What's the best slalom board out there for rough water and open ocean sailing? Thinking comfort and handling. Thinking about taking a step up from freeride. Sails 7.5 and 6.5m no cams.
I'll bite...... Have a look at Carbon Art or the Mistral range of boards. Then have a look at what people are running in the GPSTC and GPSSS in rough water.
of coarse im going say ISonics 
but i have tried a lot of different boards over the years and i do find the Isonics good in chop compared to some other slaloms Ive tried. Its always good to have ago first though if you can, everyone rides differently ect 
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Good luck with that, you'll get a 100 different opinions Most modern slalom boards would be ok.
I've been sailing open ocean 90% of the time for over 20 years, I dead set love my Carbon Art slaloms, been using them about 6 years. But as Kato said I'd also look at the Mistrals because of the Aussie connection, designed by Chris Lockwood. Carbon Arts come out of NZ and I believe the Mistrals are out of Vietnam, both are quality in my opinion.
So if control is more important than top end, consider the Tabou Manta range. It's an incredibly comfortable ride even in crunching conditions. It's quick to plane, the rail engages predictably, and it's still a fast board, but not as fast as the pure race-breds.
As Firie says, sailors will endorse what they sail. I sail Mistral slalom boards and they work for me in choppy water, but I'm nowhere near as quick as Vando who sails Isonics and they really work for him. I still prefer to sail in flat water.
If you are regularly sail the ocean or open Moreton Bay and you want to step up from a freeride board, maybe you should consider a freerace board like the Starboard Futura or JP Supersports.
Trying before you buy is a good idea.
Select to expand quoteikw777 said..
What's the best slalom board out there for rough water and open ocean sailing? Thinking comfort and handling. Thinking about taking a step up from freeride. Sails 7.5 and 6.5m no cams.
I sail open ocean (Leighton and Safety Bay, Perth) all summer - the Mistral 91 is the fastest and also the most controllable slalom board I've used.
Dropping down fin size (to 28cm) in overpowered conditions (25 knots+) helps hugely maintaining control and speed on downwind runs.
I reckon, buy local, buy the fastest - win win 
JJ
I used to have a couple of iSonics and whilst they are fast boards i think that they were very unforgiving in rough choppy waters.
I now have a couple of Patricks and I love them. The are early planers, easy to jibe and the feel is softer than the iSonics..
just my two cents...
I don't know whether I'd discount the option of sticking with a freeride board. Like a rocket or a carve, both will do really well with a good slalom fin, and will probably be more comfortable than a dedicated slalom board. Remember, you're trading off a bit of comfort for a little bit more speed and the results probably won't be obvious.
It can be frustrating buying top of the woz speed gear only to be passed by someone who is comfortable. Comfort = speed.
I have ridden a few boards since coming back in windsurfing and I believe the Patrick Slaloms are the best especially for rougher waters. The pads are thicker for pressing on the fin and the whilst the deck of the board is carbon the bottom is glass, so it has a bit of give enabling one to keep control. Their boards aren't quite as lively as the major brands enabling one to keep control, though just as fast and with simple graphics easy to repair if the worst does happen. I also love gybing the patrick boards and they feel a nice balanced board. I like the feeling of wood but not the weight or lack of durability so Patrick has come up with a good solution.
Select to expand quoteDean 424 said..
I have ridden a few boards since coming back in windsurfing and I believe the Patrick Slaloms are the best especially for rougher waters. The pads are thicker for pressing on the fin and the whilst the deck of the board is carbon the bottom is glass, so it has a bit of give enabling one to keep control. Their boards aren't quite as lively as the major brands enabling one to keep control, though just as fast and with simple graphics easy to repair if the worst does happen. I also love gybing the patrick boards and they feel a nice balanced board. I like the feeling of wood but not the weight or lack of durability so Patrick has come up with a good solution.
sailed isonics for about 7 years. great for the short course, flat predictable water and straight lines.
I now sail the Patrick boards and can sail for twice as long on the water. Went to Mauritius Freeride Challenge and placed 3rd windsurfer in 2014 after 6 months off the water and no fitness training whatsoever. I had a bone in my knee that i had a cortisone and cut out after the event. We did 40km marathons and lots long slalom races for 5 days. They are super soft on your legs and joints. Wasnt far off the front and beating the top 2 in some races.
I am getting really lazy in the gybes now that the board is just soo easy, and dont even blink when there is steep ramps. Did the defi wind in 60 knots on a patrik 92 and 5.6m reflex 6 and did pretty well. I was pretty unfit there due to a back injury.
I feel like im not using my leg muscles in the rough water and sailing tight to the breeze, thats how easy they are. Never a shin burn or thigh burn.
I have found that a starboard you are fighting it down onto the water, but with a Patrik you are fighting it up out of the water. I know which one i would prefer and pretty stoked since i have been using them.
Used the 128 in ledge to lanno when the wind picked up this year and had a 48 carpenter fin in it. Never would of finished without the true softness and control of the patrik boards. I was 2nd to the first mark in open ocean against many medium size boards
Had both isonic and patrik :
isonic faster top end, requires a bit more control, but a killer on old joints and knees
patrik jibes a dream and handles chop perfectly just not as fast (over 100 L, cause the 100 is a speed demon !)
Select to expand quotepepe47 said..
I don't know whether I'd discount the option of sticking with a freeride board. Like a rocket or a carve, both will do really well with a good slalom fin, and will probably be more comfortable than a dedicated slalom board. Remember, you're trading off a bit of comfort for a little bit more speed and the results probably won't be obvious.
It can be frustrating buying top of the woz speed gear only to be passed by someone who is comfortable. Comfort = speed.
+ 1 Pepe. I have found Futura's fastest for me in chop so far(lakes not open ocean or bays), swapped back to a slalom for this season just to get a comparison, will see.
Yeah, love the futuras. Them, and the carbon art freerides seem to be the only ones around that have a tuttle box, which I prefer over the power box.
Hmm, lots of food for though here. Thanks for the input guys. I thought there might be a clear leader in the handling stakes. Instead it seems to be pretty subjective - apart from the Patrik boards which most seem to like.
My vote goes to exocet. They have the double density pads and also for me are easier to trim in rough water. I also have a Futura 93 which is a smooth hi wind ride. Fyi I've owned Isonic, fanatic falcon, jp super sport, patrik.
Select to expand quoteikw777 said..
What's the best slalom board out there for rough water and open ocean sailing? Thinking comfort and handling. Thinking about taking a step up from freeride. Sails 7.5 and 6.5m no cams.
What is the wind speed ?
I would recommend a tabou rocket with the 2014/15 new shape in 115 & 125 being magnificent ocean boards (good length and width for open water). Very quick, controlled and very comfortable, you can sail out the back for hours at 100% and not suffer the next day IMHO
I've recently changed from Fanatic to Patrik and haven't looked back. The Falcon was super flighty, which was awesome in dead flat water, but in anything over 30cm of chop and I really struggled to get a gybe over 20 knots. I now have 3 Patrik slalom boards (87, 100, 115) and they're so much easier to ride. I describe them as plug'n'play. They're so forgiving in chop it's not funny.
Second time out on the Patrik slalom I clocked over 35 knots and got a 21 alpha. As mentioned, they're not as "lively" (I can only compare to Fanatic), but still generate excellent speed and you can turn them in chop without even thinking. They plan early, the deck and pads are super comfy and best of all, they are really really well priced compared to the big brands (JP, ISO, Tabou et al).
As for a freeride or freerace, I had a Tabou Rocket and absolutely loved it. The rockets are the most amazingly smooth board to ride in really rough conditions. Handled steep 2ft foot chop in Botany Bay no problems. They're reasonably fast too. But where a freeride/race board will let you down big time, is it's pointing ability. The rocket hated going up wind even with a good fin (I tried lots of them). What would take me 2 or 3 tacks up wind on the Rocket, I can easily do in one tack on with the Patrick. With so much pointing ability you can confidently bare away for long runs and not worry about working your way back to point A again.
For me it was a toss up between Carbon Art, which people rave about, and the Patrik. Both are priced similarly, but the Patriks were more accessible.
I'm really happy with my Patrik quiver. For me they do it all for a great price.
All this talk about gear for sailing the open ocean! Don't tell me the shine is falling off delta weed fins at last? I dunno, depends. It takes a pretty good sailor to extract the speed advantage of a slalom board powered up in the ocean.
Don't be afraid to spend money finding the setups best for you. Money well spent once we get it right, ( still spending, still justifying ), nothing compares with a good blast downwind through the ocean swell.
Anybody got a fresh Futura 101 ~ 2010 for sale? Mine's fallen apart.
Select to expand quotejn1 said..
ikw777 said..
What's the best slalom board out there for rough water and open ocean sailing? Thinking comfort and handling. Thinking about taking a step up from freeride. Sails 7.5 and 6.5m no cams.
What is the wind speed ?
Sub 20 kt winds, chop always around 1 metre. So large medium board sizes.
I'm currently running:
- Exocet SCross Carbon 116 litre (68cm wide)
- Black Project Type R fins to 42.5 cm
- Ezzy Cheetah No-cam freeride 7.5 and 6.5m sails (with Ezzy masts and Chinook Pro 1 carbon booms)
Hey Ian, your spec/conditions needs are same as mine & why I ended up with the atom 100, is super comfy in the ocean, nearly as quick as slalom board, but heaps smoother to ride and easy on the body, loves rough water. I'm generally sailing off the beach most of the time these days, I sacrificed a bit of top end speed for gybeability, and comfort but I have more TOW cause I'm not driving around looking for flat water like I would with a dedicated Slalom. 7m is what I have up 90% of the time, but you could plug a 7.5 in easy. The next size up 110 is 'heaps' bigger, you'd have to ask someone riding that how it goes. The old school more volume on the nose is super handy when the wind dies, and I think the thin bum and thick pads, is what makes it so controllable at speed in the rough. I got a plus 20knt hour recently sailing in out of waves and ocean so pretty happy. redcliffe being what it is I'd be guessing you would be cursing yourself if you got a dedicated Slalom board the chop there is far worse than sailing the ocean. The carve, rocket, magic ride etc are all capable of 30+ also, not sure how fast you want to go in open water? but I find 25+ in ocean swells a km or so offshore is a pretty good buzz!
Select to expand quoteshear tip said..
Spot the sponsored sailor / team rider / brand ambassador.
Well then that's easy, Bombora Trifin!!!!!!!! 
Select to expand quoteshear tip said..
Spot the sponsored sailor / team rider / brand ambassador.
And they bite the previous hand that fed them too
Bringing this thread back to life!
Many replies about what people recommend as the best slalom boards for rough water and open ocean sailing, then what brand/model of fins are best for these slalom boards in rough conditions? (i.e. for best comfort and handling). Surely the fin would be one of the most critical components, apart from slalom board design/characteristics, if sailing in rough conditions?
Things are heating up ..
back to it ..you use ...116 litre 20 knots ..
maybe drop a few litres in your boards ,it might give you the extra control in open ocean your seeking .
a100 -105 litre slalom board rips in the ocean and will handle the sails you use . I'm also a mistral fan.
My vote is Exocet unbelievable in chop a jibes unreal.
It's funny you can see the sponsored riders comments.
My opinion go full slalom anything else is just a compromise and why would you do that.
Select to expand quotebyronmc said..
My vote is Exocet unbelievable in chop a jibes unreal.
It's funny you can see the sponsored riders comments.
My opinion go full slalom anything else is just a compromise and why would you do that.
Not everyone can sail like you though Byron..
