Hello friends,
I had my striker for now about 3 weeks and before writing a report I really wanted to use it in many different conditions.
I will try here to compare it with the Mano 9'0 and 9'4, so here we go:
First! Why the Striker having already the Mano 9'0?
...Cause I was looking for a board that I can use mostly when I'm giving lessons in waves about waist high.
The Mano is a super performance board and I love it but with the little volume I always need to be concentrating not to fall off when paddling around the line up taking care of my students. Also it does not shine in the smallish softy waves and I wanted a board to play a bit on the nose..
With the 130 liters and a width of 30 inches the 8'11 is perfect for my 70 kilos.. Is really stable and float me well, has a nice gliding for such a small board and it make really easy to catch waves!!
Once on the wave is very loose and accelerate very fast.. It likes to be ridden on the front and is a good nose rider (it was design for that!).
I gave it to try to a guest at 100 kilos and he was also able to paddle it and catch some waves.. We were both quite surprise!
NOW compare to the Mano..
Gliding: about the same of Mano 9'4 slightly better then Mano 9'0.
Stability: ST better then both Manos.
Going over Waves: Mano with pointy nose are better.
Take off Small waves: about the same as Mano 9'4 better then Mano 9'0.
Take off Big waves: Mano's are better. ST doesn't like a late drop with big nose!
Acceleration in small waves: just a bit better then both Manos'.
Acceleration in big waves: the same.
Speed down the line: ST is quite a fast board and it reach the maximum speed early, the Mano keep accelerating and goes faster like there is no top end..
Turning: Mano is better for nice carving on big faces, striker better for snappy turn in smallish stuff.
Handling: the ST doesn't like to be ridden on the tail.. With the Mano many times in head high waves I found my back foot right at the kick of the deck pad on the tail!
The ST become hard to control if you step too back..
Final Conclusions:
I really like the ST it and if you are looking for a board to have fun on the smallish days with plenty of stability and to mock around on the nose then is the right choice!
It really complement well my Mano 9'0...
Not the right board for fast hollow reef breaks and the bigger days!
If you are into the market for only one board to do everything well and to use it in many different waves conditions the Mano is still the right choice..
For more photo and news check our FB group:
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=181379219287
Bye Jankie
I was the 100 kilo guest and back Jankie up on the board. I thought for sure I would sink it but once I found the sweet spot it floated me well, accelerated pretty hard and more importantly the width of it was stable and the only time I fell off was when I balanced too far forward on a small wave.
It was an awesome looking board and really impressed me with its construction, especially the surfboard style depth when I was used to the thicker Coreban.
Have seen Jankie ride it for the first time in waist to head high and then bigger again waves a few days later. He absolutely carves on it!!!!
Now he only needs to ride it backwards to be really impressive 
Thanks Jankie I have got a kwad coming now you are making me wonder if it shouldn't be a striker TB
Ciao Tow,
I should be able to ride a Kwad in a week or so...
But in my opinion just to looking at the boards in my shop the ST and Kwad are very different style of boards... I have this idea in mind that the Kwad is much more close to the Mano.. Not a nose rider for sure!
Bye Jankie
Hi Jankie , have to wait 3months for kwad interested to see what you say about it . I really like my Mano taken me to another level TB
Mano s a magnet lol
Today I tried also the 9'5 and the feeling is really similar.
For sure is the right choice for anyone 95 kilos +.
Bye Jankie
Hi Bali Guy i have been into sup for a couple of months,started with a ATX 11 was lotes of fun to start on but what a hand full,and i am into surfing more than cruzing.
Tried out a hsp 8.6 in choppy cross wind conditions and after some falling off found i was ok with concentration,think i could get use to it but i think i would like a llittle more glide going into the wave. the nice guy at the shop suggested the 9.3 would be better for me.I read a gd review on the Jimmy Lewis 9.9 the other board i read a great review on was the Hokua 9.3 remembering i would like to be able to get on the wave a touch earlier.I am also 70kg 5.7
Any one out there have an opinion
If you want to go the Jimmy way you should look at the Mano 9'4 with 120 liters of volume.
I'm your weight and use the 9'0 but also need to concentrate at all the time!
That is why I got the Striker 8'11 that with 130 liters float me very nicely and is super stable... I can take a nap standing on it! Ans in waist-boobs waves is much more fun!
Bye J
