Sunova Style 10’6 XXX
I recently posted a clip of one of the surf sessions I had on the Style and thought I would do a review on the board after riding it a few times.

Rider Stats:
Height: 6’3 (193cm)
Weight: 115Kg
Age: 29
Sup experience: 7 Years with 15 Years on Longboards

I have spent a lot of time playing around on long board style SUP’s from Laird, Naish and JP so I was really keen to try the Style.

The first time I took out the 10’6 Style I just could not get it to work the way I wanted it too. I went home scratching my head on why I couldn’t get it going. The second time I used it I pulled back on trying to surf it like a performance board and surfed it how I ride my single fin longboard and the board came alive with smooth turns and really stable nose riding.
The Style is a log style longboard not a performance board and it is really easy to get confused about the design of these boards and what constitutes a Sup performance longboard.
The Style is built for longboard waves - under head height with nice open faces.There are some SUP longboards that do perform more like a performance longboard that can do big hacks and round houses but even those boards have a threshold on what size wave they can handle.
The 10’0 Style would be better suited for people that wanted to be more aggressive with their turns but still get onto the nose quite easily.
The Style 10’6 is a great board for when the waves are too small or fat for your smaller SUP and just want to nose ride and trim across the wave and draw out some turns. It is also an excellent board for the people that are coming off a higher volume beginner board that are wanting a board that is light, turns quicker, stable but still have the length to get onto the wave easy and keep their wave count up.
The stability of this board was quite surprising and had more stability than a higher volume board. I think this is mainly due to the rails being rolled so the water can come over onto the rails of the board and hold the rail down making it more stable.
This board is surprisingly manoeuvrable and I found cutting back easier than other longboard style Sup’s I have ridden. I was not sure it would glide that well paddling around and onto waves but it was really comfortable even for my body weight. For smaller riders you would have no problem using this in the flat water as a touring board and putting a kid on the front as well being a surfing SUP.
For surfing, this board is made for a point break or beach break that has a soft rolling wave with a nice open face rolling down the line.
The XXX construction is an awesome bit of technology that makes the deck super durable. The bottom is a bIt softer which stops the board bouncing around in choppy conditions. It is nice and light, weighing in at 9.8kg.
Overall I would rate this as a great longboard Sup for any rider who doesn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a carbon board but still get a good quality, light board that looks beautiful in and out of the water.

Great review - thanks Freshiesup

Yep.... I want one but its a very difficult decision!

New Board or New Missus

mmmm..... maybe not THAT difficult

Heres the video of me riding the style.

Nice vid and write up. Like your style, I've got a 10-6x28 that I ride the same way in the small stuff. I enjoy riding the whole wave and when it's a low energy one this kind of shape gets the most out of all the bits.

My board is 5yrs older and is narrower and thicker, more corky. The more evolved shape here looks more stable for the same volume and a good looking nose for getting up on.

Great stuff, very stylish!
Have you been able to get any toes actually over the nose? I find that's where a lot of SUPs that ride nicely from the front 1/3 don't do so well. A cheater five might work but my cheater five days are long gone. Looks to me like you're using some small fins. Bet with a larger single fin, you'd be hanging ten. Personally, I'd love to see it!

Freshie.... nice detailed review... thanks

I have my sights set on a Style when they come to the US

I was thinking they might be able to ship the 10' Style... but not sure.
but now, you have me thinking about the 10'6
its "longboard" style vs high performance....
I tend to over amp if the board will let me (I think the 10" would).... even though I prefer the more classic surf style.

I have really been enjoying a 2014 - 10'6 Sunova Kruze. It has a flatter rocker, so it must be surfed with more intention.
Very "old school" feel to it... plus it seems to noseride fairly well.
I need more time in the right waves to really explore the board.

I would love to try the 10'6 style... I like my longboard SUP to be ezzy pezzy comfort, like the Kruze.... but a tad more performance

10'6 Kruze....I almost got a solid "10" on this wave.... a few inches short, but lots of control up there... it slots nicely

"I tend to over amp if the board will let me" Hate when that happens...

Has anyone ridden the 10' Style XL? I would be keen to see a review on this board.

How about the 9'6" Style XL?

The 10' XL was reviewed here:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Sunova-Style-XL-10-x-30-12-x-4-139L-Review/

Nice surfing and well done for ignoring the drop in by the other SUP kook who clearly needs some etiquette. Your profile has you on a Nalu....how dies it compare?

Select to expand quote

Slab said..
Your profile has you on a Nalu....how does it compare?

X2 !!

From their website, "Parabolic Stringer Parabolic Stringer: Since 1991, SUNOVA has wrapped the entire outline of each of our balsa wood surfboards in a half-inch of balsa wood, creating a timber frame that allows the board to bend and twist through turns and spring back with incredible liveliness, projecting the rider through maneuver after maneuver. Whether your board is on day 1 or day 1000, this responsiveness represents the trademark feel of a SUNOVA."

I'm curious about the liveliness. Can anyone who's ridden one comment on how much they like the feel -
is that liveliness a big +plus versus boards of other manufacturing methods?

Select to expand quote

subber said..
From their website, "Parabolic Stringer Parabolic Stringer: Since 1991, SUNOVA has wrapped the entire outline of each of our balsa wood surfboards in a half-inch of balsa wood, creating a timber frame that allows the board to bend and twist through turns and spring back with incredible liveliness, projecting the rider through maneuver after maneuver. Whether your board is on day 1 or day 1000, this responsiveness represents the trademark feel of a SUNOVA."

I'm curious about the liveliness. Can anyone who's ridden one comment on how much they like the feel -
is that liveliness a big +plus versus boards of other manufacturing methods?

Subber I recently tried the 10' x 30" Style and was very pleasantly surprised!! I admit that up until that day I was a sceptic, however I paddled out with an open mind and was instantly rewarded.

The board felt stable and easy to manoeuvre in the lineup. The big wide nose is a bit off putting to look at and I was thinking it would be an issue once on a wave but It didn't catch once and made nose riding very easy. The board flowed easily down the line with gentle pumping and made sections that I didn't think were make-able.
But the most impressive thing for me was how it turned off the top. Begin loading up on a bottom turn, then spring up the face, anchor the paddle in and push off the top and the board would come around 180 degrees with very little effort and pretty much no feeling of swing weight. The end of the turn would have just a touch of tail slide too which made the smile on my face just a tad wider.

My mate came out with me on the 10' x 29" and his face pretty much mirrored mine with the "Wow, I'm impressed with this board" expression that was evident on my mug during the 2 hours we were out. We came to the same conclusion that we were now both somewhat frustrated that these Style boards had given us so much enjoyment and now had us both pondering how we'd come up with the cash for yet ANOTHER SUP toy?!?!? That can be determined at a later date.

So yes, the "Liveliness" is definitely a plus.

Select to expand quote

baddog said..
How about the 9'6" Style XL?

The 10' XL was reviewed here:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/Sunova-Style-XL-10-x-30-12-x-4-139L-Review/

Sorry I meant the 10 x 29" - just answered - thanks I am liking the sound of this board!

Select to expand quote

Zeusman said..

Subber I recently tried the 10' x 30" Style and was very pleasantly surprised!! I admit that up until that day I was a sceptic, however I paddled out with an open mind and was instantly rewarded.

The board felt stable and easy to manoeuvre in the lineup. The big wide nose is a bit off putting to look at and I was thinking it would be an issue once on a wave but It didn't catch once and made nose riding very easy. The board flowed easily down the line with gentle pumping and made sections that I didn't think were make-able.
But the most impressive thing for me was how it turned off the top. Begin loading up on a bottom turn, then spring up the face, anchor the paddle in and push off the top and the board would come around 180 degrees with very little effort and pretty much no feeling of swing weight. The end of the turn would have just a touch of tail slide too which made the smile on my face just a tad wider.

My mate came out with me on the 10' x 29" and his face pretty much mirrored mine with the "Wow, I'm impressed with this board" expression that was evident on my mug during the 2 hours we were out. We came to the same conclusion that we were now both somewhat frustrated that these Style boards had given us so much enjoyment and now had us both pondering how we'd come up with the cash for yet ANOTHER SUP toy?!?!? That can be determined at a later date.

So yes, the "Liveliness" is definitely a plus.

Wow, sounds pretty good. Thanks for the review. A few of us are trying to get a "tip rider" - did you or do you think you could routinely get toes over on the Style?

I've got the Pearson Laird Surftech 10'6" and it has a similar shape (pin tail and big, wide nose) and is excellent in all conditions (I've been in), big and small waves, turns great but, well, I'm sure it doesn't have as much flex nor rebound as the Sunova but, also because of the somewhat sharp rails in the back and, maybe because of a bit of excess rocker in the front, while a good "noserider," really very few people are able to get toes over the nose on it. So, I've been considering the Black & Blue dedicated nose & tip-rider, but it sounds like the Sunova Style would be a better all around board - & the snappy liveliness sounds very interesting - and, if one can get toes over, it could be an excellent choice.

Any more comments, much appreciated.

Select to expand quote

subber said...

Zeusman said..

Subber I recently tried the 10' x 30" Style and was very pleasantly surprised!! I admit that up until that day I was a sceptic, however I paddled out with an open mind and was instantly rewarded.

The board felt stable and easy to manoeuvre in the lineup. The big wide nose is a bit off putting to look at and I was thinking it would be an issue once on a wave but It didn't catch once and made nose riding very easy. The board flowed easily down the line with gentle pumping and made sections that I didn't think were make-able.
But the most impressive thing for me was how it turned off the top. Begin loading up on a bottom turn, then spring up the face, anchor the paddle in and push off the top and the board would come around 180 degrees with very little effort and pretty much no feeling of swing weight. The end of the turn would have just a touch of tail slide too which made the smile on my face just a tad wider.

My mate came out with me on the 10' x 29" and his face pretty much mirrored mine with the "Wow, I'm impressed with this board" expression that was evident on my mug during the 2 hours we were out. We came to the same conclusion that we were now both somewhat frustrated that these Style boards had given us so much enjoyment and now had us both pondering how we'd come up with the cash for yet ANOTHER SUP toy?!?!? That can be determined at a later date.

So yes, the "Liveliness" is definitely a plus.

Wow, sounds pretty good. Thanks for the review. A few of us are trying to get a "tip rider" - did you or do you think you could routinely get toes over on the Style?

I've got the Pearson Laird Surftech 10'6" and it has a similar shape (pin tail and big, wide nose) and is excellent in all conditions (I've been in), big and small waves, turns great but, well, I'm sure it doesn't have as much flex nor rebound as the Sunova but, also because of the somewhat sharp rails in the back and, maybe because of a bit of excess rocker in the front, while a good "noserider," really very few people are able to get toes over the nose on it. So, I've been considering the Black & Blue dedicated nose & tip-rider, but it sounds like the Sunova Style would be a better all around board - & the snappy liveliness sounds very interesting - and, if one can get toes over, it could be an excellent choice.

Any more comments, much appreciated.

Honestly, I'm not a very good tip rider but found it quite easy on this board.

I weigh 83 kg and have a Speeed 8'5 for decent waves of Mediterranean. I would like to get a Style for really small wave days. I wonder which size would be a better choice. 10 or 10'6?

Depends wether you want to point and shoot or wiggle. I am 90kg and will go the 10' every time. It offers heaps of glide if you are coming off a smaller board and can be thrown around like a performance Mal. The same would be true of the 10'6 if I was closer to 100kg