After reading all of the excellent reviews, and taking a look at the boards, I am trying to decide which board is right for me... I am looking at the Naish X32 LE 8'8" v JP WB PRO 8'8" v Starboard wide point carbon 8'10" (but have considered the Pro wave and the Starboard Airborne 8'8")
Stats: 6'3", 95 kg (210 lb), 52 years old...
Details: Been surfing longer boards (mals) for 30 years, been SUPping for 10 months but twice per week for the past four months
I have a Starboard wide point 9'5" AST and having fun, but want something more fun in the surf
I am not going to be going vertical off the lip, but I want greater maneuverability than I have now
I surf Westernport (Crunchies, etc.) and the Prom - nothing extreme
Here are my thoughts:
1. I feel I should stick with 32" wide for stability and likelihood of surfing in windy conditions (and long paddles at Flinders and other breaks) - although I have been tempted by the Fanatic Pro Surf...
2. I feel that dropping down to 8"8" (or 8'10") is a good step up
3. I like the idea of carbon for maneuverability and carrying longer distances (and durability)
4. Starboard and JP seem like pretty similar shapes but Naish X32 has more rocker
5. Concerned about comments that it is harder to get on to waves with the Naish and it is harder to paddle longer distances (because of rocker) - but I like the rocker when late take-offs are required...
6. Bothered by extra 1 kg weight with Naish even though it is carbon
7. Not in love with JP color combo (too fussy?)
8. Bothered by negative comments about Naish handgrip (on LE versus GT). I personally do not like the JP handgrip. Probably not the deciding factor.
9. But lots of people seem to love the JP, and it seems that everyone who talks about the X32 LE are advanced surfers - I would not call myself advanced.
So, I am leaning towards the slightly heavier Naish X32 LE, but would love to hear any comments.
Select to expand quoteSaltH20 said..
I woud strongly urge you to demo the new 8'8" Air Born!Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..
After reading all of the excellent reviews, and taking a look at the boards, I am trying to decide which board is right for me... I am looking at the Naish X32 LE 8'8" v JP WB PRO 8'8" v Starboard wide point carbon 8'10" (but have considered the Pro wave and the Starboard Airborne 8'8")
Stats: 6'3", 95 kg (210 lb), 52 years old...
Details: Been surfing longer boards (mals) for 30 years, been SUPping for 10 months but twice per week for the past four months
I have a Starboard wide point 9'5" AST and having fun, but want something more fun in the surf
I am not going to be going vertical off the lip, but I want greater maneuverability than I have now
I surf Westernport (Crunchies, etc.) and the Prom - nothing extreme
Here are my thoughts:
1. I feel I should stick with 32" wide for stability and likelihood of surfing in windy conditions (and long paddles at Flinders and other breaks) - although I have been tempted by the Fanatic Pro Surf...
2. I feel that dropping down to 8"8" (or 8'10") is a good step up
3. I like the idea of carbon for maneuverability and carrying longer distances (and durability)
4. Starboard and JP seem like pretty similar shapes but Naish X32 has more rocker
5. Concerned about comments that it is harder to get on to waves with the Naish and it is harder to paddle longer distances (because of rocker) - but I like the rocker when late take-offs are required...
6. Bothered by extra 1 kg weight with Naish even though it is carbon
7. Not in love with JP color combo (too fussy?)
8. Bothered by negative comments about Naish handgrip (on LE versus GT). I personally do not like the JP handgrip. Probably not the deciding factor.
9. But lots of people seem to love the JP, and it seems that everyone who talks about the X32 LE are advanced surfers - I would not call myself advanced.
So, I am leaning towards the slightly heavier Naish X32 LE, but would love to hear any comments.
Stick to the Naish X32 ,i'm 93 kg and i must say this board opened a total new world of sup.................i used to be a long boarder that always wanted to rip a shortboard but the weight and height didn't allow me.
Now this X32 came along......this board will never leave me for sure!
My dream came true......this is a big mans shortboard!
the handle couldn't be more perfect , i do not know why people are negative against ?
I had an 8'8 this summer and now i already stepped down to an 8'3 !
the board teaches you along the way.
A SUPER INVESTMENT.....CAN4T GO WRONG!
same with me, the 8.8 X32 is fantastic, demo that one if you can.
I'm looking at the 7.10 x 32 to complete the quiver.
Totaly stoked with this shape
Select to expand quotegregbuydts said..SaltH20 said..
I woud strongly urge you to demo the new 8'8" Air Born!
I must admit I have been tempted by the airborne. This review left me a little flat:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/88-Airbourne-Photos/
But the reviewer was almost 30 kg lighter than me...
However when talking to a guy who sells them, he was very happy with his 8'8" airborne (same weight as me) and he had previously ridden the 8'8" wide point for a couple of years but felt the drop from 153 ltrs to 123 ltrs may be too much for me.
I forgot to mention that I will keep my 9'5" so I will have that as a backup if the conditions don't perfectly suit the new board.
Getting a demo of these boards seems easier said than done... I have been offered a demo of the 2014 8'8" JP PRO, but a) the first time you try a different board it can be hard to really suss out how to ride it, b) if I find it really easy to ride then I wonder if it is a big enough step up, and c) you have to be lucky to get the right conditions for the test. I have not found any store offering a demo of the X32 or the other boards.
I am sure I can't go wrong with any of them, but they are not inexpensive...
Select to expand quote[b]gregbuydts said..[/b]
Stick to the Naish X32 ,i'm 93 kg and i must say this board opened a total new world of sup.................i used to be a long boarder that always wanted to rip a shortboard but the weight and height didn't allow me. Now this X32 came along......this board will never leave me for sure! My dream came true......this is a big mans shortboard! the handle couldn't be more perfect , i do not know why people are negative against ? I had an 8'8 this summer and now i already stepped down to an 8'3 ! the board teaches you along the way. A SUPER INVESTMENT.....CAN4T GO WRONG!
Are you glad you went with the 8'8" first rather than stepping straight to the 8'3"?Select to expand quoteflowmaster said..
same with me, the 8.8 X32 is fantastic, demo that one if you can.
I'm looking at the 7.10 x 32 to complete the quiver.
Totaly stoked with this shape
Sounds good to me!!
Thanks for your comments.
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..gregbuydts said..SaltH20 said..
I woud strongly urge you to demo the new 8'8" Air Born!
I must admit I have been tempted by the airborne. This review left me a little flat:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/88-Airbourne-Photos/
But the reviewer was almost 30 kg lighter than me...
However when talking to a guy who sells them, he was very happy with his 8'8" airborne (same weight as me) and he had previously ridden the 8'8" wide point for a couple of years but felt the drop from 153 ltrs to 123 ltrs may be too much for me.
I forgot to mention that I will keep my 9'5" so I will have that as a backup if the conditions don't perfectly suit the new board.
Getting a demo of these boards seems easier said than done... I have been offered a demo of the 2014 8'8" JP PRO, but a) the first time you try a different board it can be hard to really suss out how to ride it, b) if I find it really easy to ride then I wonder if it is a big enough step up, and c) you have to be lucky to get the right conditions for the test. I have not found any store offering a demo of the X32 or the other boards.
I am sure I can't go wrong with any of them, but they are not inexpensive...
Hi
RPS have got the WP on demo and think also the 32 ask for warrick.
The glide on the 32 is better than the SB.
Did not like the fin placement on the SB.
Cheers Matt
Had the 9'1" x32 for a couple of months now. Love it. Already looking to demo 8'8" & 8'3". Haven't tried the others but planning to have a crack at the lot at the same time. I am 6'3" 96ish kilos, and enjoying the hell out of an SUP that surfs really really well. It makes it hard to get out of the water and go home!
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..[b]gregbuydts said..[/b]
Stick to the Naish X32 ,i'm 93 kg and i must say this board opened a total new world of sup.................i used to be a long boarder that always wanted to rip a shortboard but the weight and height didn't allow me. Now this X32 came along......this board will never leave me for sure! My dream came true......this is a big mans shortboard! the handle couldn't be more perfect , i do not know why people are negative against ? I had an 8'8 this summer and now i already stepped down to an 8'3 ! the board teaches you along the way. A SUPER INVESTMENT.....CAN4T GO WRONG!
Are you glad you went with the 8'8" first rather than stepping straight to the 8'3"?flowmaster said..
same with me, the 8.8 X32 is fantastic, demo that one if you can.
I'm looking at the 7.10 x 32 to complete the quiver.
Totaly stoked with this shape
Sounds good to me!!
Thanks for your comments.
Yes , i wasn't sure what to take but glad i first went for the 8'8 to get adapted too, it was'nt reallly nescecary because the stability is'nt that different between the two.
A bit more "work" but still a great board and much more lively .
Take the 8'8 for super stability and comfort
Take the 8'3 for super stability and shred them waves even harder.
I see - so I am going to be looking for an 8'3" soon am I... This could get expensive...
I should probably sell the 9'5" or the 10' SUP. (I already have five surfboards that are gathering dust - perhaps I should sell them first.)
Thanks for everyone's help!
Just my two bobs worth but I reckon if your keeping the 9'5 maybe go for the 8'3 as it will be a bit more of a challenge, higher performance
and you'll still have the 9'5 for the choppy/lazy days.
Once you get used to the 8'8 you'll always be itching to try the 8'3 
Select to expand quoteJacobMatan said..
Just my two bobs worth but I reckon if your keeping the 9'5 maybe go for the 8'3 as it will be a bit more of a challenge, higher performance
and you'll still have the 9'5 for the choppy/lazy days.
Once you get used to the 8'8 you'll always be itching to try the 8'3
Hmmm - I have read a few times now that the 8'3" and 8'8" are not very different from a stability point of view. My 9'5" is 153 ltrs, the 8'8" is 140 ltr and the 8'3" is 130 ltrs - so I guess there is not a huge leap from my 9'5" to the 8'8" - except when it comes to maneuverability. I used to ride a 7'6" surfboard (10 years ago) and that was a lot of fun - when you got up and riding. Age and weight and a dodgy back forced me to move to a longer board - getting to my feet was the issue - the fun had usually left the wave before I was up...
Maybe I should take the leap...
Mind you, if you read these reviews it would seem that you need to be Robby Naish to keep it under control.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/New-Naish-83-X32-LE/?page=2
Select to expand quoteflowmaster said..
wow, I must be as good as Robby then
LOL. Me too. I carved up a wave yesterday which made me feel like Robby. That is if Robby does huge carves out of a hole and smacks the lip without even knowing how he did it, and startled a dozen backpackers at the same time. To think I am contemplating going from a 9'1" to a 8'3" in one foul swoop - tsk tsk. One might even think they're making these boards for fun seekers like us, and making a killing. I feel younger with every sesh. Yewwww!
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..JacobMatan said..
Just my two bobs worth but I reckon if your keeping the 9'5 maybe go for the 8'3 as it will be a bit more of a challenge, higher performance
and you'll still have the 9'5 for the choppy/lazy days.
Once you get used to the 8'8 you'll always be itching to try the 8'3
Hmmm - I have read a few times now that the 8'3" and 8'8" are not very different from a stability point of view. My 9'5" is 153 ltrs, the 8'8" is 140 ltr and the 8'3" is 130 ltrs - so I guess there is not a huge leap from my 9'5" to the 8'8" - except when it comes to maneuverability. I used to ride a 7'6" surfboard (10 years ago) and that was a lot of fun - when you got up and riding. Age and weight and a dodgy back forced me to move to a longer board - getting to my feet was the issue - the fun had usually left the wave before I was up...
Maybe I should take the leap...
Don't get too caught up in ltrs. Board shape will disperse the volume differently. I know of two different guys that have ridden he 8'8 Air Born and love it. One is 86 kilo and had no issue turning it or issues with float. This was in chest to head high clean surf.
Well, I had to make the call so I went with the 8'8". I am not sure I have ever smacked a lip (but I have had a few lips smack me) so I thought I should take it one step at a time.
And right now I am glad I did. I took it out yesterday and I have these comments:
First, I was surprised that it was far less stable than my 9'5" SP WP. They are both 32" wide, but clearly have different shapes (and lengths). It was less stable side-to-side, but also end-to-end. It was much more sensitive to where I had my weight along the board, both in terms of where I had to stand to paddle and catch the wave, but there were times when I found myself suddenly moving along the board and tipping it so much that I fell off (e.g. having a wind-chop wave come up from behind).
The conditions were not ideal. There was quite a lot of off-shore wind, and I was surfing a reef (Crunchies if you know it). During the session the wind swung around to become on-shore - the lull in-between was nice, but it chopped up again quickly.
And the surf was not great. It was a good day for my 9'5" SB really, but I wanted to try the X32.
So it was not really a good test of the X32, and it was inevitable that it would take me a while to get used to the new board size and style, but it was still a fun day. I did catch a couple of waves that gave me a idea of the benefit of the X32 over my old board - I can't wait to get it in some real waves.
Guys I found the the key to standing on these boards and getting stability is standing with your feet in the corners of an imaginary rectangle, with your feet in opposite diagonal corners and the handle almost in the middle of this rectangle. Your front foot def needs to be in front of the handle. How far in front depends on you and how you want the board to trim. Makes a big difference to stability whilst paddling. You wont get it straight away but you will get!
Yep I agree AA. Found after a couple of sessions with the 9'1" x32 I had to stand further forward in relation to the handle than I normally do on other boards, to stop the nose of the board coming back up at me at a great rate of knots! Personal preference. After I stood back and had a look at the board it was pretty close to the widest section, so made sense. I've been used to using the handle as a reference, jumped on without having a really good look at the board first. Looking forward to my 8'3"....
Select to expand quoteAA said..Select to expand quoteGuys I found the the key to standing on these boards and getting stability is standing with your feet in the corners of an imaginary rectangle, with your feet in opposite diagonal corners and the handle almost in the middle of this rectangle. Your front foot def needs to be in front of the handle. How far in front depends on you and how you want the board to trim. Makes a big difference to stability whilst paddling. You wont get it straight away but you will get!
Good advice - I tried that at one point because I wanted to be in a good position to catch the wave, making it easy to move my weight forward and back as well as side to side. I did not try it for long enough as I wasn't sure if it was the best plan. I will persist with that technique. When I had my feet level with each other I was certainly further forward of the grip than I was when riding the SB WP 9'5".
I am curious - how far apart do you keep your feet? I assume you stay in that stance when you move your paddle from side to side - e.g. keep your left foot forward.
That was one other little challenge - tracking. I found when I tried to paddle harder to catch a wave I had to concentrate to paddle straight - a few times I had the wrong angle to the wave and mucked it up. I have been using a "J" stroke to stay straight, and start with an angle to the wave so at the right time I have the correct angle to catch it.
I got to go out again today. The surf was much better, and when I got on the face it was a totally different experience to my 9'5" board. The maneuverability was fantastic - exactly why I bought the board. I felt more like a surfer.
I am still having issues with stability... It was a little windy and choppy, and after an hour the wind picked up a lot. There were times when I found it hard to paddle on to the wave properly just because I was not perfectly balanced after turning the board and cranking up the paddle rate. Plus it is far less forgiving than my 9'5" - the 9'5" could catch just about anything, but you need to be in the right place on the X32.
But I am sure that as I get used to the board I will overcome these differences and catch more waves.
I am glad to have bought the board, but I think it is just as well I did not go down to the 8'3" - I am not ready.
CantSUP enough, it is a feel thing, how far apart you place your feet. It depends on the conditions and how hard I want to paddle, ie: further apart for more power. I don't move my feet when I change sides to paddle. Getting into position to be in the right spot on a wave is just practice and time on the board.
Miss enough waves and you quickly learn how to position the board for the best results. Keep at it. It only gets better from here! It really is a sweet board, the X32
Thanks! It sure was nice to get it into some real waves today - not the schlop I was in the first day.
Thanks for the tips!
One little thing - it came in the thruster set up. Should I buy a couple of good fins and swap to quad? Twice during bottom turns it felt like it skidded/slipped out. (What size would you recommend?)
I have not seen a small center-fin like that before! I do have a pair of fins that are supposed to work as part of a quad - I will give it ago (unfortunately traveling most of the next two weeks...)
Had the 9'1" x32 for 2 months, picked up my 8'3" x32 LE yesterday, and had a little (very little) play at dawn this morning. At 6'3" 96ish kg, this baby floats me just fine, and I'm happy I skipped the 8'8". The 32" width more than makes up for the drop in volume. It will take me 3 to 4 sesh's to work this sweet board out, but that's pretty standard for me. Can't wait for some decent waves, these boards are serious fun for us big boys, brings out the Yeeeewwwwww!!!,
You are a carbon copy of me (height/weight) but I am still struggling a little. I also had a dawn surf - there was a bit of swell but too much wind and lots of chop - and the chop seemed to be affected by the current; it was not directional. So maybe I was hoping for too much.
A couple of days ago when there were 40 minutes of good conditions (including good swell) and I think I got to see the benefits of the board - I almost let out a Yeewww! a few times. Even this morning when I got going on the wave it was fun - there was just a bit of a struggle getting on to them.
It is fun trying though.
Im 6 ft and 115 kgs , been on a sup for 4/5 years and recently bought the naish hokua x32 , 8'8 gt model. This board is awesome!!!! Ive been in knee high to couple of foot over head and can not speak highly enough of the board. I came down from an al merrick 9'1 caddie.
Buy one you will not regret your choice
Select to expand quoteflowmaster said..
my set up, after trying different fins
Flowmaster,
What's the purpose of the nub in the center fin box?
Just curious.....
