Stability probably better than jp wb but they are both very stable. All depends on how much water is moving as we are having spring tides with a 2.3m difference. I haven't had a nice clean day yet, been lots off cross chop and tide.
Size wise I think its spot on. The smaller one would be a lot more effort and thats not what i want. I want to keep energy for catching and riding waves not having to use on keeping balance.
Construction wise I think the AST seem pretty good with a nice solid feel but the wood would have been nice but it was another $400.
Will put new fins on tomorrow and hopefully get those feet moving to control the speed. Heaps faster than JP WB. 
Thanks Brusier
wondering if there are any lightweights out there that have ridden this board? I'm thinking of getting one to replace my JP WB 8'2x32. Logic would suggest the 7'8 would be big enough for my 77kg, but I want to make sure I get a size that is a least as stable as the JP because it will be used for the choppy/windy days. I have smaller boards for the clean days, so looking for something stable, compact & fun for Gold Coast conditions
cheers
Hi Brusier. Nice to read. I was thinking to buy a SB AB or JP WB 8.8 but the HN seems to be a better choice after reading all these posts (only the shape of the HN not so sexy...). The HN seems to be more nervous than these boards and still very stable. I am riding now a 130 liters SB Pocket Rocket but struggling in chops. Just like you I would like to count more waves, thus seeking more stability.
Did you replace only the side fins ?
Anyway I will take the wood version and do see they are all light core - good enough I guess.
replaced all the fins as they were all plastics. I thought it was only the back 2 that were supposed to be , no big deal as I brought a quad set.
Pretty glassy today and tide was picking up the swells and closing out. Still caught some more waves and really think that this little board is the business. Turns so quickly and is very fast cf JP WB. A surfer said to me "thats a small paddle board" :-) and I replied saying "it might be too small". I think it is just right.
I actually almost did a hang 10 as well. Just waiting for some puncher waves to really go for it
Ive had my 8.0 Hp out all week with the big swell we have in vic ATM & Man This boards Unbelievable ..
I chucked a set of jackson close fins in and it held no worries on some easy double over head at posso's .. Was super fast too .. Didn't cop 1 on the head ..
I would love to eventually get down to the 7.8 . I could only imagine house loose that is ..
U do get bashed around getting out with the big nose and i reckon 25knts off shore been max for me until I start struggling to take off and get down the face ..
All in all best thing I've done is buy My HP .. Love it ..
Ps it nose ride really well too ...
@brusier. Do you think you could go on the 7.8 as well without loosing much stability ? I just watched the review of HN on supboarder and how incredibly stable they
rigth now i´m 90 kg and found the 7´8 super stable.
Only two sessión so far, the first one at first with perfect conditions and later with current and wind chop.
The second one with 18 knots cross wind, but near a jetty so it wasn{t so much chop.
Never fell once. felt as comfortable as my hokua 9´5
super stocked so far. Next monday there is a good swell for us (4-5 feet with 11 sec period) so i will give an update
have a nice weekend!!!!
4th session and gets better each time. Acceleration is great and going from section to section is a lot easier on the HN cf JP. Getting the turns sorted and just need to concentrate on getting the back foot back on kicker. Got weighed and I'm 102kg plus wetsuit probably 103kg or 104kg ? so right at max re starboard suggested weight range of 100kgs but its amazingly stable. I m realising Im having to paddle with a bit more depth to get board moving but can catch waves easily and it just takes off. What i have noticed is how quickly the ride os over and then realise how far I have gone. Its the difference in speed that is good. Coming from a windsurfing background I am use to the speed and I love going fast.
Also getting some proper fins also helped heaps to tighten it up. More control and not as twitchy.
So agree 100- % with MickChard and "All in all best thing I've done is buy My HP" . Stoked.
guys, last advice from you. I need to order very soon but still hesitating between wood and carbon for the HN 8'. I want to maximize my SUP sessions, I mean, catching a bunch of waves (mostly weak) with a few strokes only on sandy beach breaks. Does Carbon make the difference for this type of board ? Thx
Select to expand quoteolly73 said..
Hi Brusier. do you mean lateral stability ?
yes. And fore and aft pitching is ok as well.
Never had a carbon surf sup so can't help with this. I don't mind a bit of extra weight to save me a few $$ :-)
I know it sounds ridiculous but this little weight (1 kg maybe) in your board can make a difference in getting faster or catching quickly a wave with a few stroke. But I am wondering with this type of board which actually accelerates already quicker it worth it.
third sesión. SO STOCKED i cant belive it.
Today was the perfect day here in Uruguay. DOH vertical walls, glass, first in the wáter and then only with a prone surfer for an hour and a half.
Dialed the technique to catch waves? DONE! two strokes and you are in.
Does the HN holds big, fast, sucky waves? YES! impressed by its performance, you put yourself where ever you want, you have the speed nedeed.
What are you going to do now with you old Hokua? I DONT KNOW!!
As i said, only my third sesión. today i prove it in the bigger stuff that we can get here in Uruguay and it was incredible. I was supose to keep the houkua for the bigger days, but today it was so much fun.
You go down the line at full speed. Can drop vertical. Does anything better.
Stoked my 8footer is due to arrive on Friday of this week. So I will be in the surf on Saturday. I will be able to give a fairly good review and comparison on both from a larger guys point of view and according to the surf report my fav south coast beach will be off the richter
Thanks for the photos Brusier
I ordered a 7'8 AST yesterday without seeing one in the flesh.
Looks like a nicely finished board. Can't wait to get mine. 
My 7'8 is now up for sale as my 8 arrived today. I hope to get a surf in tomorrow on her
Your is a different color Bruiser ? or is that the ast construction ?
Looks sik ...
Have mine dialed for 3-5 ft take off's even on my back hand .. No sliding out at all with the JC quad set ..
Im so tempted to but your 7-8 Gregc ...
Riding my super 8.0 easy now ....
I took the 8 out this morning, WOW, super comfortable and super stable. The problem I had with the 7'8 is that I dont live on the coast and I dont get enough time on the board. I sit at around 99kg and although the 115l is super stable (for 115l) it was just too much hard work for me. Now I am on the 8 it is incredible. I dont notice any real change in the ability to chuck the board around. Paddling onto a wave is super easy the glide is impressive for a short fat board. Funny thing though it still fits really nicely into my 7'10 board bag, which confused me somewhat, but standing the boards up together reveals a really interesting thing, I dont think the board is actually 8 foot long (if we use a straight line) its maybe a little longer than 7'10.
Now, dont get me wrong I am not complaining at all, stoked that I dont have to buy a new board bag, stoked that the board is awesome to surf
@MickChard - I only got an AST, couldn't afford a carbon and not sure on the wood so thought Id stay with AST. Its seems a tough little board. It does seem to match the online colour scheme.
@Gregc - I live 3 minute walk from beach but conditions have been bad with too many westerlies and confused non existent lines. Im still waiting for some average conditions but I have caught enough waves to get a sense of some great sessions ahead.
Interesting re the length as I think they measure along the bottom accounting for the rocker , not from bow to stern in a straight line. Im pleased I got the 8' as well as I still have to concentrate and have fallen off the back more than I ever did on my JP WB
@gregc is the stability like much more work on the 7.8 ??
Im thinking maybe stay the 8.0 then and just ride easy ...
80 kg now, the stability on the 7´8 is great.
No problema at all in any condition. Other board is a hokua 9´5 and 140 liters
The 8 is super stable, its an easy surf, simple as that. If I was around 80kg I would be on either the 7'8 or the 7'2
I've had my HN for 4 weeks now and am totally blown away ! I've got the 8'6 wood edition and have come from the Naish 8'8 x32. I'm weighing in at 100-103 kgs and been supping for 7 years.
I cant believe how different the HN is from any other board I've owned. I've surfed it in clean - mush - choppy , from knee high to over head and the board flies. The glide into waves is excellent , its like my 9'7 al merrick ! The speed and acceleration is mind blowing, everything is easier with speed ! The board is very stable even in chop ! I cant speak highly enough of the board
brusier, from your pics above, the 8'8" JP looks a lot longer than the 8'0" HN...i mean, longer than 8". someone said the 8'0" HN is more like 7'10" and your pics seem to confirm that.
