Hello,
I have been riding a SB Pocket Rocket (8'5 30" 130L) for more than 2 years occasionally (about 10 sessions per year) mostly in clean conditions in 2 to 4 ft beach break at North Sea (Belgium). It can be bigger like 5-6 ft but rare. Not very powerful waves also. I am 90+-2 kg 6 ft, intermediate level supper. Stability for me board is OK as long as glassy but as soon as a little windy or chops, hard time to stand up and much less fun... but really love it when clean. Thus stability of this board is really an issue for me.
I am looking now for a board with much more stability which would allow me to catch more waves in most conditions down here but still good maneuverability like my PR or close to.
I have tested wider (like 31 or 32") but longer board (>9 ft but < 10) and of course feel much more comfortable. Definitely wider is better for my stability I noticed.
I am looking at the JP WB 8'8" (135L) and SB Airborn 8'8" (123L) because of their reputation for stability & maneuverability. I need to select one of them and unfortunately can not test them...
There is a good deal also for a 2013 JP Surf 9'6" 31" wood in a shop nearby but not sure if as stable as the two above.
Any advice is welcome !
Thank you !!
Olivier
I haven't ridden the JP but I can tell you that the Airborne is a fantastic board that meets all the requirements you mentioned.
I haven't ridden the Airborne but I can tell you that the JP is a fantastic board that meets all the requirements you mentioned. 
Select to expand quoteSlab said...
I haven't ridden the Airborne but I can tell you that the JP is a fantastic board that meets all the requirements you mentioned.
I haven't met Slab but I can tell you he is an awesome bloke who's sense of humor meets all requirements
I reckon that aside from all the bro loving going on you would actually be hard pressed to find a crap board in this sort of range, the JP, the Airborn (Had one loved it worst thing I did was sell it) The other one to consider I reckon is the 8ft Hypernut, Just saying
Sure but still would like to make the right choice as these are $$$. I think going into the PRO version also but not sure if justified. Maybe wood is good and light enough.
Is the JP WB not more stable than the SB AB ? It has about 10 liters more and 32" instead of 31.5 "
Now I am reading about the hypernut and get confused. It seems also super stable.
for your size waves and chop, you probably could not do better than to look at Simmons or Tomo styled boards. They are super stable, shorter and fast...very fast. I messed around with the standard boards you discuss but once i got a Simmons-shaped board, I've never looked back. I'm about 95 kgs, 6'3" intermediate and comfortable on an 8'4" Simsup board in any kind of chop...and love it in overhead waves to ankle biters. Haven't tried the Hypernut personally but that's the kind of board you might want to try if you can. BTW, have tried the biggest JP Slate (7'6*29), it was too small for me.
The SB AB is now 32" wide and only comes in carbon for 2016. 2015 model was 31.5" and came in wood or carbon.
The 2016 is a awesome board and handles great in choppy water. Take offs on steep waves a breeze if you step back straight away.
As for hypernut I also have one but different feel to AB. chunky rails like the WP but very loose to turn. Think I have too many boards
The AB is nice and thin, giving a low centre of gravity and aiding stability. Nice fine rails make it sensitive and very responsive.
Thanks guys but I seems I do not read much about the JP WB 8'8. SB AB much better ? What is critical is actually stability and thus waves counting but can not really decide between the 2.
By the way, did anyone try the SB Pocket Rocket before and it would compare to these boards ? Thx
Hi Olly,I paddle in Holland in probably the same crap as you (often Wijk aan Zee) and i,m around the 90kg as well.a friend of me got the JP WB8.8 and I do own the AB8.8 carbon and I paddled a loton PR,s.Compared to the PR the Airborne feels when just paddling out more stable. Those Ausies are unlike us blessed with a decent waveperiod instead of hours that you can often measure in meters between them. Due the nose the AB punches easy through the wave where PR sometimes pops up and throws you of unless you have foot very far forward. Due the wide tail the recovery after the white water is also easier on the AB. IMO the JP is similar in this.
On a wave the PR has a bit of a minimal/longboard kind of ride with the wide nose picking up early and hooverig over the wave. It might be the weight diff between the AST PR and the carbon AB, but the AB accelerates a LOT faster and is waaaaaaaaaay more manveurable. I,m now used to it, but in the beginning I was after every wave suprised how easy and tight the board actually can turn.It Handles bigger waves pretty good (tested that In cornwall as well), but it shins especially in the slower less powerfull stuf. Waves an Pro board is close to useless (I owne a Starboard Pro9.0 and have an 8.5). The Pro board are magic when we have clean conditions and the waves have some speed, but that is only a couple of times a year. I keep my Pro boards for the holidays in France, Cornwall or Ireland and its just a bonus if I can use them once in a while in Holland. The JP is slightly bigger, but for me the volume isnt adding extra stability. The WP8.10 has more or less the same stability for our weight as the AB because it sits so nice in the water.
On a wave the JP is a bit between your PR and the AB, its acceleration is a bit more graduate and it has for me a bit of a Cadillac feel. It turns and does everything you want, but with take it easy and relax written allover it. You can throw the JP around but it is not begging for it as much as the AB.For me the big difference is that when you wanna go easy the AB is doing fine, but if you wanna hit the throttle, you just step back on the tailpad and its fast accelerating and slashy in a way I haven,t found yet with the JP or the PR.
Hope it helps.
Hi Jeroen,
Thanks a lot !!!
Amai, you have a lot of SB boards...
But would you qualify the AB way more stable than the PR ?
Have you tried the SB Hypernut 8'6? It seems very stable, fast and manoeuverable.
O
Select to expand quoteolly73 said..
Hello,
I have been riding a SB Pocket Rocket (8'5 30" 130L) for more than 2 years occasionally (about 10 sessions per year) mostly in clean conditions in 2 to 4 ft beach break at North Sea (Belgium). It can be bigger like 5-6 ft but rare. Not very powerful waves also. I am 90+-2 kg 6 ft, intermediate level supper. Stability for me board is OK as long as glassy but as soon as a little windy or chops, hard time to stand up and much less fun... but really love it when clean. Thus stability of this board is really an issue for me.
I am looking now for a board with much more stability which would allow me to catch more waves in most conditions down here but still good maneuverability like my PR or close to.
I have tested wider (like 31 or 32") but longer board (>9 ft but < 10) and of course feel much more comfortable. Definitely wider is better for my stability I noticed.
I am looking at the JP WB 8'8" (135L) and SB Airborn 8'8" (123L) because of their reputation for stability & maneuverability. I need to select one of them and unfortunately can not test them...
There is a good deal also for a 2013 JP Surf 9'6" 31" wood in a shop nearby but not sure if as stable as the two above.
Any advice is welcome !
Thank you !!
Olivier
I own the 2015 Airborn 8'8". I'm 103kgs and 185cms. Awesome board in most conditions. I've had it in 2' and 6' and it performs. Accelerated my skills and I'm about to move down a size or 3.
Hi Olly,
Right now I have "only" 3 Sups, the 8.5Pro, the 8.8AB and the 14x25Race, all carbon. The other boards are fro friends and we often try each others gear. I,m always curious about new gear so try everything I can get my hands on.The Carbon boards are expensive, but they seem a lot stronger as the AST boards I owned before and performance wise they are in a whole different league.Due the lighter weight the acceleration is a LOT better as with the AST models, but turning due the lower swing weight as well.Stability wise: an 90-95kg friend of me owned in 2014 an 10x36 inflatable. He could paddle and play with that.
The stupid thing was making water through the mastfoot screw and he got it replaced by the WP8.10 2015 wich was for him a big step down.
In the chop at Zandvoort he could paddle on it but catch a wave with it when everything was coming together.
I was curious about his board so we changed so I could try it. The pal jumped on my board and paddled away.For me the AB8.8 is really really stable, but for him as a rather novice as well. His explanation was that because the board seems to sit a bit deeper in the water the wind has no grip on it and the board seems to roll less in the chop.
Hypernuts: no haven,t seen one in the flesh yet.
From what I understand from the importer there are only a few samples in Holland right now.I was considdering buying the Hypernut7.8 as areplacement for the AB8.8, but the board is doing so well that I keep it. Instead I bought a 2th hand Goya Quad118l to fill the gap between too much wind for SUP and not enough to sail my Witchcraft96l flextail.
Select to expand quoteZeusman said..
Slab said...
I haven't ridden the Airborne but I can tell you that the JP is a fantastic board that meets all the requirements you mentioned.
I haven't met Slab but I can tell you he is an awesome bloke who's sense of humor meets all requirements
Couldn't resist!
i haven't surfed an AB but just looking at them compared to the JP WB I would say it will be for better suffers and better waves. I mostly get low period waist to head high stuff and the JP works very well in this....it is a fun and easy board to ride if you have okay skills. If you surf a lot then I would push yourself with th AB. If you don't get out as much as you would like the JP.
Hi Jeroen,
Thank you again for feed-back. I went yesterday south of Calais-France for a small surf SUP session (and windsurf) and my friend just go an Hypernut carbon 105 liters (he got it at the importer in Holland who is also taking care of benelux). I could not paddle out on it but I am not surprised but my friend (small 60 kg and very good surfer & windsurfer) could catch some waves quickly. Definitely a few sizes bigger and I can use it because it looks very floatty. The board is also a real eye-catcher !!
If you sell your AB... I am yours :-)
2016 model carbon almost 3000 euros!!!
One more curly one to throw in, the hypernut 8 footer is an absolute screaming good board, more stable than the AB, faster than the AB and if you grab it in wood it weighs about 300grams more than the carbon (which makes it lighter than the 8'8 carbon. The final thing is that being shorter it will put you in places in a wave that the AB wont. btw I owned the AB and I now have the 7'8 Hyper (although I kinda wish I had grabbed the 8 footer)
i have the 8'8" JP WB and its a great board. Used in small to overhead and not a problem. Its not too corky for me at 98kgs and very stable. recommended.
