Hey Surfanimals, great review, just wondering which one of the two boards do you think has the best glide? Just wanting to know as the bark seems to have a more race kayak nose running into a flatter bottom, where as the Mitcho board seems to have a pointy nose (not the exact same as a kayak) running into a double concave.

Cheers

Thanks for the intro to the boards surfanimals,

interesting stuff especially the Lahui Kai,

cheers.

surfanimals said...

Hi mate, I had the Fanatic but had construction issues with it.

(Evidentially it snapped after it went back).

The Bark is similar to the Fanatic but a little sleaker. It is fast but I'd have to say the Lahui Kai had better glide and feels like to mows across the water surface rather than 'in' the water like the Bark.

The Lahui Kai picked up the smallest of runners to the point of picking up runners the 17' Naish Glide would not of had a hope of - that was impressive.

Yeah i would love to know as well, i have sold quite a few of these and have had nothing but good reveiws on the Construction!! so would love to know want went wrong? Even if you want to PM me if you don't want to post it.

Jacko

Thanks guys.

I'd really rather keep this post positive about these two boards and not be negative about the other.

What I will say is that I bought the 12'6 Fanatic and LOVED it.....I posted a reveiw on here a couple months back with photo's.

It had a blemish on the bottom which I noticed after first session which I felt was a small crease. I was told it was fine and a 'join' in the construction.

It didn't sit well with me being a $2,395.00 board so I traded it in at a small loss and it was re-sold and subsequently snapped on a 1 foot shorey coming in from a paddle.......at the 'join' on the bottom.

A mate also had the carbon model (as mine was) and after 3 sessions his grip lifted and bubbled. I wouldn't be happy in either case although I'm sure others having nothing but positive stories about them.

As for these two boards (Lahui Kai & Bark)....they are brilliant and around the $2,350.00 mark each.

Lobes said...

Is the Lahui Kai the same design as the 14 Orca or is it a different shape and/or construction?

Different shape and construction.

The Orca is very much an allround 14' whereas the Mitcho Surftech is a bigger version of the 12'6 BOP.

Mitcho has thick / box rails right round and the Orca softens front and back.

These 2 Surftech boards do have a vent plug though - unlike other Surftech's.

Surftech's are high density foam and Orca is 'hollow' construction.

I've only ridden the surftech one so can't compare buts it's not tippy at all...compared to the Naish Glide 14' for example it's as stable as a house and the weight is similar to the 12'6 Fanatic and not heavy by any means.

I rate the Surftech Lahui Kai extremely high. I'm sure the Orca and other materials used locally are unreal too, just not had the chance to see them in person or ride one.

Not sure if I missed where it is hiding but does the Lahui Kai have a legrope plug somewhere?
I imagine the glued or resined on leggie loop would do the trick?

SurfAnimals - get yourself a course, and a stop watch, and give us the Time Results. No turns. Just a straight flat course.

I can see myself on The Mitcho! Looks good. Let me test one!!

tomo77 said...

ok peeps,
Im looking at buying one of these 2 boards. Im doing my head in about making the right decision. Ive decided to stick with the 12.6. i am on the beginner side of the sport so am a little concerned about stability. My head says Bark but my heart says Mitcho. I want to do downwinders and other flatwater races.

Any advice??

Yeah, avoid the LK pop out hollow - my mate has one and he is not too keen on it for DW, I have ridden it also and not fussed either compared to the 3 other 12'6"s I have tried (DC, Deep & Coreban). The surftech version is possibly a better design however. The pop out hollow is quite unstable and difficult to control on decent runners - for a beginner particularly.

Have a look at the Coreban or the Fanatic, they are both wider and I found the Coreban really stable (as is the Fanatic apparently). I don't know a lot about these types of boards but know what I like when I paddle em.