I am keen to get a blak box2 hyfi, but not sure on volume, as you mention about 'over volume' on epoxy boards. I was wondering which size 5 11 you have and how much do you weigh? I am 5' 8" 75 kgs and was thinking either smaller 5 10 or bigger 5 9. Will use it for small to medium waves. Just wondering if you have any thoughts or advise.

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Rich76 said...
I am keen to get a blak box2 hyfi, but not sure on volume, as you mention about 'over volume' on epoxy boards. I was wondering which size 5 11 you have and how much do you weigh? I am 5' 8" 75 kgs and was thinking either smaller 5 10 or bigger 5 9. Will use it for small to medium waves. Just wondering if you have any thoughts or advise.

I ride a 5'8" 26.4 litre board. It's the low volume 5'8". I'm 75kg 5'9". Grab one similar to your normal dimensioned board. Depends how you surf, but both those boards should have plenty of foam in them for you. Go and pick them up in the shop, and put them under your arm. You might be able to 'feel' your answer.

Thanks for your advise, my current board is 28.6 litres I just wasn't sure if the hyfi boards have extra bouyancy being eps foam, I have held the 5'10" and it felt good but maybe slightly chunky due to the width. My local doesn't have the 5'9" so I would have to order online. I'm in NZ so these boards are slightly harder to get hold of. I think a little extra foam would help for smaller days but hinder on bigger days.

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Rich76 said...
Thanks for your advise, my current board is 28.6 litres I just wasn't sure if the hyfi boards have extra bouyancy being eps foam, I have held the 5'10" and it felt good but maybe slightly chunky due to the width. My local doesn't have the 5'9" so I would have to order online. I'm in NZ so these boards are slightly harder to get hold of. I think a little extra foam would help for smaller days but hinder on bigger days.

Hinder on bigger days?

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Rich76 said..
Thanks for your advise, my current board is 28.6 litres I just wasn't sure if the hyfi boards have extra bouyancy being eps foam, I have held the 5'10" and it felt good but maybe slightly chunky due to the width. My local doesn't have the 5'9" so I would have to order online. I'm in NZ so these boards are slightly harder to get hold of. I think a little extra foam would help for smaller days but hinder on bigger days.

Did you go and see Euan at Blitz in Gissy...personally I have never found extra foam a hinderance when it gets bigger but then again if its get bigger I'm probably not riding something that starts with 6 anyway

I'm in Wellington, I see blitz has some hyfi's but they only have the bigger sizes. I wouldn't be using this board in more solid surf, I have a DHD sweet spot 2.0 which is a really good board for bigger waves, the extra weight makes it feel really solid. I meant when the waves get a bit untidy, I find a bit too much bouyancy a problem, especially with epoxy boards

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Rich76 said..
I'm in Wellington, I see blitz has some hyfi's but they only have the bigger sizes. I wouldn't be using this board in more solid surf, I have a DHD sweet spot 2.0 which is a really good board for bigger waves, the extra weight makes it feel really solid. I meant when the waves get a bit untidy, I find a bit too much bouyancy a problem, especially with epoxy boards

Agreed

Does anyone know how Hyfi holds up? Stringerless EPS can be strong (wont ding easily) but subject to snapping. LFT for example is notorious for this.

^^^
I can safely say it can't be any less strong then a PU JS !!

I've seen the decks of them after a few surfs and they look at fragile as fine china

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Ctngoodvibes said..
^^^
I can safely say it can't be any less strong then a PU JS !!

Bit harsh on JS boards I reckon, Unless you ask for a custom heavy glass job all the top labels are much of much. I have had nine JS boards, snapped 1 but all the rest apart from wear and tear have been pretty good. I still have and surf one of the original Kingpins which has been through the wars but still going.

As for the HIFI mine is now over 8 months old. I have surfed it plenty in everything from heavy beachies to a couple of solid days at Nusa Dua and fun sized down south. Still going. As I mentioned in a previous post the deck caved pretty quick to a point and then stopped, hasn't got any worse.

These boards are insane in my opinion so regardless of how long they last I'll get another.

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bene313 said..
Does anyone know how Hyfi holds up? Stringerless EPS can be strong (wont ding easily) but subject to snapping. LFT for example is notorious for this.

The board in photo is a new one after handing my old one back. (exactly same dimensions) The old one was still bright white had foot dents under front foot after heavy use (same as PU would get), but definetly not fragile. I've heard of some getting creased; but so do many pu boards unless you glass them up. This is a lightweight high performance board. Go custom if you are looking for indestructibility, but there will always be a trade off weight to performance.

^ For sure Pearl.

I will be going custom for my next board. I'm not looking for indestructible though. My 5'1 Vader snapped after 8 weeks and there are many similar LFT reports.

I have snapped plenty of PU though.

Maybe JS have a better formula for stringerless EPS, I don't know. But the cost of replacement is rising for these new constructions. If they're just as strong as PU and need to be replaced as regularly what's the point? The point is, of course, to drive revenue for the big board companies.

Indestructible board - terrible business model! But to charge more for the same product, great business!

Seriously - what makes hyfi better than pu? Why pay the premium? I can read the marketing blurb. I'm interested in user feedback.

Also can anyone comment on water intake? Hyfi uses open cell EPS right?

Most of the pros use PU.

And I don't believe most recreational surfers are good enough for there to be any significant performance drop in a decent glass job.

I concur with the drip.

What about lost carbon wrap?

I do agree that for most people, myself definitely included, would not really notice much of a performance drop jumping from a high tech epoxy to a heavier PU but for me its more about trying whats out there.
I've surfed on and off now for 30 or so years and when I first started it was either with a fat twinny or a anorexic banana shaped thruster and bugger all else (single fins were old school). The variety of shapes and technologies currently available is incredible and if someone had told me way back then that one of my favorite boards would be an obese little 5'6" epoxy sweet potato i would have laughed at them.
Hyfi's or any of the current epoxies may well end up going the way of mullet haircuts and goat boats but that's evolution i suppose, and good or bad at least you can say that you had a bash at it yourself

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Maybe I'm a bit biased as we make an epoxy resin, but epoxy is just that, a resin..

So many people get confused on what it is and that is our own industry's fault. Epoxy is a better resin than poly but more expensive.

People also think that epoxy can only be used with EPS blanks (again our own industry's fault) but if you want a PU blank and use Epoxy resin you will get a stronger version of your normal board.

Kelly was doing that for years with CI.

A few shapers in Australia has now jumped on board and I think a few more will do the same ,as the customer are wanting that the boards last longer and the educated ones will pay the extra . Don't get me wrong I love the feel of an EPS/Epoxy board and almost ride this exclusively, but understand the guys who want the feel of their normal boards but wants it to last longer than the norm

Apparently S glass is hard to source these days and difficult to work with.

I have a couple of old S glass boards and they are bulletproof. If you have seen the E and S glass side by side unlaminated it's easy to see why S glass is better.

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bene313 said...
Also can anyone comment on water intake? Hyfi uses open cell EPS right?

All epoxy foam, you should leave the water if you ding it in the water. Saw a FireWire the other day in for repair that owner had surfed with leaking rail. That timber rail strip was like dry rot around the whole board. The new epoxy fine cell blanks don't suck water like the old ones, but still will yellow after repair.

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pearl said..

bene313 said...
Also can anyone comment on water intake? Hyfi uses open cell EPS right?

All epoxy foam, you should leave the water if you ding it in the water. Saw a FireWire the other day in for repair that owner had surfed with leaking rail. That timber rail strip was like dry rot around the whole board. The new epoxy fine cell blanks don't suck water like the old ones, but still will yellow after repair.

EPS - Foam
Epoxy - Resin

Epoxy resin can be used with all types of foams...
EPS foam can only be used with Epoxy resin as poly resin eats it.

^^^true thanks^^^. Dumbed down grammar by me. Not sure whether it is eps or a form of xps in the hi fi. Either way and no matter what companies call their tech, PU handles water damage better.

The Hyfi is made in Thailand apparently?
Actually from a reliable source heard that quality of them is pretty good.

I've got a 6'1 black box 3 round I'm 5'9 and 85 kg and it goes insane up to 4 ft... loose fast and a great wave catcher

This is the wash up... maybe like my 20th surf this happened in 1-2ft beach break... The board was ok a thruster... heaps better as a quad but to break like this, in the surf i was in ? Ordinary... $1000 for a throw away. Ive got two custom boards from EMERY back in 2012, one PU one Epoxy and both ridden 100's of times and they're still going strong.
I tried to contact JS via email, phone and FB... they don't want to know.

How did it happen ? it almost looks like de-lamination where your front foot placement is

off brand..heard of a tomo sci fi snapping whilst fairly new, after taking it back to the shop where bought from got another
at cost price....Gary McNeill PU glass jobs easily the best I have had (chalk and cheese when compared to a JS I had and same weight)

Got the annesley carbon epoxy construction and it's probably held up the best of any board I've owned

Same as kiz21.
Blak Box II epoxy 5'11 had 5 surfs on it, snapped it in 3ft beach break when I kicked out and a wave broke across it.
Spoke to the local shop and JS and they organised another board, lasted 2 months, folded it in 2ft beach break on a floater, landed it, felt kind of weird and noticed it immediately.
Both in the same place, across the front foot.

btw I am 6ft, 80kg.

Not impressed