Hey there! Wondering if anybody else has been noticing issues with the new Sunova TR3 construction? I am experiencing issues with the quality of the deck pads and the overall toughness of the paint.

I've got a Placid (8-months usage) and a Revolution (1-month usage), both bought brand new and I've been noticing that every touch with the paddle becomes a scratch or a ding, and the deck pad of my Revolution is already peeling off after 1 month of use.

Adding some pics of the Revolution and will add some of the Placid later on.

Anybody else noticing that?
It seems that there's a big difference in toughness and overall quality from the XXX's to the TR3's.

IMO..yes..more about deck compression and breakage with TR3.,There have been several post on this topic of late.it was mentioned when tr3 was being introduced that time would tell..! As it happened with other big name manufacturers,changing factories and build process/materials,all in the pursuit of $$$, just the dynamic of business I suggest again IMO .

Giovanni I have noticed this too... I bought a flow V2 & revolution recently in TR3 only because I couldnt get them in the XXX. Ive noticed board compression on both far beyond any XXX boards. Also the rails on the flow are very soft, and the pads on both boards arent holding anywhere near as well as my other sunovas which are up to 5 & 6 Y/O... Aside from that they are both ripping boards!

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bomberdave said..
Giovanni I have noticed this too... I bought a flow V2 & revolution recently in TR3 only because I couldnt get them in the XXX. Ive noticed board compression on both far beyond any XXX boards. Also the rails on the flow are very soft, and the pads on both boards arent holding anywhere near as well as my other sunovas which are up to 5 & 6 Y/O... Aside from that they are both ripping boards!

Shoulda' held onto your Creek, bomberdave!

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justaddwater said..
IMO..yes..more about deck compression and breakage with TR3.,There have been several post on this topic of late.it was mentioned when tr3 was being introduced that time would tell..! As it happened with other big name manufacturers,changing factories and build process/materials,all in the pursuit of $$$, just the dynamic of business I suggest again IMO .

Thx for your comment. Yes, I've been noticing the deck getting super soft on my placid. To the point where I can push it down with my thumb. Really disappointing for such an expensive piece of gear. I can kinda already feel the same happening with the Revolution after only a few weeks of use. Well, I guess there's not much we can do apart from maybe going back to the even more expensive but at least super robust Infinity Carbon boards.

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bomberdave said..
Giovanni I have noticed this too... I bought a flow V2 & revolution recently in TR3 only because I couldnt get them in the XXX. Ive noticed board compression on both far beyond any XXX boards. Also the rails on the flow are very soft, and the pads on both boards arent holding anywhere near as well as my other sunovas which are up to 5 & 6 Y/O... Aside from that they are both ripping boards!

Yes, pretty disappointing. I love the way the Placid and the Revolution ride but I don't believe they'll last very long if it keeps going like that. I've also been noticing the wood on the deck area getting softer and softer and I've also met a guy the other day with a placid that had it's deck pretty much collapsing down. It might be time to start looking in to the Infinity or Starboard carbon version. All the best!

Salty Palm surf shop in Newy supplied my new Sunova in XXX for a fraction more than TR3 price delivered to my door. Great price n service worth a call.(I've got no affiliation with them)

Sorry to hear about the soft boards. My xxx construction seems so solid (knock on wood) that I cannot imagine the frustration of. new construction. The moral of this story get a custom. xxx balsa construction? Rick any input on this?

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supsean said..
Sorry to hear about the soft boards. My xxx construction seems so solid (knock on wood) that I cannot imagine the frustration of. new construction. The moral of this story get a custom. xxx balsa construction? Rick any input on this?

Really feel for all these affected and sorry supsean, 'the moral of this story is' another great company being lured by the pursuit of mass dollar by lowering their costs and in the process they have lowered their quality. I have seen it with Surftech and their Pro Tech, Laird when they moved on from Surftech and Naish for a period of time. I have three Sunova's in XXX which are several years old and no issue! All, as new. I am a proud Sunova owner and love Bert's pursuit of performance but what has happened to the quality. I look after my boards but no matter how well you look after them, deck depressions, collapsed decks, glue not holding are all unacceptable and very disappointing and not related to lack or care. If TR3 is not fit for purpose, then Sunova needs to review its use Hopefully it is a batch and not an indication of 'the new quality'. I'd like to hear from other TR 3 uses.

Are there any T3 owners out there that have not had problems over time that would like to share their thoughts? I have a T3 and have that sinking (no pun) feeling. I also have one of the 2nd generation Lairds (11fter) that compressed and needed many repairs. Still use it as it surfs really well. I think my old Jimmy Lewis boards were very well built. Even an old Angulo I had. Dropped it on the rail on to concrete. Bounced back up I caught it. Just a very small mark on the rail.

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supsean said..
Sorry to hear about the soft boards. My xxx construction seems so solid (knock on wood) that I cannot imagine the frustration of. new construction. The moral of this story get a custom. xxx balsa construction? Rick any input on this?

I have been following the thread and paying attention to the replies.
The quality of build is super important to me and the whole Sunova crew.
there is no benefit to me if I say TR3 is great.
if I thought it sucked, I would simply recommend only XXX

I am super stoked they were able to offer boards at the same price they have since 2015. TR3 allowed them to do that.

XXX prices had to increase, because it is simply too labor intensive, so I was glad when they updated their Eco Tec into TR3 to keep an affordable option on all models at the original Sunova price
I ran my first TR3's through the ringer before I would recommend it. my TR3's
8'10 Placid June 2020
9'0 Flash Dec 2020
9'0 Flow 2.0 Dec 2020
10'2 ONE March 2021

Zero issues with any of them.
No dings, dents or cracks.. just good solid boards
they sit in my van in Florida sun half the year and experience freezing temps in New England.

All my TR3's still look new. I freaking love them! Lighter than XXX Balsa, and surf the same IMO, My IMac is in a coma, so no pictures, but I have plenty of videos on my YouTube channel, if you want to look at my boards for signs of damage.
Not sure if any of my TR3 deck pads have lifted anywhere, but that has happened on several XXX Sunova's through the years. I just re-glue them.

I have personally sold many TR3 and only one had an issue, which was rectified by Sunova.

I am hoping that these problems that you may have experienced are limited. as always, If you have serious issues, please ask your dealer, we are all interested in providing the best quality in performance and construction.

pray for surf. I'll see you when my computer issues are solved!
peace

Starboard suffered a similar problem a couple of seasons back, they changed their construction and design, they were absolute crap. Thankfully they saw the errors of their ways, repented asked forgiveness and brought back the earlier construction materials and construction.
if as many sanovas are as bad as it sounds then you would hope they too will listen

Had a bad experience with a tr3 placid it snapped I repaired it and then it creased. Went to Starboard afterwards cos of there emphasis on quality build, and its been handled way more heavier beatings no worries compared. My sunova experience made me put structural integrity as a major factor into board choice cos decent surf capable sups carry a hefty price tag and I'm just a poo average wage slave that needs a board that is good enough to last as a keeper or for a resell.

I've gotta agree with Creek. Over the years I've accumulated 4 Sunova's. A Speed, STEEZE, Style and most recently a TR3 Placid. I added the Placid to the quiver in early January and have ridden it regularly since. No problems whatsoever. Plus, it's a great board, and has definitely become my "go to" ride. I hope the problems others have experienced are "anomalies" as Sunova's have been some of the best SUPs I've owned!! Tim

..I should add last week I took off after a long session almost got home when bingo the board blew off the car!! I forgot to fix it down in my old age state.. it landed in the middle of the road, expecting the worst I snatched it off the road before a car could run over it. On close inspection there were only a couple of minor paint chips on the nose nothing worse than that. I have had it out since and no problems. So the old girl had a fairly big wack on the tarmac and came through with stars...TR3 finish...

Hey Guys,

We came across this topic last night and immediately wanted to weigh in from our official side, as we take all such matters, especially about the quality super seriously. Quality as you know is in fact the reason we are in business and that's not about to change. Tino asked that we join in here right away and thus we came up with this together.

Firstly, we'd like to say that we are very affected to see customers having issues with our products. Of course, that's not really something we are used to, as we try to focus most of our efforts on making the highest quality products possible.

Secondly, we aren't a massive company trying to make as much money as possible, by cutting costs and corners. We own, operate, and manufacture everything in our own production facility here in Khao Lak Thailand, right near the ocean. We are in business for the passion and lifestyle, and because we love to see people enjoying the products we create, not the $$. If that was the case we wouldn't be in this "industry". Obviously, nothing is always sunshine, thus we are here to find out what seems wrong.

Thirdly, If anyone is having issues with their board we would love to know it right away. You can direct message us here, to Dylan or Tino or email to dylan@sunovasurfboards.com.

In short: TR3 was introduced as an alternative to the XXX balsa construction, not because we wanted to make a cheaper or inferior product, but because we wanted to stay in a reasonable price range and provide a product we believe suits most of our customers. We hadn't really increased prices before and trust us we thought hard about it. But between material price, shipping costs, and exchange rate against us it had to be done. And on top of that, we kept the XXX in the range with a realistic price for the product. Balsa has been increasingly hard to source in recent years, when it is possible to find and locate it's really hard to get in consistent densities, with increasing prices (at least tripled) and inconsistent supply we had to look for alternative options. We looked towards Paulownia as a more consistent product with fewer anomalies. It's a timber we ran on our ecotec boards for 4 years successfully, with an issue rate of less than 0.5%. Basically none.

If you haven't already you can also read more about TR3 vs XXX and why here: sunovasurfboards.com/en/events/tr3-tec_intropage

I personally have been based at the factory for the last 5 years and can say that improving production systems is constantly and continuously happening, our quality control is better than it has ever been. We work every day with our amazing team (all crazy fans of the product) to push forward to the next level. This also includes slowly increasing our output capacity, due to the amazing success of the boards we achieved and you guys allowed us.

We don't use cheaper or different materials or cut corners in our TR3 vs XXX boards. All the foam, fibre, reinforcements, and resin are consistent through both tecs. The only difference in materials between the two is the wood. Paulownia vs Balsa. The paulownia will appear to mark a little easier on the outside VS the balsa as it appears darker, therefore white scars or marks are more visible. The paulownia has in fact better impact strength and that is a reason we use it as the only option on the race boards.

Therefore we appreciate even a seemingly "bad" post for us and use the opportunity to make it better. This softening and compression or complete collapsing of the deck area is not an issue we have had or heard of a lot. But it's something that we would urge anyone who has experienced it to contact us about. If you were a bigger person you could possibly expect some subtle welling in the standing area after extensive use, but from this post, it seems there are customers out there with far greater issues. We would love to hear from you if this is something that relates.

Once again, thank you for your constant support. Tino and Dylan from SUNOVA in Thailand.@ The Board Factory Co., Ltd.

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juniorburger said..
Hey Guys,

We came across this topic last night and immediately wanted to weigh in from our official side, as we take all such matters, especially about the quality super seriously. Quality as you know is in fact the reason we are in business and that's not about to change. Tino asked that we join in here right away and thus we came up with this together.

Firstly, we'd like to say that we are very affected to see customers having issues with our products. Of course, that's not really something we are used to, as we try to focus most of our efforts on making the highest quality products possible.

Secondly, we aren't a massive company trying to make as much money as possible, by cutting costs and corners. We own, operate, and manufacture everything in our own production facility here in Khao Lak Thailand, right near the ocean. We are in business for the passion and lifestyle, and because we love to see people enjoying the products we create, not the $$. If that was the case we wouldn't be in this "industry". Obviously, nothing is always sunshine, thus we are here to find out what seems wrong.

Thirdly, If anyone is having issues with their board we would love to know it right away. You can direct message us here, to Dylan or Tino or email to dylan@sunovasurfboards.com.

In short: TR3 was introduced as an alternative to the XXX balsa construction, not because we wanted to make a cheaper or inferior product, but because we wanted to stay in a reasonable price range and provide a product we believe suits most of our customers. We hadn't really increased prices before and trust us we thought hard about it. But between material price, shipping costs, and exchange rate against us it had to be done. And on top of that, we kept the XXX in the range with a realistic price for the product. Balsa has been increasingly hard to source in recent years, when it is possible to find and locate it's really hard to get in consistent densities, with increasing prices (at least tripled) and inconsistent supply we had to look for alternative options. We looked towards Paulownia as a more consistent product with fewer anomalies. It's a timber we ran on our ecotec boards for 4 years successfully, with an issue rate of less than 0.5%. Basically none.

If you haven't already you can also read more about TR3 vs XXX and why here: sunovasurfboards.com/en/events/tr3-tec_intropage

I personally have been based at the factory for the last 5 years and can say that improving production systems is constantly and continuously happening, our quality control is better than it has ever been. We work every day with our amazing team (all crazy fans of the product) to push forward to the next level. This also includes slowly increasing our output capacity, due to the amazing success of the boards we achieved and you guys allowed us.

We don't use cheaper or different materials or cut corners in our TR3 vs XXX boards. All the foam, fibre, reinforcements, and resin are consistent through both tecs. The only difference in materials between the two is the wood. Paulownia vs Balsa. The paulownia will appear to mark a little easier on the outside VS the balsa as it appears darker, therefore white scars or marks are more visible. The paulownia has in fact better impact strength and that is a reason we use it as the only option on the race boards.

Therefore we appreciate even a seemingly "bad" post for us and use the opportunity to make it better. This softening and compression or complete collapsing of the deck area is not an issue we have had or heard of a lot. But it's something that we would urge anyone who has experienced it to contact us about. If you were a bigger person you could possibly expect some subtle welling in the standing area after extensive use, but from this post, it seems there are customers out there with far greater issues. We would love to hear from you if this is something that relates.

Once again, thank you for your constant support. Tino and Dylan from SUNOVA in Thailand.@ The Board Factory Co., Ltd.

Junior

Thanks so much for jumping in. I have had four Sunova XXX tech boards that have been both beautiful and durable. The two I sold held their value on resale. A TR3 Placid is now on order. When I had a board damaged in shipping, the dealer laid my fears to rest with "Sunova is a great company and don't mess around." I had a replacement board in three weeks. I am confident that if there is a significant issue with my new TR3 Placid that Sunova will deal with it.

Cheers

Bob

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juniorburger said..
Hey Guys,

We came across this topic last night and immediately wanted to weigh in from our official side, as we take all such matters, especially about the quality super seriously. Quality as you know is in fact the reason we are in business and that's not about to change. Tino asked that we join in here right away and thus we came up with this together.

Firstly, we'd like to say that we are very affected to see customers having issues with our products. Of course, that's not really something we are used to, as we try to focus most of our efforts on making the highest quality products possible.

Secondly, we aren't a massive company trying to make as much money as possible, by cutting costs and corners. We own, operate, and manufacture everything in our own production facility here in Khao Lak Thailand, right near the ocean. We are in business for the passion and lifestyle, and because we love to see people enjoying the products we create, not the $$. If that was the case we wouldn't be in this "industry". Obviously, nothing is always sunshine, thus we are here to find out what seems wrong.

Thirdly, If anyone is having issues with their board we would love to know it right away. You can direct message us here, to Dylan or Tino or email to dylan@sunovasurfboards.com.

In short: TR3 was introduced as an alternative to the XXX balsa construction, not because we wanted to make a cheaper or inferior product, but because we wanted to stay in a reasonable price range and provide a product we believe suits most of our customers. We hadn't really increased prices before and trust us we thought hard about it. But between material price, shipping costs, and exchange rate against us it had to be done. And on top of that, we kept the XXX in the range with a realistic price for the product. Balsa has been increasingly hard to source in recent years, when it is possible to find and locate it's really hard to get in consistent densities, with increasing prices (at least tripled) and inconsistent supply we had to look for alternative options. We looked towards Paulownia as a more consistent product with fewer anomalies. It's a timber we ran on our ecotec boards for 4 years successfully, with an issue rate of less than 0.5%. Basically none.

If you haven't already you can also read more about TR3 vs XXX and why here: sunovasurfboards.com/en/events/tr3-tec_intropage

I personally have been based at the factory for the last 5 years and can say that improving production systems is constantly and continuously happening, our quality control is better than it has ever been. We work every day with our amazing team (all crazy fans of the product) to push forward to the next level. This also includes slowly increasing our output capacity, due to the amazing success of the boards we achieved and you guys allowed us.

We don't use cheaper or different materials or cut corners in our TR3 vs XXX boards. All the foam, fibre, reinforcements, and resin are consistent through both tecs. The only difference in materials between the two is the wood. Paulownia vs Balsa. The paulownia will appear to mark a little easier on the outside VS the balsa as it appears darker, therefore white scars or marks are more visible. The paulownia has in fact better impact strength and that is a reason we use it as the only option on the race boards.

Therefore we appreciate even a seemingly "bad" post for us and use the opportunity to make it better. This softening and compression or complete collapsing of the deck area is not an issue we have had or heard of a lot. But it's something that we would urge anyone who has experienced it to contact us about. If you were a bigger person you could possibly expect some subtle welling in the standing area after extensive use, but from this post, it seems there are customers out there with far greater issues. We would love to hear from you if this is something that relates.

Once again, thank you for your constant support. Tino and Dylan from SUNOVA in Thailand.@ The Board Factory Co., Ltd.

Really great to hear. As I have stated in a previous post, I have three XXX surf Sup Sunova's and they are excellent in both performance and construction. I have had my Style for over 6 years and it's in great condition. Have not experienced TR3 construction but have been considering a Placid at some point. I must say, I was concerned on reading the posts but I am really pleased to hear Sunova have the same philosophy and commitment to both their boards, construction and the customer. ??????

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backbeach said..
... put structural integrity as a major factor into board choice ...

+1000

And to keep in mind when you see people having a fit about some paint chips.

This has happened again!,,a complaint about a product,IMO There must be a problem with manufacture/ construction / materials /quality control,and again team riders .ambassadors. company owners.all bias in there opinion try and make like all is good,because they are trying so hard,and will address all complaints..BS.The thing that is really sus IMO they do not disclose there interest in there threads

In terms of the XXX Tec ..
The Sunova XXX Tecs are strong but do mark easier than my other boards in terms of small glass shatters and glass scratches due to paddle knocks . But in terms of structural integrity the XXX seem pretty solid. Strangely enough my oldest XXX Tec seems to be the most durable (Acid 91) in terms of superficial markings . In terms of durability against superficial
markings I have found my Starboard Pro in starlite construction, and ECS Slab more robust (to superficial markings ) but at a heavier weight for size . That's where you have to consider compromise between weight and strength and durability . If you are an intermediate hack like me then board will cop some marks. The aforementioned boards do not perform as nicely on the wave as the Sunovas . I find the Sunovas feel like butter on the wave whereas the other boards are more bumpy

I totally agree about the early xxx.but I suspect xxx construction was altered pre tr3,as some of the xxx snapped board images suggest,the balsa appears paper thin and not the thickness they state on the tech blurb!..(this is just a personal observation from the images posted) Do the team riders and Ambassadors get the same construction as us punters ? And will they declare there affiliation with the company in there future posts ! Because not every forum user is up to date with the current company Pimps for all brands,not just Sunova

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justaddwater said..
I totally agree about the early xxx.but I suspect xxx construction was altered pre tr3,as some of the xxx snapped board images suggest,the balsa appears paper thin and not the thickness they state on the tech blurb!..(this is just a personal observation from the images posted) Do the team riders and Ambassadors get the same construction as us punters ? And will they declare there affiliation with the company in there future posts ! Because not every forum user is up to date with the current company Pimps for all brands,not just Sunova

Sunova offer lighter weight construction than std eg. Vaporlite that most pro's would use, it is an option for anyone who wants it on a custom - it uses thinner glass cloth to save quite a bit of weight.

Have you seen how thin PVC is on other brands' boards (which most use instead of Balsa / Paulownia)? It is just as thin. I split a rail on my Smik just by putting it onto my lockrack...

Snapping a board in 2 can happen to any board when put into the wrong position. Coming in through a heavy shorebreak with a thin 10ft SUP is asking for trouble regardless of who made the board. I've seen more Naish Nalu Carbon's snap in half than any other board.

I've had 5 Sunova's, with a couple of them being customs. All X-tec. Never had one issue that was because of a manufacturing defect. On my longboard Sunova Sup, i've had a little welling on where my feet are placed, but i'm a heavy guy and i've had my board out in the water for 400+ days. Totally reasonable.

I've seen foot wells in Starboards that are 3 weeks old, have seen sanded through glass on numerous other brands... none of them are perfect. People rave about JL boards quality (i think their boards are sweet also), but their deck pads are slippery as IMO. Infinity and OneSup are made at the same factory as JL with arguably better deckpads...

Anyway, Thanks Dylan for the reply for the forum members. I'm sure you'll look after whoever needs to be looked after.

3 years on my flash vs 12 months on the placid. Placid certainly looks more battle weary most is superficial rails don't look great though compared to the flash.

Deck wise both have compressions, placid maybe a little more so. I'm A big unit at 100kg. Neither more than I would expect though

Looking at the pics makes me wonder, why don't people just use rail-saver tape?? I also put electrical tape on my paddle edges. I SUP on average at least 3 times a week and have for years. I've got boards going back at least 10 years that have been used hundreds of times that still look great. A little care and prevention goes a long way.. and you easily recoup the cost when you sell the boards..... Just saying??!!! The

Ok there's one way to settle this, Mr Sunova or any ambassadors send me any of your high performance 90-100 ltr boards, preferably the SP genration and I'll run it through the ringer and give feedback in a few months
No affiliation with anyone
not sponsored
no endorsements

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Hoppo3228 said..

justaddwater said..
I totally agree about the early xxx.but I suspect xxx construction was altered pre tr3,as some of the xxx snapped board images suggest,the balsa appears paper thin and not the thickness they state on the tech blurb!..(this is just a personal observation from the images posted) Do the team riders and Ambassadors get the same construction as us punters ? And will they declare there affiliation with the company in there future posts ! Because not every forum user is up to date with the current company Pimps for all brands,not just Sunova

Sunova offer lighter weight construction than std eg. Vaporlite that most pro's would use, it is an option for anyone who wants it on a custom - it uses thinner glass cloth to save quite a bit of weight.

Have you seen how thin PVC is on other brands' boards (which most use instead of Balsa / Paulownia)? It is just as thin. I split a rail on my Smik just by putting it onto my lockrack...

Snapping a board in 2 can happen to any board when put into the wrong position. Coming in through a heavy shorebreak with a thin 10ft SUP is asking for trouble regardless of who made the board. I've seen more Naish Nalu Carbon's snap in half than any other board.

I've had 5 Sunova's, with a couple of them being customs. All X-tec. Never had one issue that was because of a manufacturing defect. On my longboard Sunova Sup, i've had a little welling on where my feet are placed, but i'm a heavy guy and i've had my board out in the water for 400+ days. Totally reasonable.

I've seen foot wells in Starboards that are 3 weeks old, have seen sanded through glass on numerous other brands... none of them are perfect. People rave about JL boards quality (i think their boards are sweet also), but their deck pads are slippery as IMO. Infinity and OneSup are made at the same factory as JL with arguably better deckpads...

Anyway, Thanks Dylan for the reply for the forum members. I'm sure you'll look after whoever needs to be looked after.

Noz the starboard you mention are they the carbon pro or older than 2017 and the Infinity definitely are a great unit which equal starboard for strength and use ON A MISSION deck grip

I have a custom Vaporlite construction 2021 custom. It's super light and upto now, and after a lot of hours on the water looks brand new.

I also have a TR3 9 ft Revolution and that's holding up fine so far with no problems. (Superb board btw)

phil

I had or still have F one , Smik, Naish, Gong, Starboard, Sunova,Infinity,Fanatic boards and to be honest the XXX tech sunova are unmatched in term of strenght IMHO...only the Infinity quality seems to match it ( i should do a post just on their strenght )...all my Sunova are XXX tech (just like the look of it! ) , i do take care of the boards but i understand that structural issues can be a reality on a given batch of boards , just lucky maybe but i will buy the next one in XXX tech as im happy with the 3 boards i still use today...

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anchorpoint said..
just lucky maybe

My opinion is that each of us somewhat make our own luck.

What I mean is that bad batches exist (for everything, even cars), and sometimes it is not obvious enough to get a refund (or maybe just bad luck). And faced with this, one can either just resell it and get another, and forget about it, and just enjoy the "cleaned up" quiver. Or one can nurture a grievance for months, harassing people in a quest of some ill-defined vindication, and making oneself miserable.

The first person will just consider himself/herself lucky, and the second one unlucky. And we can of course be each of them at different times. I know I had let myself get angry when I was younger, it only punishes oneself.

But that's just my opinion...

In theory I agree with what you have said Colas, just that when you're told how good something is and it costs a fair bit and then it doesn't meet your expectations I guess you feel ripped off. Of course when we talk surfboards and surf sups you come to the realisation sometimes it's how hard or how well you treat your gear.
I certainly feel for anyone that breaks a board but sometimes sheet happens.