The Ultimate Wakesurf Board Review Thread

[Afun]

Anyone have experience with the Phase 5 Colt? I recently got my father hooked and he is 5'11'' 180lbs. His first time out using the colt and was up on the first pull and even able to get some slack in the rope. I want something that is going to be easy for him but also allow me to use it with some room for progression. I am 5'9" 160lbs. We will be riding behind an 08 VLX with MLS, wedge, and 750 in surf locker.

I want the Colt, but its so much money.

[Phoenix]

I had the opportunity to test out a couple of boards last Wednesday evening (just not behind my boat) and thought I would share my limited experiences with them.

For reference, I'm 5'11", and around 150 lbs.

Phase Daniello Pro Carbon (51")

This is the board I currently use, and have really enjoyed for the past year. I find the board is very responsive, gets into the pocket nicely, and rides the wake. I can turn the 2π radians, just not land them yet.

Phase 5 Oath (53")

I was really unimpressed with this board. I found it slow and sluggish. I did get most of the way around the 360, just took a little more effort than the Daniello Pro.

Phase 5 Diamond (51")

I see this being my next purchase for the boat. Loved the board. It is a little bit wider than my Danielllo Pro, but still nice and light, and responsive. 2013 they added a ridge in the foot pads which I find helps get the foot placement a little easier. Ran out of time on my surf, so didn't try the 360.

In chatting with the store guy, they have stopped ordering my board in favour of the Diamond.

[Phoenix]

Has anyone seen the Cascadia boards? Look pretty interesting

Cascadia is a local company based in Victoria. Our group has a board from two years ago that we liked... so I picked one up last year for my wife.

The difference from two years ago to last year was quite drastic. Here's the similar board that we got : http://cascadiaboardco.com/store/cascadia-carbon-fiber-compression-molded-wakeskim-48-copy/

This is a fairly thick and buoyant board. Once you're up, it is very stable... however getting up takes a lot of effort as it is a little heavy to get under your feet in the water. It will ride the wake.

Ours is now for sale as my wife is starting to enjoy my Phase 5 (is a good thing as it will allow me to go and get the P5 Diamond)

[FastFreddy]

Can anyone give me a review on the Phase5 Colt? I got one this summer at a good price($400). I'm a beginner and just want to know thoughts? I'm very new to wakesurfing and I'm able to go ropeless on a Hyperlite landlock but it feels too big and slow.

Is the Phase5 Colt fast compared to other boards like a IS squirt?

Does it pearl easy?

Any info is appreciated.

[Afun]

Can anyone give me a review on the Phase5 Colt? I got one this summer at a good price($400). I'm a beginner and just want to know thoughts? I'm very new to wakesurfing and I'm able to go ropeless on a Hyperlite landlock but it feels too big and slow.

Is the Phase5 Colt fast compared to other boards like a IS squirt?

Does it pearl easy?

Any info is appreciated.

I have been asking for a review on the Colt forever! Still waiting. A crew offered a demo. Also looking forward to riding a Model x. Edited August 26, 2013 by Afun

[Afun]

Can anyone give me a review on the Phase5 Colt? I got one this summer at a good price($400). I'm a beginner and just want to know thoughts? I'm very new to wakesurfing and I'm able to go ropeless on a Hyperlite landlock but it feels too big and slow.

Is the Phase5 Colt fast compared to other boards like a IS squirt?

Does it pearl easy?

Any info is appreciated.

Waiting on a call from Drew Danielo for an official review on the Model X and Colt..

[Afun]

Well no call...you know it's kind of a big deal this review

[Afun]

CWB Ride - Awesome beginner that could stay with any wake. You will be up and going on your first pull. Is not that sluggish, but pretty locked in. Remove a couple of fins and it loosens up just a bit. Fits in wakeboard rack. Very durable.

CWB Nomad - Very thick surfy board. Large fins and very light. Overall, very slow. It's looser than the ride. Does not fit in any rack unless its aftermarket for big thick surfboards.

Phase 5 Razz - This is the board that goes between the Prop and the Oogle. It's 1 inch thick. It's a little slower from rail to rail. Has good down the line speed, but overall not the quickest skim. You need to be on your toes and lean into the wake to stay in it. Good skim for bigger guys. Loose enough to do slides. Not good enough for spins yet, so I do not know. Fits in Wakesurf rack. Will fit in wakeboard rack without the rubber in the rack.

Byerly Hazard 5'4 2013 - The first board that made me say wow. Great smooth speed. Feels nice and loose but still comfortable. Works well as a quad. Starting to make nice turns effortlessly. I wonder how the 4'8 would feel. Anyone that buys this will like it. Fits in wakesurf rack only.

Phase 5 Colt - Very Unique feel to this board. Hard to explain, but I really like it. It's feels very wide. It's a very beautiful looking board. It likes to ride with the nose pointed away from the wave. If you put your foot forward it could accelerate past the boat the. It's loose, but not that loose. Rode thruster style with 2 inch fins. Will replace the outside fins with 1 inch and keep the 2 inch in the middle. I need more time on it. This one is a keeper for sure! Need to constantly edge to keep up with wave. Feels like I need to jam the rail into the wave, and it spits me back out. Still learning.

2013 Ronix Park Carbon Thruster 4'7 - This board has changed my entire perspective about riding a wave. This board will keep me up at night because of pure excitement. The first board I could say I truly love. It's very loose, but very controllable. Parks Bonifay was a surfer before a wakeboarder, so he knew what to do with this board. I mean this thing has speed, control, and you could snap it off the top of a wave with minimal effort. I rode it with 5 2.9 hook fins. I recommend this board to anyone and everyone. The Cliche we sometimes here that wakeboard companies do not make god wakesurfers is compete bull. Do not get me wrong, I still want a Inland Surfer, TWP, and Soulcraft board. 2 Thumbs Up for this Ronix!!

Phase 5 Trident - Skimmy/Surfy Feel which I liked. Not very buoyant, but only 3/4 thick. Great speed and feels loose. Loose to the point that its not out of control. This has been my favorite Phase 5 board. You do not have to constantly edge to keep up with the wave. Got to do some nice bottom turns with it. I was also able to drop back to the curl of my wave and keep it there to prepare for some down the line speed. I did not have pump this board either. Two thumbs up!

Soulcraft Jetty Swallow 4'8 - Near Future

2012 Ronix Parks Carbon Thruster 5'1 - this one I rode with two 2.3 fins on the outside and one 2.9 fin in the middle. I liked it, but consider it slower and less maneuverable than the 2013 Ronix 4'7. I rode the 4'7 with all five 2.9 fins. I would buy the smaller version in a heartbeat. I do not think the board has changed much from year to year. I could still drop back in the wave and prepare myself to gain speed. I just like the smaller board better and with more fins.

2013 Phase Five Danielo Diamond - Rode it behind a 14' 22 MXZ .

Extremely playful board. I could almost go completely sideways with it. I could see how this board is the preferred skim in the market. It's easier to edge with it and keep the edge than the other skim boards I have tried. Super fast down the line. Very easy to turn sideways and do spins. You still have to be on your toes and edge. That is the main difference between a surfer style with fins and a skim board. I could see myself having this one on the boat and learning how to skim with it. I enjoyed it.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Afun

[UpperleftWake]

Really liking my Victoria Skimboards factor 50" I picked up last years model in the off season on clearance from Cal Marine Sports. Its super responsive and just feels like riding on butter which I find to be both challenging and really fun. This is only my second season riding ropeless and I'm so close to riding away after a 360. If anyone is looking for a super fast, repsonsive, lightweight skim for a reasonable price I would check them out.

I'm really jonesing to try a Victoria Skimboard. I currently ride a 51" P5 Danielo Pro Carbon, but want to go smaller. I'm local to you, and if you're ever out n' about and feeling generous (I've got gas $ and wipe down duties), i'd love to demo that board if possible!

[jwl019]

I'm really jonesing to try a Victoria Skimboard. I currently ride a 51" P5 Danielo Pro Carbon, but want to go smaller. I'm local to you, and if you're ever out n' about and feeling generous (I've got gas $ and wipe down duties), i'd love to demo that board if possible!

I am loving my Victoria Factor PCX 50", it has taken me a few rides to get the feel of it coming from a IS Blue Lake but I am getting the hang of how slick it is. Almost pulled off my 1st 360 last outing and I am pretty confident I will get it next trip. My choices were between it and the Pro Carbon and Wakemitch talked me into it (glad he did). It has also become a favorite in my boat as well.

[UpperleftWake]

I am loving my Victoria Factor PCX 50", it has taken me a few rides to get the feel of it coming from a IS Blue Lake but I am getting the hang of how slick it is. Almost pulled off my 1st 360 last outing and I am pretty confident I will get it next trip. My choices were between it and the Pro Carbon and Wakemitch talked me into it (glad he did). It has also become a favorite in my boat as well.

Nice! I've got nothing bad to say about my 51" P5 Danielo; it's been a great board. I just find my feet out of place on it at times and think that I could benefit from a smaller, 48" board. I know Victoria makes em' and have heard nothing but good about their product, so hopefully i'll be able to demo one here soon!

[08oregon v-rider]

I'm really jonesing to try a Victoria Skimboard. I currently ride a 51" P5 Danielo Pro Carbon, but want to go smaller. I'm local to you, and if you're ever out n' about and feeling generous (I've got gas $ and wipe down duties), i'd love to demo that board if possible!

Yeah man you gotta try one. Will be camping at lake billy chinook for the weekend idk if that's a possibility for you. If not maybe we can set something up in the next couple weeks. We mostly go out to fall creek in Eugene although its getting pretty low so might have to go somewhere else while the weather lasts.

Edited September 5, 2013 by 08oregon v-rider

[FastFreddy]

Rode a Shred Stixx Hazen Model. Very fun board to ride. Felt fast and easy to carve with due to the four fins. If I coudl get my hands on a used one I would definitely pick one up.

[Afun]

Soulcraft Jetty Swallow Tail 4'8 -

Using Black Stix F4 V2 fins twinzer set-up. This is the first board which I could pump and recover at the very back of the wave. I now understand how to swiftly execute a short fast pump to speed up the board. The large fins play a major factor with this. This board goes up the wave faster than anything I have experienced before, and the first time I went down the wave I had to lean back and aggressively put on the brakes. That is how fast this thing is. The board is loose where you could spin, but I have not executed one yet. Pumping this board and going up the wave is a thrill. It wants lift off the lip of the wave very easily. I could also execute better long bottom turns than ever before. I am in for the long haul with this board. I have the James Walker edition Agenda traction on the board. It's not the most comfortable on the feet. The construction is very durable. I already gave it a couple of good hits and it held up very good. It does not fit in my wakesurfer rack. I would recommend this board to anyone in the sport. It's expensive, but worth it!

[River Monsters]

Soulcraft Jetty Swallow Tail 4'8 -

" I am in for the long haul with this board."

What IS the long haul for Afun?

[Fman]

I'm pretty sure the ronix koal is a chinese made glass board and the shape is very similar (the same?) as the old XXX slashers. If yes, it's a great shape, lots of fun, but fragile and not one to leave in a board rack because it'll get all dented up. I really like my xxx slasher, so if the koal is the same board it'd be a good choice.

The inland surfer squirt gets a lot of good press, but I don't have much time on one. The Inland surfer blue lake would be a great board to get your crew to the next level, but it's a pretty boring ride once you've ridden it for a while. Like riding a log. But it's big, stable, and fast down the line, all of which are good traits for learning to surf.

I used the Ronix Koal Fish all last season and never had an issue with the Malibu racks. The board is definitely not unbreakable, but using common sense and not abusing it you should have no issues. I would not do any deck starts with it.

That being said, I did have the bottom of the board delaminate. It never affected the performance but would get worse in heat conditions. Ronix sent me a brand new 2014 model free or charge, it also on the more fragile side but I have been using it the past couple weeks with no issues.

The Koal is a really nice board, it's pretty easy to ride and does not nose dive too easily for new surfer, it also has three removable fins for different configurations. I would definitely give it a look. For reference I am 6'1" 200 lbs and I ride the larger 5'6" model. My wife will also ride it and she is about 130 lbs and has no problems with it.

[Lance B. Johnson]

What IS the long haul for Afun?

Tomorrow he will have a new board.

[Afun]

Phase 5 AKU Just got off the water riding a new AKU. this board was very quick edge to edge. not quite as fast down the line as my soulcraft js pro. but more agile. But this was my first time out new boat and water temp of 55. with full wetsuit and booties. Didnt try anything on this board except riding, that way as not to get my head wet in ice water up hear in the mountains, ha ha. I will retry this board again when im in riding condition and better water conditions. Still like my soulcraft better, so far.

Nice! What size Aku and how much do you weigh?

[nyryan2001]

2014 Inland Surfer Flyboy (me) and the 2014 Inland Surfer Flyboy Bigboy(my best surf buddy).

Flyboy- this would be best for folks 210lbs (I'm 200, with a soaked full westsuit Im about 210) and under, who want a surf style board but want to do spins, airs etc etc. Ive got about 5hrs on the board so far, love it. Fits in standard board racks. Very fast. Very Very light. Will not pearl/nose dive at all. Has great grip on the wave, will not slide out on you like a skim.... but the fins are far enough forward it"ll break loose and spin for 360s. first board I have been able to just ollie while riding along, it wants to jump. I have NO desire to buy another board whatsoever. Although pricey, this would also be a great board for beginners and intermediates. its pretty stable. My 70lb 9 and 11yr old boys and wife will use this, also the wife. A++++ job Inland Surfer!!

BigBoy- Ive got about 1.5hrs on my buddy's Bigboy... we bought at the same time. Same characteristics as above ^^^, only few inches bigger and wider, but: will NOT fit in standard board racks. much more stable and more mellow ride, still very fast and very floaty... this would be the performance board for guys up to 275lbs.... or say 185-200lb guys who are limited to a smaller wave... and need a floatier board to compensate for a smaller wave... we were able to go almost 1-2 ft futher back on the Bigboy on the smallest part of the wave... Imagine everything you hate about the Broadcast made right, blended with more performance.... thats the Bigboy. I could not pull a 360 on the Bigboy with 4 fins....likely would need to remove 2 of the fins. I could get good air on it though.

[nyryan2001]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheKiwi]

Flyboy- this would be best for folks 210lbs (I'm 200, with a soaked full westsuit Im about 210) and under, who want a surf style board but want to do spins, airs etc etc. Ive got about 5hrs on the board so far, love it. Fits in standard board racks. Very fast. Very Very light. Will not pearl/nose dive at all. Has great grip on the wave, will not slide out on you like a skim.... but the fins are far enough forward it"ll break loose and spin for 360s. first board I have been able to just ollie while riding along, it wants to jump. I have NO desire to buy another board whatsoever. Although pricey, this would also be a great board for beginners and intermediates. its pretty stable. My 70lb 9 and 11yr old boys and wife will use this, also the wife. A++++ job Inland Surfer!!

This is exactly what I have been looking for! Thanks!!!

I've been stuck on a P5 Icon that at, 210lbs (I'm gonna lose that 10lb!!!) feels really slow to me.

[Afun]

The phase 5 AKU WAS THE 56". I weigh 150

I'm sure it surfed great, but you could have gone with the 53" that goes all the way up to 200 lbs. It was probably the only one the store had. The 56" is still a small board.

[Tapps247]

Any input on a Parks Thruster? New to Surfing but adapt very quickly to most things. Riding behind 13 247 with gates. Just curious because there is a used one on craigslist here. I've read all these post but I must say it's a lit to take in and a bit back and forth dependent upon so many variables. Thanks for the input here.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[IXFE]

Any input on a Parks Thruster? New to Surfing but adapt very quickly to most things. Riding behind 13 247 with gates. Just curious because there is a used one on craigslist here. I've read all these post but I must say it's a lit to take in and a bit back and forth dependent upon so many variables. Thanks for the input here.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have a Parks Thruster (5'1"). It's a good surf style board that comes in three sizes. I recommend the 4'7" or 5'1".

I like it because it's fast down the line so very easy to stay in the wave without any serious pumping. It works very well on a SG wave such as yours. I used it all of last season and it's still my primary stick (although I may be upgrading).

The only downside for me is that it's easy to dip the nose. I also wish it was a little more maneuverable. I actual demo'd the 4'7" version lately and it had all the quickness and ease to stay in the wave of my 5'1" but it was a bit easier to move around.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

[Lance B. Johnson]

Hey IXFE can you pull the thruster fin and ride it as a twin? Made a huge difference in my triple x. It was way better in every way.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Ruffdog