Test 2021: Freeride boards 135

Photo: Stephan Gölnitz

This board group offers the broadest spectrum of all classes: From intermediates to highly ambitious stokers, these boards are the No. 1 on the lake.

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There are no more differences!" Unfortunately, you hear this, or something similar, time and time again. Yet a Fanatic Blast 130 from this test has as much in common with a Starboard Carve 135 as a slalom ski has with a downhill ski. However, in skiing it is probably more the case as claimed: four freeride skis from four brands are at least very similar in their essential characteristics. There will be no ski among them that suddenly works better on the piste than off-piste.

The term "freeride", on the other hand, is used in the surf shop for models that are sporty but also very suitable for intermediates, right through to boards that consequently don't even have the strap positions for newcomers to the planing league and are consistently designed for performance-orientated windsurfing. It's as if you put a soft all-round ski next to a poisonous race carver - with the recommendation "just take any one".

Photo: Stephan Gölnitz The Lago gave us plenty of good days for this board test.

Because the differences are so great, this test was once again exciting. But one must not confuse the two: The performance differences in planing and top speed are small in absolute terms, perhaps five or 15 per cent. To achieve this, in addition to specialised shapes such as Tabou Rocket+, Starboard Carve or Severne Fox, you also need a suitable sail - and the corresponding riding skills. A regatta surfer will probably surf faster with the "slowest" board in this test than a windsurfer with less practice on the performance winner.

The riding feel and manoeuvring characteristics, on the other hand, are the same for everyone. A board that doesn't turn tightly will hardly do so even under the feet of the best surfer. Almost every board was a lot of fun in "its" own way during our test rides on Lake Garda. Hopefully you can find out for yourself which one is your favourite with the help of our impressions.

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