I had a go on this board over the past 2 days and while my limited experience & ability doesn't warrant a review-I'll call it "my experience". More for any other beginner SUPers thinking about progressing.
Scott from Greenline was good enough to lend it to me. I'll leave any comments on the shape to the experts other than to say the rocker is really flat and it is more like a big Fish style board!
I have only been SUPing since easter, never had very good balance but have been surfing for nearly 25 years. My style is just to cruise and never really pushing any boundaries particulary now I'm mid 40's, 2 shoulder reconstructions and pudging 90kgs. Current board is a Naish Mana 9'5 which has been a heap of fun and I generally only get out once or twice a week. We surfed in a 2-3 ft beachy with a mate on my Mana so we swapped boards a few times.
The SUb Vector is obviously more tippy and I fell in a bit just waiting around for a wave where I didn't on the Mana. In all not too bad and something I think I would get used to quickly (improved even by the end of the session). There was a slight cross breeze and the water did have a bit of a bump on it (not perfect glass).
It is definately easier to paddle onto waves. When on a wave is when it really lights up
I never had it in hollow or barrelling waves, but this board was really fast, my first wave I fell off the back as I wasn't ready for the speed. If you get your back foot over the tail it seemed to turn really well, much like a surfboard. For the first time I also used my paddle in a turn, something I haven't been able to do before as when I dig it in on the Mana it normally pulls me off the board. You probably won't be able to nose ride but thi is not my cup of tea anyway.
It was just heap more fun and I was very happy to hand the Mana back to my mate. It was worth every bit of the few laughs and jibes I got from some mates on prone boards when I teabagged. I'm now really keen to progress to a more performance board.
Some negatives were that the handle was too shallow and was a pain to carry (Scotty tells me this has been fixed in the newer models), it did have additional carry plugs but the pins in these seem rusted like they weren't stainless steel.
My mate has only been SUPing for 3 weeks, is a lot lighter than me and a much better short board surfer but he struggled a bit with the stability and prefered the Mana so obviously the Sub Vector is not a beginner board.
I don't really have anything else to compare it with and I know Casso has done a review but his capabalities far exceed mine. In all I think it would be a good 2nd board to progress to, However, it is just under $2g's without a cover or the single fin I had with the standard side bites and I believe you can't get one now until the next shipment comes in
My 2 cents.
Cheers.
Daneli
> 9 months ago, 22 Aug 2010
