Freestyle boards 2026: A radical power board – the Tabou Twister put to the test

The Tabou Twister has long been an extreme board and is probably the shortest freestyle board on the market. The manufacturer’s promise: radical rotations, more pop. But does it live up to expectations?

On land

The Tabou Twister 2026 is available in two sizes, with volumes of 93 and 103 litres – both are extremely short, measuring just 209 centimetres in length. The package includes a size 20 fin made from G-10 material, as well as decent footstraps that are double-bolted at the rear. The footpads are soft and feature a thick double layer in the heel area, providing ample cushioning on hard landings. The tail is thick but comparatively slim, which is designed to support a responsive ride and nimble changes of direction.

On the water

Just stand on it and drift along at a leisurely pace – not with the Twister! This compact board needs to be loaded delicately when setting off and initially pushes a noticeable amount of water in front of it. If you just stand passively on the deck waiting to get into a glide, you might well be waiting in vain. But: if you pump a few times and quickly step back into the straps, you’ll get the Tabou Twister off the chain straight away. The board then accelerates powerfully, gets up to speed very quickly and glides with a perfect blend of freedom and control over the water. Once powered up, the board hangs from your feet like a small hovercraft and doesn’t lose speed, even in lulls. Generally speaking, freestyle boards aren’t designed for carved jibes and classic gliding manoeuvres – and the Twister certainly isn’t.

High speed potential, a lively ride – these are the ideal conditions for all air moves. The Twister can be catapulted into the air with very little effort and whirs almost unstoppably through all kinds of rotations; its ultra-compact dimensions are a definite plus here. The Twister also handles sliding moves such as Spocks and Flakas with ease, though it rotates so quickly that it takes a bit of practice to keep up with the board’s pace. Power moves are a real strength, as you can carve the board using just your ankle; the thick tail and the concentration of volume in the centre provide massive pop, which will bring tears of joy to the eyes of all fans of power moves.

Tabou Twister – the verdict

As a board for freestyle beginners, the short Tabou Twister is a bit too challenging, as it requires a delicate touch. The good news is that you can completely make up for this shortcoming if you actively steer the board and have already moved beyond the basic moves such as the Vulcan and the like. Then, with the Twister, you’ll have a radical freestyle weapon under your feet that sets no limits when it comes to sliding and power moves.

Power moves, rotations, speed

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Planing when riding passively

Technical Specifications: Tabou Twister

• ​Test model: Tabou Twister 103 (2026)
• Weight (measured by us; excluding loops): 6.20 kilos
• Sizes: 93/103 litres
• Lengths: 209/209 cm
• Widths: 61.5/63.5 cm
• Price: 2,599 euros
• Information: Visit the website