So after having a few runs on my 2017 Combat hd's I have to say I am VERY impressed. I have been on Combats for a few years now and these ones are hands down the best and by a fair margin. My quiver consists of 4.2, 4.7, 5.3, 5.6. So far I've sailed the 5.3 a few times and I picked my 5.6 yesterday and spent some time on it before changing down to the 5.3 when the wind got up. Haven't sailed the 4.2 yet and I kept my 2015 4.7 because its had little use but that may well change shortly I feel.
All my previous Combats were 2015 except for my 2014 5.3 which I was very reluctant to get rid of because it was the best sail I've ever had and was worried I wouldn't like the new ones as much. I needn't have worried. The new ones are actually more stable and seem to have more grunt than all my previous ones. Even though they are all 4 batten sails in all sizes somehow they have made these sails seriously stable. They also feel small in each size. They feel like a size down from what they are relative to my previous sails. Definitely lighter feeling in your hands. You really notice the lack of throw weight in jibes and especially in tacks.
I rigged them on a 400 X9 rdm with an MXT carbon extension and a 150 Severne Enigma. I used 2cm less on the extension than what the specs said which I have found to be the case with all my Neil Pryde sails in the last few years and the outhaul was set to the specs.
Speed wise I don't think there is a lot of difference over the previous 5 batten Combats but as I said the stability is brilliant and they handle gusts really nicely. Once the 5.6 got to the top of its wind range, which at 68kg I find is about 21-22 knots, it started to get a little back handed so I threw the 5.3 up and changed from my 95 litre Fanatic Tri-wave down to my 81 litre in the same board and it was perfect.
I am yet to find a down side with my new sails. When I got my 2015 5.6 I liked it but I never really loved it, it sort of felt a bit floppy and a bit like a bed sheet almost a little free ridey but with these 2017's it was instant they are EXCELLENT. They feel like they have a tighter skin tension and the draft feels like it doesn't move around as much. Really stoked with them and thanks to the guys at Surf FX for sorting me out again.
Yeah I have had Severne sails in the past which included Gator, S1 when they were 5 batten and Blades. I liked the Blades at the time. They were kind of similar the older (say 2013) Combats but not the same. They felt a little softer in feel. I haven't used the Blades from the last 3 years so can't really compare in a Fair way so I won't. All I can say is the new Combats feel even more crisp than the previous models and are more stable and definitely lighter in your hands as far as throw weight goes. They have tonnes of grunt too. You really need to back to back sails if you can on the same board in the same conditions. I know that's easier said then done but that's probably the only way you know what sort of feel you prefer.
