Board recommendation

[rocktor]

I know this topic has been discussed many times and I apologize for being redundant. Weigh 185 lbs (~83 kg) ride switchblades and looking for a light board for freestyle and learning to jump. Looking at xenon laluz 135. Is 135 too small a size for my weight? Anyone has any experiences with this board/size? And any idea how much it weighs? any comparision with a crazyfly raptor would be helpful if you have ridden both. The other board I own is a mako king so looking for a board that doesn't overlap. Thanks.

[markchatwin]

Hey Rocktor - I don't know very much about TT's for jumping but can say that the Laluz looks good in reviews I've read. I definitely say go for the 135 x 42 over the 132 x 40. Any extra stability or lightwindability for our locale will be appreciated. It's got those soft ribbed foot pads that allow winter booties to slide in and out as well!

[rocktor]

Rider: eppo - Given what strapless surf board riders are doing, I'm a bloody beginner! Style: Freeriding, Surf Weather: 14-20 Build Quality: 10/10 Satisfaction: 9/10 Disclosure: Eppo team rider My Comments: Marvin (in the loop) sent over a 132 Laluz 2013 to ride; a big thankyou obviously. Every now and then a board comes along that has a strong correlation between the marketers Blurb, the sellers pimp, the pro-riders ?focus? and the average Joe?s reviews. Also add in many personal emails to Laluz riders. The consistent message includes: 1.?A simplistic, elegant, minimalist, high quality design and build. 2.?Dynamic, yet easy to generate, excellent (some say explosive but don?t they all!) pop. 3.?The board offers soft and predictable riding and landings through reasonable progressive flex and rocker. 4.?Excellent control, grip, upwind and early planning potential. 5.?A Very light board and yet construction strong (Two year warranty). So in summary this simple shaped board it seems, offers great potential for freestyle and yet has enough comfort to afford free-riders an decent option. Well that?s how I see it. There has been some decent reviews already even on this forum so I needn't rehash old ground. Rather, just like to offer my personal experience with this board; the aspects that stood out for me. Putting this board together (I took my time as had stressed a collateral ligament in my knee) what was very obvious is the attention to detail. This board has a very high quality build, arguably one of the best I?ve come across so far. You know, even the screw inserts were easy, aligned perfectly ? I know this sounds minimal but those who have had a lot of boards in their time will get it. No imperfections on the rails, pads, straps and fins?just felt, smelt and looked like it was made in Europe rather than?well other places. Intangible, but real nevertheless. Standing back it really is an exquisite looking board; such a simple shape and design. Kind of classy, sophisticated for want of a better word, rather than the ?Look at me? boards ? obvious and crude. (I don?t really give a sh1t about looks in general, but hey this is what I noticed. Even if the board?s graphics looked like a Sumo wrestler had just heaved their KFC dinner on it and it rode well, I?d ride it!). On the water: As I have said before, plenty of reviews already on the laluz over the years. They have just made it a little stiffer through the core by the clever use of carbon. So I?m not going to bang on about it a great deal, honestly the reviews all point to the same conclusions. But I can confirm that the correlation between what all the parties proclaim and how it felt for me, was strong. Probably near a coefficient of 0.95. Some finer distinctions maybe: Unlike some TT?s (as I have ridden it on the ocean and on the flat, on a 10m edge and a 17m zephyr in different conditions), this board offers a large interplay between the rail and fin engagement. A lot of specific freestyle TT?s I have ridden, demand a very specific balance between edging (back and front foot pressure) and the slight effect of the finnage. What I mean is with some boards, when you are going along, it may feel a little squirrelly, so you adjust and then?'ah there it is' and on the rails it goes. Nice. But when freeriding in the ocean, you got to have a greater margin; it needs to ride well from a flat stance all the way over to full blown heels in, d1ck in the air, tongue hanging out stuff. Obviously flex profiles, outlines and rocker all are chucked in the mix to infer this ability. The Laluz seems to have gained a great balance between giving a decent range on this railing/fin/foot pressure (the other extreme is say my mako, which you can ride anywhere you want in that spectrum?but it?s a pig (well not entirely but comparatively) to load and boost ? yep don?t care what anyone says, it?s not built to boost, so get over it ? it sh1ts on anything I?ve ridden for carving though) and yet the laluz affords enough crisp feedback to really load, time the tensioning of the lines and pop. Remember I?m an ocean addict really, so I got to be able to load, throw and boost within a small time frame given a waves or chop swell line?and I have some high aspect kites driving me at a decent speed. Timing is everything with aspect driving you. So you seem to be able to progressively put different amounts of back foot pressure and she still rides really well, progressive grip if you like. Hence you can afford to pop from anywhere along that back foot pressure gradient. It doesn't demand you take a certain line, which is okay on flat water with extreme freestyle boards. So a great interplay of carving ability and yet freestyle potential. So that?s all I have to say really, as I?m not going to repeat what has been consistently reported from various parties. This a damn fine board, built at the highest quality, very light (not as light as a full carbon board, but close enough) and you couldn't go wrong using it for freeride or freestyle and definitely for a mixture of both. Would suite a lot of people as not all of us can or want to (I?m the former) bang out super-duper unhooked smash ya knees freestyle. Nice, nice, very nice. Love trying new stuff, don?t you!!

Found this great review on the La Luz on the Australian forum seabreeze. I believe the reviewer was westozzy. I ended up getting the 135 and it is on its way. Can't wait to get my hands on it or feet rather.

[vrossi46]

the Aboards Z series 137 or 140 should be on your list too.insane early paning and upwind performance, good for jumping , very light and very forgiving board.

George

[nikeron]

the Aboards Z series 137 or 140 should be on your list too.insane early paning and upwind performance, good for jumping , very light and very forgiving board.

George

Agree. Z-series will be great for learning to jump. Very nice freestyle board overall - nice pop and good control, but also good in upwind. Not so common combination.
Only as regards to size in my opinion for your weight 140 is not needed. Especially if you already have also Mako King. Z-series works good enough also in lower wind so 136 will be just fine.