Archive for the 'Gear Reviews' Category

Starboard’s 2015, 8-8 AirBorn review by Atlantic Paddle Surfing

06-dsc_0003

What Starboard says;   …  The 2015 8′-8″ Air Born is a larger version of the highly regarded 2014 Air Born series range for maximum shredding in smaller surf. Thin rails and profile (thickness) combine with the width for a stable yet sensitive and highly responsive ride. Drive and acceleration, when the wave is lacking power, is provided by the mono concave bottom creating the ability to generate speed and project vertically. Although a fast rocker, it’s still able to fit in the pocket for tight carves with release coming from V in the tail for letting the fins go when desired. This board was designed for the even larger riders in the over the 180 lbs plus providing plenty of float and stability. Mono-concave throughout the boards bottom..
Continue reading ‘Starboard’s 2015, 8-8 AirBorn review by Atlantic Paddle Surfing’

SUP Examiner Reviews the X-14 Pro

By: Allie Brown

sic-x-14-pro

The SIC Maui X-14 Pro has just received an awesome review from the SUP Examiner! Here are some highlights:

“The SIC X-14 Pro’s silky smooth glide was immediately noticeable from the moment I took my first stroke. The board simply slides over the water’s surface with an elegant glide and effortlessly gets up to speed within seconds.”
Continue reading ‘SUP Examiner Reviews the X-14 Pro’

Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottles

hydro-flask-2

I recently got a couple of Hydro Flask steel vacuum insulated water bottles (40 oz and 64 oz). I’ll cut to the chase. These are the best insulated thermos bottles I’ve ever used. Continue reading ‘Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottles’

SIC Bullet 12′6″ is Awesome

surfing-with-the-sic-bullet-12-6-sup-race-board-1

It’s been a few years since I first got my version 1 SIC 12′6″. It was the first of the shape that would evolve the Bullet line and I loved it at first lift. I mean first lift because it’s lighter than most of the 10′6″ boards on the market at the time. That’s a big difference because when I look at what to ride from the quiver a lot of time it’s based on what’s easiest to carry for the day. Continue reading ‘SIC Bullet 12′6″ is Awesome’

S.I.C. Bullet-14 V3 SUP Race Board Review

sic-bullet-14-v3-sup-race-board-review-by-darin-9

Review written by: Darin Leong

The SIC Bullet 14″ Version 3 takes the ultra-popular Bullet 14 and makes it sleeker, flatter and faster.

The Board

We have been able to test the V2 and V3 side-by-side. Let me start with the obvious, both of these boards are incredible downwind vehicles. Hence the popularity of the Bullet line. Continue reading ‘S.I.C. Bullet-14 V3 SUP Race Board Review’

Blue Planet Rock N’ Roller SUP Board Review

blue-planet-surf-rock-n-roller-sup-board-review-by-darin-01

Review written by: Darin Leong

It has taken me awhile to work up to this board, but the Rock N’ Roller is now my favorite all around board. It is a great balance of performance and enough stability for lots of fun in all kinds of conditions.
Continue reading ‘Blue Planet Rock N’ Roller SUP Board Review’

My Boosted Boards Electric Skateboard is Finally Here!

boosted-boards-electric-skateboard-01

Back in 2012, I got to try out the Boosted Boards electric skateboard and was really impressed by it. I ended up ordering one but due to unforeseen circumstances, delivery was delayed. After roughly 17 months of waiting, it’s finally here. Check out the video below where I unbox the board and did a bit of testing with the help of my kids. Continue reading ‘My Boosted Boards Electric Skateboard is Finally Here!’

S.I.C. Bullet-14 V3 SUP Race Board – First Look

sic-bullet-14-v3-sup-board-01

Here’s a first look at the SIC Bullet 14 v3. There hasn’t been much in the form of trade winds lately so I was lucky to get one day of downwind conditions between all the Kona weather and vog. I picked up the SIC Bullet v3 from Young Brothers, took it out of the shipping wrap and got ready to get it wet. Right from the start I noticed a pretty big difference in the outline and rocker. Continue reading ‘S.I.C. Bullet-14 V3 SUP Race Board – First Look’

C4 Waterman MR Pro SUP Board Review

c4-waterman-mr-pro-sup-board-01

Review written by: Darin Leong

The C4 Waterman MR Pro is a fun board that balances stability and performance. This is a great board for intermediate to advanced riders who want a user-friendly stable board that turns well and has great top-end speed.
Continue reading ‘C4 Waterman MR Pro SUP Board Review’

Blue Planet Featherlite Hi-Performance Carbon Stand Up Paddle

blue-planet-featherlite-hi-performance-carbon-stand-up-paddle-1

Review written by: Darin Leong

I have recently been exploring the world of SUP paddles. There hasn’t been much wind for downwind runs in the past couple months, so tests have been exclusively in the surf.

In researching SUP paddles, the first thing I realized is that there are differing opinions on paddle length. Most people agree that paddles for downwind runs should be longer than paddles used for surfing, but preferences vary. Continue reading ‘Blue Planet Featherlite Hi-Performance Carbon Stand Up Paddle’

Riding the S.I.C. Recon-10 SUP Board in Waikiki

sic-recon-10-sup-surfing-board-01

After riding the recon for a number of sessions on different conditions I realize that this board is really good for any rider over 200 pounds that wants a board that can turn on a dime. The quad fin set up is actually really comfortable now for me and if the conditions are nice and not too bumpy this board turns really smooth. My brother shot this video over a few days and it shows how the board performs in really bumpy choppy conditions as well as nice conditions. Continue reading ‘Riding the S.I.C. Recon-10 SUP Board in Waikiki’

Race Hawaii Double Bladed Stand Up Paddle Review

This is written by Darin Leong (http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/), my brother and a local attorney in Hawaii.

Race Hawaii

The double paddle took 30 minutes off my downwind time on the Hawaii Kai run (Portlock to Waikiki). For a downwind paddler like myself who often cannot pull into bumps with a single paddle, the double paddle gives that extra speed necessary to catch those bumps, turning an ok downwind run into an epic one. Continue reading ‘Race Hawaii Double Bladed Stand Up Paddle Review’

Blue Planet Surf Fun Stick SUP Board Review

This is written by Darin Leong (http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/), my brother and a local attorney in Hawaii.

blue-planet-surf-fun-stick-sup-board-review-02

I’ve been giving the Blue Planet Surf Fun Stick a try for the past few days. Stable, surfs well, glides, and makes for a great “if-you-could-only-have-one-SUP” board. I’ve posted a few pics and a GoPro vid, so feel free to check those out.
Continue reading ‘Blue Planet Surf Fun Stick SUP Board Review’

S.I.C. Recon-10 SUP Surfing Board Review with Video

sic-recon-10-sup-surfing-board-01

I’ve been meaning to try out the SIC Recon 10 SUP after I saw the pictures of Livio surfing it and talked to Mark Raaphorst about how the board would perform on the South Shore of Oahu so I recently picked one up. The S.I.C. Recon-10 stand up paddle surfing board pretty much looks and feels very different from what I’m used to. Continue reading ‘S.I.C. Recon-10 SUP Surfing Board Review with Video’

Blue Planet Surf Sweet Spot SUP Board Review

This is written by Darin Leong (http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/), my brother and a local attorney in Hawaii.

blue-planet-surf-sweet-spot-sup-board-review-01

I’ve now ridden 10-15 different boards and can summarize the Sweet Spot simply: I love this board. It does a little of everything, but most of all, it was just a lot of fun.
Continue reading ‘Blue Planet Surf Sweet Spot SUP Board Review’