On costs - I got tired of snapping alloy booms (and needing to buy replacements), took the plunge and went to carbon - NP x7 for wave/ freeride and HPL for the race sails. That was at least ten years and both are still going strong ( though not as pretty as they once were ). I'm pretty sure it has "saved"me cash in the long term ( if that phrase can be used relating to windsurfing gear ) regardless of any performance advantages they may have.
Thinking as I type this that one is now bound to break next sail !
@BSN101
The German magazine SURF tested a bunch of alu and carbon booms in 2011. They measured the force needed to pull the boomarms apart.
Force measured in N/mm (higher numbers means a stiffer boom). All booms tested in 180-240 range.
Looking at the numbers the carbon tail of a NP X6 doesn't add any stiffnes compared to other alu booms. Also the cheapest carbon booms are barely stiffer than the stiffest alu booms.
Below are the test result directly from the magazine.
Brand and type of boom / force needed at 10 cm extension / force needed at 44 cm extension
ALU
Aeron OS Slalom / 32 / 25
Aeron V-Grip / 31 / 19
AL360 Ergal / 26 / 22
Gun Expert / 24 / 19
NP X3 / 27 / 22
NP X6 hybrid / 28 / 23
North Sails Gold / 26 / 21
North Sails Silver / 22 / 21
Prolimit Assault V-grip / 31 / 25
Severne Race / 30 / 24
Unifiber Universal / 19 / 17
Unifiber RDG / 18 / 15
CARBON
Gun Select / 35 / 29
Prolimit RDG Team / 39 / 27
Gaastra Blue / 44 / 34
NP X9 / 46 / 39
AL 360 / 60 / 49
North Sails Platinum / 65 / 60
Severne Enigma / 71 / 56
Does anybody have any experience good or bad with RRD Carbon booms. Are they manufafctured by or specifically for RRD or rebadged from another manufacture?
Select to expand quotemorts said..
Does anybody have any experience good or bad with RRD Carbon booms. Are they manufafctured by or specifically for RRD or rebadged from another manufacture?Select to expand quotemorts said..
Does anybody have any experience good or bad with RRD Carbon booms. Are they manufafctured by or specifically for RRD or rebadged from another manufacture?
they are made by aeron too,,, 
I tried my Maui wave carbon 170-230 today on 226 cm extension on a 8.4m and it was absolutely terrible.
When I looked back at the boom there was a huge bend or deflection where the extension meets the boom arms.
It was still sail-able but I was scared to pump the sail in case the boom went.
I tried this boom with another sail on 209 cm ext and it felt ok. Feels awesome at 190cm.
Booms feel a lot better with less extension!
Select to expand quotepetermac33 said..
I tried my Maui wave carbon 170-230 today on 226 cm extension on a 8.4m and it was absolutely terrible.
When I looked back at the boom there was a huge bend or deflection where the extension meets the boom arms.
It was still sail-able but I was scared to pump the sail in case the boom went.
I tried this boom with another sail on 209 cm ext and it felt ok. Feels awesome at 190cm.
Booms feel a lot better with less extension!
Is the end piece loose-ish in the arms? Some booms are just sloppy there so it is not actually bending.
Sloppy fit is not necessarily bad as it reduces wear
I find old ally booms are a lot tighter than newer carbon ones.
Some quality carbon booms have quite a "bend" (even though it is not bending) at full extension but are still lasting well
Yes,the extension is not that snug to the boom arms but then few if any are-- unfortunately.
At 226cm extension I tested its stiffness on the grass and it was like bendy as!
Great boom but much past 210cm I don't rate it.
My preferred boom is the North Aero 190-250,then a Severne Enigma 190-240.
Out of my range though
Got a Severne Enigma carbon 170-230 to replace my 5yo Maui sails 190-240.
Agonized for a long time over what to get.
The MS carbon has served me well.
No problems with the head or clips.
Nice strong, stiff ,bomb proof boom.
The Enigma is a very stiff boom too,but much lighter than the MS.
Nice solid well built look about it,adjusting the arms is a snap.
Cant really fault it but only time will tell.
On the water with a 7.0 at 200cm in spite of the fact that the Severene is much lighter I could not really detect any performance advantage over the heavier MS boom.
Don't think boom weight really matters as much as we believe.
Select to expand quotecol5555 said..
Did the german results show the weights of the respective booms.
Yes they did. If you're going for light weight then buy an alloy.
Check out the link, it's the full test (German only)
www.amimusicalencon.free.fr/WISH.pdf
I went to a carbon boom this season.
My last ali boom was a Aeron V Grip, which i stil have but it's my back up boom now.
I went with a 211 Components 160-210mm
My sail range is from 4.2m (159mm) to 5.8m (184mm) and the stiffness or responsiveness is remarkably different from the v grip, which i thought was fairly stiff for an ali boom.
The carbon was so much different that i've had to adjust the way i sail a little
Price wise i saved about $400 on an enigma and around $300 chinook.
goyawindsurfing.com/
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
petermac33 said..
I tried my Maui wave carbon 170-230 today on 226 cm extension on a 8.4m and it was absolutely terrible.
When I looked back at the boom there was a huge bend or deflection where the extension meets the boom arms.
It was still sail-able but I was scared to pump the sail in case the boom went.
I tried this boom with another sail on 209 cm ext and it felt ok. Feels awesome at 190cm.
Booms feel a lot better with less extension!
Is the end piece loose-ish in the arms? Some booms are just sloppy there so it is not actually bending.
Sloppy fit is not necessarily bad as it reduces wear
I find old ally booms are a lot tighter than newer carbon ones.
Some quality carbon booms have quite a "bend" (even though it is not bending) at full extension but are still lasting well
Peter,
Finally something we agree on 
here's a link to a previous thread outlining my disappointment with the 170-230 MS boom. Reinforces your sentiments exactly and I know of 3 others who have had the same problems with that model boom. Cannot fault the 190-240 MS carbon boom though.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/Carbon-boomsGASP/?page=-2
Select to expand quotesausage said..Mark _australia said..
petermac33 said..
I tried my Maui wave carbon 170-230 today on 226 cm extension on a 8.4m and it was absolutely terrible.
When I looked back at the boom there was a huge bend or deflection where the extension meets the boom arms.
It was still sail-able but I was scared to pump the sail in case the boom went.
I tried this boom with another sail on 209 cm ext and it felt ok. Feels awesome at 190cm.
Booms feel a lot better with less extension!
Is the end piece loose-ish in the arms? Some booms are just sloppy there so it is not actually bending.
Sloppy fit is not necessarily bad as it reduces wear
I find old ally booms are a lot tighter than newer carbon ones.
Some quality carbon booms have quite a "bend" (even though it is not bending) at full extension but are still lasting well
Peter,
Finally something we agree on
here's a link to a previous thread outlining my disappointment with the 170-230 MS boom. Reinforces your sentiments exactly and I know of 3 others who have had the same problems with that model boom. Cannot fault the 190-240 MS carbon boom though.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Review/Carbon-boomsGASP/?page=-2
I can't fault the Maui 190-240 MS carbon boom as well. Solid as the proverbial brick ****house at all extensions.
Select to expand quoteAUS 808 said...
This guy goes to an awful lot of trouble to get the full package, some good ideas and 10 points for persevering
It has amazed me for years & years why companies with huge budgets cannot get it all together.
I have seen the North Platinum first hand and bits of the head break, tiny bits of string break & the grip does peel off, no different to the other big brands.
The North back end is unusual and seems to work but whistles badly without tape covering the holes.
The grip issue is fixed as is the front end.
See the new ifront 2.0
It's light and has way less fiddly bits.
Regarding whistling....
I think if you go faster the whistle turns to a tune something similar to "highway to he'll"
Select to expand quoteratz said..
the end result is buy a serverne enigma.
best boom by a long way.
Make sure you order/buy a new set of clips when you get your boom...
Just saying !
Any thoughts on the Unifibre carbon booms?
Mine seems to be going strong, not that I'm exceptionally harsh on them.
Select to expand quoteWindWarrior said..ratz said..
the end result is buy a serverne enigma.
best boom by a long way.
Make sure you order/buy a new set of clips when you get your boom...
Just saying !
Sure that was a one-time batch issue, plastic now fixed.
from what I've read X6 is just a waste of money ...there was one test few years back done for by german wind magazine and found theres no difference in stiffness. I dont think current models can be any different. Save your money and try getting a second hand carbon or pay the full price for a carbon
I have a severne enigma prototype that was from Steve Allen. 180-226 Boom
It´s the best boom i have ever had and sailed!!
Robust as a rock and a very wide boom that lets you open the sail outhaul with out the sail touching the boom!!
It has also a little V shap which is perfect for my body structure!!
Want to buy another one but they are to expensive in europe!! More than 1000€ for a new one!! 
I tried the Maui carbon booom 190-240 on a 7.6 with a clew of around 230cm.
The stiffness / solidness is without precedent. Not the slightest bend in the boom I could detect.
Can only imagine what it would feel like with a sail with a 190 clew.
If you are willing to trade off increased weight for amazing solidness then this might well be the boom for you.
Select to expand quotepetermac33 said..
I tried the Maui carbon booom 190-240 on a 7.6 with a clew of around 230cm.
The stiffness / solidness is without precedent. Not the slightest bend in the boom I could detect.
Can only imagine what it would feel like with a sail with a 190 clew.
If you are willing to trade off increased weight for amazing solidness then this might well be the boom for you.
I use my 190-240 with my 5.7 and 6.3 slalom sails with the clew at 190 and 192 respectively. Solid as the proverbial brick shxthouse, but there is a weight penalty. I'm currently in the market for a carbon 160 to 210 carbon boom to use with my wave sails and small slalom sails
For small sails, I like the Chinook 160-226 Pro1 Carbon due to very light weight and wide design. For bigger sails, I like the Severne Enigma 180-230 Carbon. Both worth a look if you're in the market.
Re Quote "Don't think boom weight really matters as much as we believe".
My comment is:
In a straight line maybe not that much.
In the waves it makes a HUGE difference.
Especially the weight of the tail piece.
by far the best boom in my quever is the al 360 carbon
y have x9 en maui sails en fiber spar carbon booms en the AL 360 is the overal best stiffest best grip lightest ovel tubes feel grait in hand
