Watch how a well constructed board is made & what sets Jimmy Lewis apart from most other brands. Want a board that lasts, check this out-

The JL's I have certainly don't show any signs of dents or sunken decks.....but they still chip like others when you hit with the paddle

still, probably best construction for the money....very good value.

Have to agree, I've had one of his guns for 4 years in waves to 2-3x overhead and it's as new

Great Vid!
Due to the bullet proof construction I'm defiantly lookin at Stun Gun for my next board.
Out of interest just wondering though...
Is the board flex and spring less lively than a similar board in a less durable construction, like say Naish LE?

Really nice video, great demo.

But spoiled by false marketing claims:
- There are major brands that have provided for years bamboo layers sandwiched between 2 glass layers. He claims in the videos that there are none.
- PVC sandwiched by glass is not the strongest construction on the market as claimed: Just sandwich the PVC by carbon fibers to get a stronger one. And some brands do it for cheaper than JL glass boards.

I guess this is the US culture of every shop claiming "we make the best product in the world", since they have no laws punishing false (or unprovable) ad claims. But it is too bad, Jimmy stellar reputation do not need this cheap tricks. He should have shown other important construction details (quality of the blanks, paint, varnishes) than just using false claims.

PS: I left a comment on the facebook page of the video... it was deleted in less than 5 minutes... it shows how confident they are in their message...

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colas said..
Really nice video, great demo.

But spoiled by false marketing claims:
- There are major brands that have provided for years bamboo layers sandwiched between 2 glass layers. He claims in the videos that there are none.
- PVC sandwiched by glass is not the strongest construction on the market as claimed: Just sandwich the PVC by carbon fibers to get a stronger one. And some brands do it for cheaper than JL glass boards.

I guess this is the US culture of every shop claiming "we make the best product in the world", since they have no laws punishing false (or unprovable) ad claims. But it is too bad, Jimmy stellar reputation do not need this cheap tricks. He should have shown other important construction details (quality of the blanks, paint, varnishes) than just using false claims.

PS: I left a comment on the facebook page of the video... it was deleted in less than 5 minutes... it shows how confident they are in their message...

100% agree, "real" vacuum sandwich is used by many. Also not everybody want a stiff board as you end up loosing the lively feel of your board.
A full PVC wrap surely make it bullet proof however it will add some serious weight to the board and hinder the flex significantly. JL does not communicate the weight of the boards (std or carbon) on his website....

The weight of the JL standard construction is really good - light!

My m14 downwinder comes in a bit of over 12.6 kg and that's about the same as the SIC V2 SCC. My 14ft 2016 Starboard Allstar comes in at 14kg

Also have a JL 9 5 Striker - not weighed it but it is light for its size volume. A pal has a 8 5 WW made by Jimmy - featherlight and v strong.

I've tried loads of boards or different weights - no business connections with anyone - the JL's are v good.

Agree with Colas - all this "best board on the planet" is rubbish - everyone in the States claims it. However, I wouldn't hold up a certain French company as a leading light on the marketing claims. Plenty flowery bull in their stuff too . I thought I was getting a good deal on one of their carbon paddles only to find out that the blade was some sort of thermoplastic!

So - in short - everyone is at it. You have to just wade through it.

can someone tell me if the eps foam sucks in or soaks up water once the outer shell is cracked? once the boards get a few years old the water entry seems to be an issue to me? if the water leak isn't stopped then the board starts getting heavier, or is this with the other types of foam.

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Poida said..
can someone tell me if the eps foam sucks in or soaks up water once the outer shell is cracked? once the boards get a few years old the water entry seems to be an issue to me? if the water leak isn't stopped then the board starts getting heavier, or is this with the other types of foam.

Yup, EPS is made by expansed beads of Polystyrene, and the air needs to circulate in it to dry them during manufacturing. It is inherent to the EPS construction.

XPS foam (eXtruded) is closed cell and do not have this issue, but since the resin cannot penetrate it, it is harder to work with: the shaper needs to do some tricks to avoid delamination: puncture the foam, rough it, cut small ridges,...

PU (PolyUrethane) foam is also nearly waterproof, but much heavier.

This is why the PVC sandwich method is good: the shell is very hard to break. And if you get a crack, most probably it will be limited to the outer glass, the PVC acting then as a waterproof shield.
Another way is to use waterproof closed-cell foam on the rails, and light EPS on the rest of the board.

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Slab said..
However, I wouldn't hold up a certain French company as a leading light on the marketing claims. Plenty flowery bull in their stuff too . I thought I was getting a good deal on one of their carbon paddles only to find out that the blade was some sort of thermoplastic!

The difference is that you will not find the word "best" in european marketing. The hype will take the form of "This board accelerate immediately", not "This board has the fastest acceleration"

On the paddle, I am surprised... Was it some years ago (2010?) when the factory made a mistake and put carbon shafts on entry-level paddles (the "flex": fiberglass shaft + molded flexible plastic blade for sensitive joints), Patrice decided to sell them at the same price as the epoxy... 89€ ! basically you got a carbon shaft upgrade for free. I thought it was very clear from the description at the time. I even bought one for a friend :-)

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colas said..

Slab said..
However, I wouldn't hold up a certain French company as a leading light on the marketing claims. Plenty flowery bull in their stuff too . I thought I was getting a good deal on one of their carbon paddles only to find out that the blade was some sort of thermoplastic!

The difference is that you will not find the word "best" in european marketing. The hype will take the form of "This board accelerate immediately", not "This board has the fastest acceleration"

On the paddle, I am surprised... Was it some years ago (2010?) when the factory made a mistake and put carbon shafts on entry-level paddles (the "flex": fiberglass shaft + molded flexible plastic blade for sensitive joints), Patrice decided to sell them at the same price as the epoxy... 89€ ! basically you got a carbon shaft upgrade for free. I thought it was very clear from the description at the time. I even bought one for a friend :-)

Nope, it was one of the carbon mix paddles. Not anywhere did it say the blade wasn't carbon....all the ads said it was a carbon paddle. A good few years now. The " best boards on the planet" tag line is still used in the UK for JL...they use the same terminology as the US ads....I think other brands do the same too....but the public ain't fooled.

In one of the Jimmy Lewis videos it shows one of his boards being run over by a car and no damage to the board.

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Slab said..
Nope, it was one of the carbon mix paddles. Not anywhere did it say the blade wasn't carbon....

I can confirm that the mix is definitively 100% carbon. Seems you were victim of a shipping mistake, you should have contacted them.

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Redgy said..

In one of the Jimmy Lewis videos it shows one of his boards being run over by a car and no damage to the board.

just creased my Jimmy Lewis carbon, not very old either BUT has had a LOT of use and been out in some cracking conditions.

I'm pretty impressed with the construction of the Sidewinder I'm currently demoing. Very light indeed despite having a proper paint job (ie. no "brushed carbon" nonsense), and pretty stiff. Can't say anything about durability because it's just a demo, but the board looks unmarked despite being, presumably, tried by many people. Given that the price (at least in Europe) vastly undercuts the similar construction (and heavier) All Star carbon, it seems to me like JL is still showing the other brands how it should be done.

That's great feedback thanks Area10