Just to qualify this review:
i weigh 87 kgs and have tested the Kode 80 at Hookipa (logo high - 4.2 weather), shoulder high cross on sprecks.(5.5 weather)
And SW Dutchies (5.3 weather - 3m swell - mid tide - pretty nice head high onshore bowls to be had. jumps and wave riding tested. All on the stock 23 cm provided fin.
Sailing style - turning a bit more out the front of the wave and trying to get square to the section , to (try to) achieve this i tend to ride with a bit less out haul than most. But downhaul nicely cranked for drag elimination.
First up - i LOVE the Acid 80 from 07 and 08. I could put on my 6.0 or go as small as 4.2 - all on the one board. You can do that with light rigs (Severne Gators on RDM masts)
Ditto for the Evo 80 - which covered pretty much the same range - but delivered a bit more drive and pop looseness in shoulder high and under (great for scarbs! ) - while the Acid delivered a bit more control and bucket throwing ability over that size.(great for our classic reef breaks. )
Regarding jumps- The Acid jumped higher (more top end speed) while the Evo had more mid air control (late unplanned push loops and forced backies) due to its shorter nose - less swing weight.
I love both boards and couldn't split them to call the better all rounder.
When i heard the Acid 80 was to be discontinued i got a bit nervous - this is just such a fine board! Well i neednt have worried..
The Kode 80 definitely has the same feel as the Acid and i would say identical (or close ) tail as the Acid 80 did. Basically a fast pulled in tail with a nice amount of vee (delivers insane carving control at speed ) teamed up with a VERY VERY fast rocker (SUPER early planing - massive jumps). Do not under estimate a fast rocker's ability to deliver good top end control too - because as you travel faster "pull force" seems to disappear from the rig.
Due to its mobility i was out at Hookipa getting plenty of waves amongst all the wavesailing icons of the sport. Its a pretty daunting experience launching off the beach when you have Naish, Goya, Polakow, Baker , Dunkerbeck and lots more- all blasting around.
Once on the water -I felt like i had one of the fastest and most mobile set ups on the water - i was able to sail out the back , get upwind fast and get set waves - seemingly at will. I was not getting stuck in the pack - not having to scratch for waves. To put this in perspective - this is a production board being sailed by an amateur wave sailor
I was quite surprised at this...
Compared to the Acid 80- The Kode has had some foam shaved off it the nose and has become a little shorter in the nose. this means that the massive jumping ability of the Acid has been retained while combining some of the mid air throw around ability that the evos are famous for- there was definitely more ability to correct a slightly wrong BL projection with the new shape - and the fwd rotations were a little faster and snappier.
in the bottom turn - it felt identical to the acid 80- throw down turns at full speed with full confidence - this is what made the Acid such a classic. Being a heavier sailor i need to bag out my outhaul some what to maintain mobility - so this control is critical.
The top turn however has been tweaked - the reduction in nose mass delivers a looser top turn - with tail snap / slide ability seemingly on tap. OR go for full rail to wave face commitment and see how much spray you can throw - with some front and back foot balance both options are there. This delivers a sense of creativity and variance in turns that makes it too much fun.
the vee in the tail means you can roll off the bottom turn rail with confidence and smoothly introduce the top turn rail to the lip. The blade rail in the tail provides beautiful control mid turn while The floaty rail up the front delivers nice projection out of the lip - and away from the death zone.
As for freestyle - unfortunately you'd have to search far and wide to find a less talented freestyler than i - but i can say that on reverse 360 slides backwards down the wave face (its my one and only "trick" - the "stubby!!") the tail stays nice and clear - with no digging in - so i would say a freestyler would be able to whip this thing around pretty well.
Downsides? - the board was probably a touch harder to tack than the Acid 80 - due to the decreased flotation up the front. But no more difficult than an Evo - you just have to be dynamic.
In summary - Its a looser Acid 80!! Starboard took a board that i already rate a big fat 9.5 out of 10 and improved it. I'm tempted to deliver a 10... lets call it a 9.8. Its just so well rounded, fast, loose, balanced in the air , controllable at speed, rangey -For me personally - i just cant fault it.
I just found my 1 board quiver /all rounder for this season!
Of course i would recommend a test drive on one of these to anyone interested in this review - and make your own judgement relative to your style.
further update on Kode 80 test:
After riding the kode in some lighter winds i can say a bit more about this board.
It probably doesnt carry a 6.0 as well as an Evo 80 (wider nose and tail on the Evo provides "virtual litres") or even the Acid 80 (the kode's thinned out nose has removed some volume from the board). If i was riding alot of 6.0 and 5.5 i would probably lean towards an Evo 80 or last years Acid for mobility. (i'm 87 kg - and 80 kg or less rider might feel differently)
The Kode 80 delivers the looseness and throw around ability of a 70 litre board. You just feel like you can do anything out of the lip.
In summary the Kode 80 rides a little smaller than other 80 litre boards in Starboard's range - but delivers fantastic high performance in return. Many people will wrongly assume that the Kode is a cross over board but i would venture to say that it is one of the most aggressive and loose waveboards currently available to the market.
And it achieves this without paying a slow/ bent rocker penalty.
Just had a session at Dunsborough with a 5.5 in waist to chest high onshore stuff.
Even more in love with this board now than i was before! there is a magical ability built in to control what it does out of the lip - go for the slide reverse (load up the back foot and back hand a little more) and it slides - go for the bucket throw (dig in the heel side rail, less back hand pressure- and it grips and throws without any slide. set up for a combo of the 2 and it does that. Stoked!
The Kode carries Plenty of speed through the bottom turn when powered up - but gives away a little drive in the onshore angles compared to the Evo 80 in moderately powered up conditions - not surprising given the Evo 80's wider nose and tail.
i was comparing the Kode 80 with an Evil twin 80 at the beach last weekend - i reckon the kode gives away at least 5 litres to the Evil Twin - which looks - to my eye- more like an 85 litre board.
Hey Matt, are you riding the 80 litre twinnie? i was wondering how they float, your saying the volume feels bigger than 80 litres? have you riden the 86 Kode?
Havent ridden the 80 twinny but its AT LEAST 5 litres bigger to look at - thicker and wider at the tips - but a little shorter (i think)
Mr Severne was throwing some sick lines and turns with the ET 80 in 3 - 4 ft down the line 12 - 16 knots here in perth last weekend - it certainly looks like it works!! He's usually a pretty fussy judge on a board's performance- and he seems stoked with the ET 80.
havent ridden the Kode 86 - however I rode the Kode 94 in Hawaii for about 10 mins - probably the best gybing board i have ever ridden in my life!! Thats usually a good / reliable indication of a board's bottom turn ability - should be sick for a big floaty board - mobility was excellent too.
The whole Starboard team (including tati and Nico Alkzacgian) were stoked on that board too - definitely an amazing wave / freestyle all rounder
Based on that session i'd have one in a second - if i could justify a 2 board quiver. - maybe one day.
Hi.
I usually ride with my EVO 74 first version (2004) sometime on shore some times side shore with sail from 4.2 to 5.5 (I am 70 kg).
I love this board because is easy and forgiving even if you are a bit too slow in wave riding.
Which are the main differences with the Kode 80 ?
Would you by another EVO or you would go for a Kode ?
I do not consider the Acid because it is better for side and big waves, while in Italy we have often on shore 1-2 mt waves.
Thanks
Davide
