Wow, it's a revolution not evolution.
Completely different from my 2014 GX.
Tons of rocker, all the volume up the front.
Really thinned out at the tail.
Sold my 2014 this morning and the 2015 is in the house ![]()
Pictures to follow.
Kept my Naish bag from the old glide, fits the new glide.
Though the new boofy nose is a bugga to get in.
Definitely feels heavier that the V3, 13.4kg with the fin.

...
New Javelin is definitely great looking board. "Tons of rocker" makes me still little bit confused... as I am looking for a board for flat water use. Have I missed somethingbut is new javelin still designed for flat water ... or more ocean/dw use? I paddle mostly in glassy lakes, so maybe I should be looking for a regular piercing nose boards?
...
the difference is huge.
Mmmmmmm... rocker.
A no rocker, displacement board excels in pure flat and chop that isn't much more than nose-high. After that it's less fun. Upwind in overnose high chop there's quickly 5-25+ litres (which is 1 Kilogramm) of water on deck. Not fast. Downwind you can jump back and keep the nose out if you're good but you aren't going get a real (surfy) steer if there isn't rocker. You could pivot if you are even better. If you aren't so good and the nose catches it's a lottery which way the board will veer. Lot's of swimming isn't fast either.
A rocker board or a "Sprinkler" board, one with a a slight V or rounding under the nose, like this Javelin, are frankly just as much fun to ride on flat and light chop. But better in anything over nose-high chop.
The Javelin may yet to be confirmed to be very fast on flats too.
I'm in NZ, but seem to be about $100 more than last year.
Which is very good.
Did you consider carbon? What was the main reason u went for the GX?
I'm in NZ, but seem to be about $100 more than last year.
Which is very good.
Did you consider carbon? What was the main reason u went for the GX?
Two thousand reasons, $2000 more ![]()
I'm in NZ, but seem to be about $100 more than last year.
Which is very good.
Did you consider carbon? What was the main reason u went for the GX?
There's a few reasons why I ordered the GX instead of the LE.
It's a fair bit cheaper and still the same shape.. (the main reason)
It doesn't have all that black so you don't need to worry so much about your board to get very hot in the summer heat.
Being a bigger and heavier person I find the lighter carbon LE boards flex more and don't feel as solid.
Also the GX construction is more durable against bumps and knocks.
I've also found that even though lighter boards accelerate slightly quicker they also tend to decelerate quicker and a heavier board tends to carry it's momentum better.. I think this has a slight advantage over a lighter board once you've caught a runner.
For me the biggest advantage of these super light boards like the LE's is lifting them on and off the roof of the car.. but you need to be careful if the board is sitting on the sand and gust of wind hits.. It's more likely to go flipping down the beach with you running after it..
So.. IMO.. Super light weight is nice.. but it's not all good.. ![]()
Hey Yugi,
I am convinced the new 2015 Jav is considerably faster on the flat. I recently took the 14' x 26" LE round our SUP 5.0 time trial and absolutely smashed my previous time by 1:35 (which was on a 2014 Jav LE 14' x 26"), these conditions were what I would call dead flat, biggest waves/chop were from other paddlers. Definitely worth taking one for a spinn, they are very different to paddle and it will take you a while to get your sweet spot sorted, but once your there, hang one tight!
Ride safe,
JB
I'm in NZ, but seem to be about $100 more than last year.
Which is very good.
Did you consider carbon? What was the main reason u went for the GX?
There's a few reasons why I ordered the GX instead of the LE.
It's a fair bit cheaper and still the same shape.. (the main reason)
It doesn't have all that black so you don't need to worry so much about your board to get very hot in the summer heat.
Being a bigger and heavier person I find the lighter carbon LE boards flex more and don't feel as solid.
Also the GX construction is more durable against bumps and knocks.
I've also found that even though lighter boards accelerate slightly quicker they also tend to decelerate quicker and a heavier board tends to carry it's momentum better.. I think this has a slight advantage over a lighter board once you've caught a runner.
For me the biggest advantage of these super light boards like the LE's is lifting them on and off the roof of the car.. but you need to be careful if the board is sitting on the sand and gust of wind hits.. It's more likely to go flipping down the beach with you running after it..
So.. IMO.. Super light weight is nice.. but it's not all good.. ![]()
According to Michi the lay-up on the new LE's has improved stiffness. Otherwise agree with all your points except perhaps for the momentum argument...I feel a heavier board pushes more water which negates any gravitational advantages, but not too sure honestly.
How stable are these new Javelins, like compared to 2014 ones?
I'm currently doing my DW apprenticeship on a JL M14 x28". I was thinking a logical progression would be a Javelin 14' x26 maybe next year. I'm at ease in 40 to 45 kn downwinders and happily paddle in all conditions, like upwind in 30kn. Me 5'11", 175 lbs. Elite skier.
I'd always assumed that narrower is faster, and of course better to paddle. x26 looked like the obvious compromise between flat water speed, sane chop handling and downwind screaming. In another year I figured I'd be comfortable on a x26. Is this still true for this board or is the x28 so damn fast on flat and chop that it may be the better allrounder? Downwind planing and grin factor is what it's all about, but in a good DW gang speed is also an issue.
Sweet looking ride D. If you ever wash up on Waiheke on it and need food and shelter get in touch!
Too true.
Let's arrange to catch up before too long.
Easy to come over on the ferry.
Planning a trip to see a friend on Rakino over the summer. Nice paddle from Bucklands.
I'm in NZ, but seem to be about $100 more than last year.
Which is very good.
Did you consider carbon? What was the main reason u went for the GX?
Two thousand reasons, $2000 more ![]()
From my searching so far, carbon model here is about $700.00 more...( auz )
Desflurane said..
Sweet looking ride D. If you ever wash up on Waiheke on it and need food and shelter get in touch!
Too true.
Let's arrange to catch up before too long.
Easy to come over on the ferry.
Planning a trip to see a friend on Rakino over the summer. Nice paddle from Bucklands.
windara said..
From my searching so far, carbon model here is about $700.00 more...( auz )
Sounds good. Let me know how she rides off the wind.
Think its camera angle.
First paddle on it tomorrow at first light.
Going to be a bit chilly, water is 15 but air is going to be quite a bit less.
Ok, ride report
First light and only a gentle ripple.
Tippy, very tippy !
Background, just come off a V3 GX (29")Glide, had a V2 (27") Glide for a month earlier this year.
Feels tippier than the V2
Not all bad though, the tippyness seems to be an initial thing, primary stability, never appears to translate into a fall.
So I reckon secondary stability is all good.
The owner of the shop I bought it from was in the party, he paddled it and thought it was also tippy.
I'm putting it down to the 7" rails, 2 inches more than the V3.
Once acclimatised all in the party reckon it was quicker than the V3, certainly feels speedier.
After 30 mins, wind picked up and in conjunction with outgoing tide we got some small to medium chop.
No problems at all, almost picked up a runner or two. Poked the nose under a few times and she just tracked true.
Looking forward to more time on her.
The 26 felt tippy.. or the 28 felt tippy?
Sorry, thought that looked confusing
Have edited for clarity.
The 28" felt tippy.