Cheap vs. Expensive Windsurf Board | Worth it? @nico_ger7

[@BoardLifeNico]

Looking to upgrade your gear? At www.surf-center.com we help you find the perfect fit for your budget and skill! Send us a message! api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=31850481281

[@gero.wi701]

I used it more than one time! The guys at Surfcenter are super helpfull, very fast and perfect organized!!!🤙🤙🤙

[@renesim77]

@@gero.wi701 Very true. I've got the same experience with them. Also got the same board 124lt Wood pro. A smooth rocket that is =)

[@marcverbeke2970]

I live in France, my local spots are Gruisssn, Port La Nouvelle and Leucate. All of my boards and sails are secondhand with nothing over 200€. On the water I have a blast and easily keep up with (and often pass) guys on 1000€+ kit. At the end of the day it's the smile on your face that counts!

[@BoardLifeNico]

Perfect!!! 🙌

[@scardenas9512]

Can you tell us what type of boards you buy used. I am new to the sport.

[@marcverbeke2970]

​@@scardenas9512I use a Nash Supercross 96ltrs and a Starboard Pure Acid 80Ltrs with sails ranging from 3.5 upto 7.5 This seems to work for me in winds from 14knots to 35knots

[@kingprone7846]

just depends a lot where you live. windsurfing is still relatively popular in germany and france, but outside i.e. uk or aus you just dont really see any windsurfers anymore

[@skipgonsalves81]

Bringing back the blind test like the old magazines used to. I like it. 👍

[@Nico_GER7]

Some room to improve, but I also like the concept.

[@mindebrolis9582]

The best board is the one that brings you out on the water! ❤

[@ofen3203]

That teenager is really good for only surfing for about 1 year. First time planning took me 2 years. To be fair i only surfed for 1 week each year, I wish i could get more days on the water..

[@bertvwveldman3931]

Kool to have “ normal” surfers to give their honest and unbiassed feedback Great experiment and nice to hear Werner

[@Kirmo13]

this was a good video! I think it could have been a main channel video

[@Luigi-xy6gs]

Good work for normal windsurfer. For me the only important thing in windsurfing is to go out and have fun, wood,glass,carbon have fun be happy

[@realfishmusic2032]

Ah the music choice for your rides in the end ... love it! The video was perfect for me. I spend the last two weeks at lake garda on exact that stuff (rentals at segnana) and I have the ES 23 Version at home. This video underlines that I made the right choice to buy the ES for my current level.

[@antonlgn5]

Sehr coole Video Idee und Umsetzung. Schöne Abwechslung alles mal aus Amateur statt Profisicht zu haben🤙🏼

[@userTJ39780]

Werner Gnigler used to design F2 boards! Loved his Ride 277.

[@benedikthassel]

Gnigler designed many boards. I've got a JP Super X 106l from him, the pro version for just 10!!!! euros on the aftermarket!

[@andersjuul8310]

Great idea pulling in more average surfers -- your regular videos are great, but this was a refreshing change!

[@sipkebijlsma]

A big warning to potential buyers of the ES version. If you sometimes have catapults you will be punished by the missing sandwich construction in the front section of the board. Unless you are handy with glassfiber and epoxy yourself, buy the regular version which is misleadingly labeled as pro.

[@realfishmusic2032]

Or buy a surfbent. ;-) I catapulted heavily on the first 50 meters of using my ES for the first time and the surfbent saved nearly everything. Only some finish isnt perfect anymore. Doesnt matter.

[@sipkebijlsma]

@@realfishmusic2032 with the surfbent you run the risk of ripping out the mastrail. I have witnessed that twice.

[@andrazavbelj1570]

Can confirm. Luckily the board was replaced under warranty

[@alfovebraseth]

This blind-testing using avarage riders is just excacty what I need, this is a very informative video

[@allantassie8836]

Good test and video. It would be nice to know sail size and wind speed specs. It makes it easier to relate to.

[@isaacent]

nico my iqfol bord has 13 kg. I am very light, for foil do you think the bord need to be light ?

[@Peeter77]

To be honest boards are expensive. For myself I think that for high winds the cheaper construction is better, not so hard ride and the weight difference is not so important to get planing. For lighter winds the weight is important, so I have to get the expensive and light version.

[@BoardLifeNico]

Fair argument!

[@MikeTheVanFX]

My Sails and boards are usually slightly used or bought brand new on clearance. My first brand new board I bought had a small chip in the paint around the mast track and had been on the water because another customer wanted to test it. It was also close to the end of the season. Got a brand new board for more than half of the price off due to the so called defect and it lasted me 8 years until the shell cracked from all the stress of jumping. Nowadays I buy gear from my local surfcentre or shop they know when I visit I am there to buy. They got modern used gear coming out of their rental fleet and it is in a good shape to last many years to come. Got a new sail and board in a combo deal. I am pursuing the modern freestyle so in the learning process I see no need to buy brand new when I can get top tier recent gear used for cheap. And they are one of the few places with a selection of freestyle kit. Just buy what your level allows you to ride. When you know you have a higher chance to wreck gear go for used. If you are a one trick blasting around pony just get the best you can afford ;) you are not taking much risk anyway.

[@rickderocker]

Such a nice board the super ride! Fast and easy and easy to go fast ! And they jibe like a dream . Next year I buy the pro version 🎉.

[@peterstorm11]

Hey Nico im really looking to buy my own gear i currently windsurf in a club i still want to after but its only once a week so i would like to be able to go out more often i have one big question about buying my gear what would be best? -Buying higher quality second hand gear that might be in rougher shape or buying cheap new gear thats in better shape but worse quality probably also alot heavier. Would love for you to answer :D

[@stevenmellet5555]

Hilarious that the price difference between both constructions, I think you mentioned 600 Euros, is much more than I have invested in my favourite kit, including board, mast, sail, boom, fin, and even wetsuit included!

[@WindsurfGenerationX]

What is about my Super Ride LXT? 🤔

[@francofiore5339]

Very explaining video.I think the different fin's construction makes some different behavior tooin the water.I buyed a used like new Super Ride LXT 124,coming from a Magic Ride 130 ES.Great,easy and fast board,more comfortable and stable on chops but more tricky in jibe compared to MR,but i like a lot the feeling of SR.

[@ghughes20]

Wearing a parka and beanie in June in the south of France? Yikes, must have been a cold day!!! Great content as always, Really enjoyed this one. Also, "Wood Pro"? too funny.😅

[@Boris-v1u]

I am wondering how long can last a board without sandwich construction (the ES version) Can we even jump with the board? Without sandwich, In case of small damage the board will absorb waters which is killing the board.

[@simonjandrell5897]

ive always liked the wood version my slalom Isonic 150 and 135 (2008/9) are just so Quick

[@tomattbwindsurfing]

Yes weight matters to me. I just replaced my 2021 Starboard Foil Freeride 150 with the new 2024 Starboard Foil Freeride 75 and went with the wood sandwich board to save weight. Saved 2+ kilos from the previous board a 1+ kilos over the standard board. Extra cost about $400 but if it allows me to foil in very light winds worth the extra cost. Looks good as well 🤙🏼

[@SirKilmore001]

Nice video, not too long but very useful. I would like to see the theory behind board size. What width, how many liters, flat water, salt water, sail range, etc.

[@isaacent]

nico for fin i prefer as light as possible, is easier to control. maby for foil a heavier would be better as i am very light

[@sharewavestv]

Moin Nico, very good idea to let some amateurs do the work 😉

[@Nico_GER7]

Haha! Any volunteers?

[@samponette3306]

@@Nico_GER7sure :)

[@jacquelinethTube]

Thank you for giving some space/voice to non pro.❤ It’s important ! And also ironic that it came at last from the PWA president 😅

[@nikemie1]

Can you show us the manufacturing process of the boards, that will be an interesting video. Carbon is always better when you know how to windsurf properly, you never go back to those ES boards. Also not all carbon construction is the same. Thanks for your time putting all those videos for us.

[@Tobias1949]

Very interesting and thank you for the video. I am enjoying very much the JP super ride ES version. Exactly because it feels so relaxing and easy going. However, I want to go more sporty on the water. So maybe it makes sense to get used to a more fragile feeling on the water. I did not try the wood pro yet. Maybe it feels more like the severne fox or starboard futura, which I also used at the Rene Egli Surfcenter in Fuerteventura.

[@userTJ39780]

Nico, when you are speaking German and immediately switch to "English," you have the heaviest German accent. When you start in English, it actually sounds a bit more natural to a native English speaker. As for the topic, I tend to get the high end version when possible; carbon Techno, LTD EX Mistral, BCS biax carbon Fanatic Gecko, etc. I love the lighter feel and better performance. The only time I go the low end is for my beginner boards; as my kids are abusing them!

[@giorgosgavriilmanganaris4035]

Nice vid Prien

[@fertysurfer]

€600 diference but what is the price? If there is that much difference then i can't afford either of them.

[@galensk]

Really Nice video Nico 🤙🤙🤙

[@M1000rj]

Hey Nico, I've had a video idea about windsurfing, many something for you: " You and your buddy have both a budget of. 1500,- for example, and need to buy windsurfing gear with it and then race each other. Winner takes it all. You can do this with a friend for example. I hope you like it...

[@BoardLifeNico]

Yes we had that idea too!

[@renatomadotto3919]

Amazing test!!!

[@MrSquinker]

englisch speaking Germans, thats a rare found haha, nice video as always!!

[@Funkphenomena]

No matter which construction you choose from the major brands, they all seem like being made out of eggshells. Plain folks don't benefit from minuscule weight reductions and marketing gimmicks. We want durable boards and honest communication for our money. The bottom line is that we should all support local custom manufacturers or at least those few smaller customer brands that place quality above quantity. Anyway, the test format is a good direction. :)

[@urmastiirik]

Idea for next video. Maybe you can talk about harnesses and harneslines. I see you use waist harness and harnesslines that are originally meant for foiling. I would be interested to learn why don’t you use seat harness or “Liberty” harness type hybrid harness. Maybe for amateurs they are good options? Just asking as I’m thinking about new harness and not sure which type is meant for who. Most of the harness videos in youtube are made for kitesurfers.

[@rcggijzen]

I think the biggest explanation for the price-difference is simply marketing (How much extra is the customer prepaired to pay? / what can we convince the customer is the added value of the 'premium' product?). I just checked an on-line store for DIY hobby-ists working with glassfibre/carbon/epoxy. It is true that glassfibre-cloth costs about 5x less than carbon fibre-cloth (fo the same weight/m2). But for 600,- you can buy 20m2 of premium class carbon fibre cloth (160grams/m2). Enough to reinforce at least 30 boards, if not more. A factory like Cobra probably pays less than half this price. So the suggestion that the 600,- price-difference, between the boards, is because glass if much cheaper than carbon, is - to my opinion- B.S. But it was an interesting test and a nice video. Both actually found the (cheap) glassfibre board nicer to sail. I guess for most recreational surfers, comfort is more important than a few % more acceleration out of a gybe.

[@rcggijzen]

I later realized I over-simplified my reaction. The added cost of the Wood-Pro is not just the carbon vs glass but also the extra labor for placing the inner glass, woodveneer (or high density PVC) and carbon in the mold. The layup is more complicated than just foam and glass. But even that doesn't add up to 600,-, I expect.

[@tompaesmans]

Not so long ago, the "pro edition" version of JP boards was the carbon version that was the lighter version of the "wood sandwich" version... Now they have dropped the carbon construction and renamed the wood version as "Wood Pro" and added a heavier non-sandwich construction "ES". Yeah right... Not just JP by the way, but also Duotone has stopped the Textreme carbon version of the boards. I still have a really light and stiff "pro edition" JP board and will not change it soon for a heavier one...

[@hugodohmen4010]

Wise words!

[@peterolsson852]

Yes!!!! How much for your Wood Pro??😂😂😂👏👏👏

[@schobihh2703]

you can even save further 600 € if you buy the last years model.

[@BoardLifeNico]

Exactly!

[@tzovarasdermasurgery1245]

The bigger the board the bigger the weight difference between versions. On smaller boards the weight difference is not significant and for higher winds a smoother heavier board is even than the more expensive version. Quite the opposite on bigger boards.

[@lomicwind]

Interesting video. But if the ES (Epoxy Sandwich) does not use a hard foam (like airex) or a wood ply to make a sandwich, but instead is just more layers of fiberglass, why is it labelled "Epoxy Sandwich". I find that very misleading, why labelling it "sandwich" where there is no sandwich ? By the way I've allways found dumb the label "Epoxy Sandwich" used by various brands to designate their lesser range without carbon fiber. "Epoxy" is about resin, not about what is inside the board in terms of fibers. A board with a sandwich construction with carbon uses also epoxy resin, so in the end it is also an epoxy sandwich. And a board using only fiber glass and no sandwich construction should not be labelled as ES. Call it HD if you want to use a positive label, but sandwich where there is none is misleading.

[@Team33Team33]

Has anybody ever asked a board maker what the difference between a full carbon board and anything else Wood Pro and/or Epoxy etc. It's a pity that they all say they use carbon fibre, because it is so thin (some makers even think that black paint under fibre glass is called carbon ...). Pick up a Patrick Diethelm full carbon airinside board and you will see what I mean.

[@karinegrandvoinet2038]

who play the heavy guitar riff at 9' ?? :) (y)

[@nakaniko]

Many says boards are pricy. But think at how much money nowaday we spend in let's say stupid things, like a top smartphone, or useful but not amusing, like repairing our car... The right board can last for a decade, so 2500 euros mean 250 euro for each year...

[@BoardLifeNico]

Good point!

[@michaeld5645]

And now with the same fin, please.

[@BoardLifeNico]

Come by and you can do it, please :)

[@breandanhamon1243]

@@BoardLifeNico I would gladly travel for some board testing hahaha

[@escalator3065]

Interessting

[@mathiaspaulsen3112]

Mit unterschiedlichen Finnen ist der Test nicht wirklich aussagekräftig. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass 95 % des Unterschieds nicht vom Board, sondern von der Finne her rühren.

[@BoardLifeNico]

Wollten es halt testen, wie es geliefert wird. Aber klar, die Finne macht auch einen spürbaren Unterschied.

[@FORTDavid]

Ah ah ah the technical guys from JP seems really embarrassed to explain the difference between the 2 models. I don't know if it's because that makes the cheaper board look like it's lower-end product or because you pay too much for the wood pro version.

[@Mariz650]

600eur its not a little bit more....its alot more

[@BoardLifeNico]

Indeed ! 😲

[@comment8767]

Why are these people speaking Bulgarian?

[@73smoo]

The cheaper board isn't even a sandwich construction? Just glass on EPS? Sounds to me as a board for decorational purposes. In my time such boards didn't exist and nobody would have bought such board. Probably it would have been regarded as fraud. And when I see the price of the lighter board, the only normal board as a sandwich, I'm wondering if that is fraud as well.

[@horsemadf1]

A great idea using real world sailors to give feedback. You make gybing look so easy..🙄

[@Phil-ry2ux]

The more expensive board isnt a 'Pro' board. Thats just marketing nonsense, nothing 'Pro' about it. Does it have a carbon deck? I think not otherwise it would be mentioned in the brochure. In 2022 I was interested in the Supersport, or even the Superride, but as it wasnt full PVC sandwich, and at least a carbon deck, I wasnt interested. So I bought an AV Nuolari.

[@BoardLifeNico]

Nice! Congrats on your board 🙌 I don’t think anyone claims that it’s literally a pro board. 😄 They just use the name to emphasize that the construction is more high end than the ES.

[@BrunoCunha67]

Still a not a sport for every wallet, even on second hand

[@BoardLifeNico]

True