They are here! The new and amazing 2008 Underground Boards!
Adrian from Underground sent Dan Anderson, Simon and I the new 08 models for the National Freestyle heald at Elliot Heads.
I tried the new FLX 1.28 in Sydney at Dolls point just yesterday, and was amazed of its performance on the choppy water and smooth flat water behind the rock groin.
They have 4 concave and a bit more rocker than last year's model.
On my personal judgement, the extra concave makes it easier to ride on choppy water, and the flex of the board makes it pop better.
The tips is a kind of "diamonts" shape witch is better for landing triks.
It is also surprisingly light compared to last year's model. Plus it is thinner and helps a bit more to ride upwind.
The New design is realy cool.
In conclusion I would like to congratulate Adrian and his team for building this great board,
and hopefully you will love it as i do.
Marine
Pics would be nice!
I had the last year model and was happy, it was just to heavy!
Rode the 1.28 x 38 last night for approx 10-15mins, then swapped to my trusty old slippers the 07 FLX 1.32, and then to my large slippers the 1.52x44FLX, because it was too much of a struggle to stay upwind and I had only blown up the 11M Edge2
The board is very smooth in the chop, I was able to run fast through very heavy chop in the rivermouth at Dolls, the thing I noticed about the board is how well it tracks and holds a line, also it carves a tight turn better than the 07 boards.
Still has that very comfortable smooth ride that I love about the Underground boards, and which is the main reason I ride them, over everything else I have tried.
I wondered how the board would feel compared the the Cabrinha Custom, which I like in stronger winds/more powered conditions. Its nothing like it actually, other than the tracking, but even that feels different. The Underground has a much flatter rocker than the Cabrinha and a different rocker to the 07 boards.
Outline and top and bottom shapes are different too. The top has divots on the rail for use as grabs if you don't want to use a handle. Bottom has 3 spines spread over a concave which is sort of oval shaped, the concave ends well before the tips, same with the spines, so the ends of the board are flat. The end has a concave curve with squared off tips that finish off the flat chime type rail section of the underside of the board, and this is what makes it feel more connected and allows it to turn tighter without lifting and skipping out.
The colours in th pics above are dull compared to the real life 1.28, that I think is my own, not someone elses (mine game speak).
All sizes available soon, there will be some demos arriving this week, which have last years graphic and which will be sold off at special prices once the 08 graphic boards arrive.
Cya and
Goodwinds
steve
Pics have gone up on the Underground website, I reckon they look pretty sweet, I wasn't a big fan of last years graphics.
www.undergroundkiteboards.com/detail_news.php?id=32
There's a few action shots up here toohttp://www.famousfrank.com/fotos/Vorschau-Underground-FLX-2008_519.html
Look forward to taking one for a spin, and hopefully I'll get to try a Freewave too.
