Last two years I find my self to enjoy so much to ride the waves... I try more than 30 twin tips since 2007 and 4 directionals.. I think that the future in wave riding belongs to twin tips .. It's personal opinion.. And I'm perfectly sure for this , even if I was windsurfer since I remember myself..
So, after some wrong decisions ... (Buying wrong Board ) I find the perfect combination to a custom Carbon TT , deep concave,medium to high rocker, asymmetric toe side of the board vs heel side of the board, not so much round rails, but soft flexy tails and stiffer center.. It does all I want.. Really..everything especially sharp turns, amazing speed,upwind...ultra light weight.. I feel so lucky until I ask for the board shaper to build another one lil bigger (cause the size is power hungry and when I'm almost down the line I loose power and planing easy.) the shaper surprised me saying that CANT make it again, even if have aaalllll the details... For all the important points.. Even for materials.. (He wasn't sure for the 100% of the result... Cause he try once and was so stiffer that was completely different board)....(BTWay)
Very disappointed , I deside to take a look for other boards with the same attitude .. Carves... Light... Loose ,upwind, fast, responsive , back feet directional..

finaly I'm close to axis twin wave (but heavy weight! and not loose..cause it's mutant )
Or to jimmy lewis model 3 ... 139X40 ( but need power )....(the bigger is different and not so good) (?)
I need your opinion.. Thanks

getfunky said..

Personally I don't see the point in having a tri fin set up at one end (especially huge surf fins) as you lose a lot of what is good (IMO) about surfing with a TT in the first place, as in the level of rail/grip you want before breaking out and sliding round to toe/heel side as you want to.

Each to their own but I like the same handling from natural (left foot forward) and goofy (right foot forward) directions.

Well I agree with you in waves up to head high. Above head high when you want push a strong bottom turn or cutback then you need more finnage!.

On a side not a really enjoy a finless session in small waves on occasions.

Depends on what you want the board for. I have a TwinWave and have ridden it a dozen times now. It's a mutant/directional style board. It excels going heel side one way, toe-side the other. It's not a TT. If you like a board that feels like a surfboard, this is a great board. It's got good flex, carves beautifully, rides as smooth as butter, holds the rail well and doesn't spin out on really hard steep carves, pops well and doesn't bog when riding waves. If you want a board that you can ride like a standard TT, then get something else. You can't have everything in one board. This is the best board for waves that I've ridden. It's not a wake-style TT and not meant to be. It does what it's suppose to do better than any other board I've ridden.

Robbo2099 said..

... It's not a wake-style TT and not meant to be. It does what it's suppose to do better than any other board I've ridden.

I raised this on the other thread and my query has not been addressed. By definition a TT or mutant is meant to be ridden backwards. If you're not riding it backwards then it's a directional. Possibly worse than a directional in that you probably cannot gybe it and switch feet.

It is essential to be able to switch feet to rest your back leg or work your way upwind in lighter winds to get back to a peak or ride up to a nice break upwind of your starting point. In my case I want to be able to switch and boost on my starboard tack which I can't do on my directionals because that is toeside for me.

If you can't ride the Twin Wave backwards it's not a Twin Wave, it's just a ... Wave and possibly a bit crappy compared to other purpose built wave boards.

The question remains, can the Twin Wave be ridden well backwards (ie as a twintip) so you can get upwind on that side and boost decent size airs?

I've had the Axis Twin Wave 148 now for a few months and are very happy with it. I don't like riding surfboards with kites in the waves. I prefer to use the breaking zone as well as the wave face for powered carving turns. On the wave face it rides fast with definite sweeping turns. It doesn't pivet off the tail like a surfboard. This board suits how I like to ride.

Used it in small surf, flat water and choppy bay conditions. In the surf it is an improvement on my old Shinn Wave. Rail to rail transition is good on the wave face due to the tucked edge. It rides very well tail first out through the break and hopping to toeside is easy as well. In choppy conditions, even at 28 knots it holds an edge well due to the full length double concaves and lots of rocker.

I didn't go with the standard foot pads and straps since on the demo board I found them too soft a mushing and I hate big footstraps. I use thin surfboard deck pads and narrow flexible surf straps which allows more freedom of movement. The ride is harsher but I prefer to feel the board under me. I have put in smaller fins at the front (40mm) to make sliding to toeside easier. If you like doing powered transitions heel or toeside this board is a dream. The rail will not grab half way through the turn and it exits with far more speed than a standard TT. You can really lay way over in full power toeside transition turns.

The board is not skaty or loose like a TT due to the length and big fins and deep concaves. It tracks, so if you like the looseness of a small TT then this board is not for you.

A sliding spreader bar is a must if you are riding toeside as well. I use a rope instead of a bar on my Dakine Nitrous shorts.

yeah. puppet is right. There is no one true do it all board. there are too many compromises.

I'm going to end up with 4 tt/mutants for the waves!

I have a light wind TT 145x45 for sub 16 knot duties.
142x43 mutant with 3 fin thruster with light rocker for moderate winds and wave
I'm working on stage 2 mutant with more rocker and front kick for to ride bigger faces. This will be a loosely a cross between a mako and a twinwave.
The after that I'm building a king of air boosting board to boost to the moon off the waves!!!...

eppo said..

Some one whose been kiting longer than 99 percent longer than all of us said to me the other day, he's been on the model 3 lately and it has made him totally reconsider the way board design has gone ....if it has gone in the right direction...

Could not agree more.. every company is obsessed with marketing to sheeple that expect a redesign each season.


Plummet you are right about fins. Admittedly I'm mostly in shorey slop and only occasionally get a nice big fat wave over head high to play with.

Decent TT fins serve me well and I like a bit of rail skateyness to keep things interesting.