These boards are included in the test:
Funboard - that was the class to aspire to in the eighties. Everyone wanted to surf a funboard. The surf magazine even devoted special editions to the subject. The term then disappeared fairly quickly, with marketing strategists now paying homage to wave, freestyle and race. And yet, the name is exactly what most people are looking for: a board that you simply have fun on, that is fun to ride in a wide variety of conditions - without any pressure to perform, to surf even faster or to learn the next more difficult move. The name is gone, but fortunately the boards are still available. And here they are!
The thing with the Finns
With the exception of the JP Magic Move and Patrik F-Cross, all boards give you the theoretical and practical choice between three fins and a single fin with a power box in the centre and additional boxes for side fins. The thruster set predominates as standard equipment, which also works amazingly well in the 115 litre volume class and in almost all cases can even handle sails up to 7.0 square metres. The secret behind this - which is easy to ventilate - is the centre fins, some of which are already quite long, which are then supported by the side fins.
Because we take a practical approach to surf testing, we also sent all the boards out on the water with an alternative fin set. You can find these additional impressions in this article. As always, the test scores refer to the boards with standard fin(s). No fin is supplied with the We One, but with the purchase price of the direct mail order company there is plenty of scope for additional fins, the test fins correspond to the manufacturer's recommendation for the We Freewave 114.
For each board, a wave assessment shows how suitable it is for the three main areas of use. The testers have the following criteria in mind when categorising boards on the water:
- Freeride: These are long strokes, relaxed in the harness. You are looking for a sporty gliding feeling and the jibe should be as safe as possible, but also fluid. Even if you have perhaps been surfing confidently for a very long time, you are looking for a relaxed glide and not a ride on the razor's edge.
- Bump & Jump: You also surf with smaller sails on these boards, your spot is not mirror-smooth, and in the chop you don't let yourself be passively shaken, but look for the ramps to take off. Classic (freestyle) manoeuvres may also complement your repertoire.
- Wave: Unlike real waveboards, this group is not about surfing in solid North Sea choppers, but about moderate waves, gentle wobbling in the swell or careful turns in surf waves that are no more than waist-high.
I also ride a 115 freemove board privately - with little wind in the waves and on flat water. It's the perfect all-in-one board!" (Tobi Frauen, surf editor)
The surf type recommendation Freemoveboards 115
For a particularly quick preselection, we have put together a small menu of boards below for selected surfer types and areas of use, each of which should taste particularly good.
For gliding climbers
Some of the boards are surprisingly well suited to light planing intermediates who may already be able to surf in a harness but now want to learn to surf loops and the planing jibe safely. Compared to wider freeride boards, the light-footed turning characteristics of freemove boards are particularly suited to surfers who do not have the necessary weight for high edge pressure. The strap positions are also suitable for intermediates on all boards, and even with a lot of pull in the sail, these very sporty boards can still be controlled well to very well for the most part. Easy planing and a stable turning position in the jibe are therefore the most important criteria for intermediates. Here are the top choices (in alphabetical order) Duotone Ultra Freewave, Goya One, JP Magic Move, Patrik F-Cross and Severne Dyno particularly emphasised.
As an all-round board
Advanced surfers who want to cover as wide a range of use as possible with one board are probably looking for at least decent planing performance, the board should turn well and lift the fin willingly. Duotone Freewave, Goya One, JP Freestyle Wave, Severne Dyno and Tabou 3S+ bring exactly that with them.
With wave manoeuvre suitability
If pure wave boards glide too poorly and the freestyler is too radically focused on new school, these boards offer a particularly good compromise between very agile handling, lively turning characteristics and the option to ride at least moderate waves with 115 litres underfoot: Duotone Ultra Freewave, Goya One, JP Freestyle Wave, Severne Dyno, Starboard code, Tabou 3S+, We One We Freewave.
The freeride alternative
If classic freeriders are too wide and too sluggish for you and if you are looking for a dash more manoeuvring spirit instead of sober riding performance, you will get it with JP Magic Move and Patrik F-Cross two options to choose from, which have to make do with almost no surfability, but can also be used well for freeriding with a larger sail (up to about 7.0 square metres) - with more nimble jibing characteristics and the potential to try a duck jibe or a 360 instead of the classic power jibe.
The notes of the Freemoveboards 115
