be manageable if i'm around 95 kgs.

One of my best friends is currently 104Kg and he's riding the 2012 SB 8'0 Pro. I'll give it a try!

More feedback will be appreciated!!!

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JohnnyMaya said...
Thanks for your input.
sent you a pm Johnny

Thanks once again guys.

Isn't anyone ele riding the JP 8'6 and the fanatic 8'5?
Come on guys, just let me know how those boards ride!!

yes mate I've got the 8'5" starboard pro and have just got back from mentawai islands from two week surf trip and it went insane.
surf was head height to double over head.
MY weight is 90-92kg and i find the board very stable and it indestructable.
i have had the board for 3.5 months .
this is the 8th board I've owned and the best by far and i payed full price for it!!!!!!

i've ridden my stb 8'5" carbon about 4 or 5 times now in mostly waist to head high clean conditions and concur with the above comments.it's the best board i've owned to date.it feels really lively under foot and rail to rail making it good pumper down the line and loose off the top and bottom ,with the added bonus of being able to nose ride and do other longboard tricks.i'm stoked on it.
i'm around 80 -85 kegs and i do find it a challenge in choppy conditions in between waves,but that may still be the learning curve of coming down from a9'1",120lt drops sup.
p.s. i'm affiliation free too

im 6'3 and 98kg. ive been trsting some smaller boards.

so far, starby 8'5 pro (2012), 8'10 pro wave and 8'6 fone manawa.

i think so far for me i liked the fone the best. at 30 wide it was s little more stable than the 8'10 pro wave and 8'5 pro. in terms of turning i thought maybe the pro wave was a tad better than fone.... not by much. i tried the starby pro on a different day and it didnt feel it had as much go, but in fairness probably the waves were smaller and fatter.....

any of the above would b nice board for quiver imo

I have had my new 8'5 Prowave for about a week but only ridden it in small waist high surf so far. The first day was very choppy and hard work and the second time was glassy smooth and easy so I think stability-wise it will be fine. I'm 6'3 and 97kg plus wetsuit but it paddled suprisingly well, not too slow and reasonably straight for a short board. You could notice the light weight of the board straight away. "Lively" and "nimble" would be how I would describe the feel on the wave. Can't wait to try it on some decent surf!

Good skills to ride the 8'5 I'm near on exactly your size and found the 8'10 a handful. Be interested to hear if your ok in rough seas on the 8'5.... Keep me posted.

Just to put one more in - has anyone compared the 8' 5" Naish Hokua to these boards.

I am looking to get one.

Thanks

I have gone to the 8' SB carbon pro from the 8 5" - and i am 85kg, and will prob look at going a bit smaller next year (but only in smooth conditions for that board)
the 8' however is still ok in moderately choppy conditions.

however i also like the 8 5" and wish i had brought it to the comp we had last week in Yallingup WA - where it was a messy 2m swell with 25knt onshores. - testing to say the least -

however we all had the same conditions so should not complain to much.

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warwickl said...
Just to put one more in - has anyone compared the 8' 5" Naish Hokua to these boards.

I am looking to get one.

Thanks

Great in chop great to paddle gets vertical backhand and forehand I'm 80kg Nash 8'5 ticks all the boxes

I got to test the 8'5 Fanatic Prowave properly today in some very nice head high and above surf. Conditions today were close to being as good as it gets at my local spot. Calm sea, no wind and regular sets. Some of the bigger sets were refracting back off the rocks making a bit of a wobble at times but overall a dream day for a paddle!
Still only my third go on this board and I was wobbling around on and off but managed to mostly stay upright. Missed a few good waves later in the session once my legs were shot but managed a 2 1/2 hour surf despite my leg workout.
The board went great, bottom turns hard on rail better than any other board I've owned. I found myself surfing more relaxed, not having to wrestle the board through turns and flowing better. Several times I found the board turning faster and further than I had anticipated and my body position was a few steps behind. Its nice to have a board that is clearly more capable than me that I won't grow out of too quickly. I won't go on too much because I am buzzing after such a fun session and it probably would have been awesome on any board. I have no affiliation with Fanatic.




Standard fins felt a little stiff to me, even paddling and kick turning I thought they were bigger than necessary. I have replaced the rear 5" Fanatic fin with a Shapers S7. Even at my size (6'3 and 97kg) I had no problem with unprovoked fin slides and they had good drive through bottom turns and fast sections. Still paddles pretty straight too. Next session I will probably try my Jamie Mitchell thruster sides with the S7 Shapers rear.





The main difference I found today riding the 8'5 Prowave Carbon Ltd was that the light weight lets you get the board back up the face faster and higher with less effort and when you get hammered by a set or two it hardly even pulls on your leg rope!

Cheers.