Naish CR Wave or Liquid Force New Surf boards?

[kitenb]

Sorry to start another thread on surfboards, but I need some advice. Been getting lots of good info from the other threads.

I've been looking for a new all around surfboard. Live and ride in NE Florida, so we are getting into our light seabreeze type winds: (14-19mph's most days, may get some days in the low 20's). Surf is usually waist high, sometimes bigger and is usually pretty mushy. I weight 170.

I've been riding the Liquid Force 6.0 Trespass, and really like the board. Great in light winds and for these conditions, but I'm looking for something a little looser and snappier(if that is a word)..

After reading all the posts, I'm debating between the 6'1 Naish CR or one of the new Liquid Force boards. Just saw a lot on the quad LF board, but not so much on the 6'1 Naish. Anyone ride both of these and can compare? thanks.

[Frankieboy]

can't answer your post but I have been asking myself the same...
I think you will have a lot of answers on the LF quads soon as there are a few posts on them.

For the Naish, I thought the CR would be too curvy (round outline, more rocker etc) for me as early planning and upwind abiblity is important to me. Also speed is what I am looking for... so I wasn't too interested in this board anymore.

Untill yesterday I bought a french test mag and here is what they say in a few words (they tested the CR 5'6''):
- very easy because of the stability
- early planning because of the very light weight and relative high volume/size
- streight ouline and pretty low rocker (????)
- excellent riding confort
- very quick and doesn't bounce
- goes on the rail so easy to go upwing even if you are a beginner on those kind of board
- nice for long curves
- need to push quite a lot to put the "big" rail in the water when curving
- not so good for short turns
- easy jibing, feet placement errors are OK because tolerant board
- would be OK for long distance as it rides wel on the rail

That's about it.

Frank

[kitenb]

Thanks for the input Frank... I've been getting the same kind of conflicting reports on the rocker..I always thought that lots of rocker, would take a way from planing up quick and low end... but I guess it doesn't on this board??

[tautologies]

Aloha,

the boards doesn't have a lot of rocker..I think it is very balanced in that respect. I really think the 6'1'' is he best board i have ridden. It is of course quite different from the smaller CR and really can;t be used as a comparison in that respect. I have ridden the 6'1'' in it anything from ankle snappers to about 15-20 foot faces...it just seems to work for me. Even in very powered situations. It handles speed surprisingly well IMO. I did not expect that. You can decide if you want to have those long drawn out driving turns or just smack the hell out of the wave and whip the board around. I am not sure if I would call the board loose though. Maybe if you ride it twin fin, but probably looser than a quad.

I'd say the CR is a more classic shape than the LF board, The CR has a more narrow outline, with pintail and thruster. Single concave, if I remember correctly and it is a very light and nice board, turns snappy, and and and...I just can't say enough good things about it. Now having said that, the LF quad looks like a very nice board too. A slight double concave, nice outline. IT felt heavier than the CR, and although the guy who rides it hasn't tried it any sizeable surf yet, he likes it so far. I have not borrowed it (yet), but as I said it looks very nice.

If you are looking for a primarily light wind board, check out the 6'6'' it'll have you going super early... 170.

A.

- oh and I'm not expert when it comes to boards or riding though..just like 'em

[kitenb]

tautologies,
thanks for the feedback/review... sounds like the 6'1 CR is really nice and just what I am looking for. Last question: How is the construction/durability of the board? Obviously, all boards can break, but is this one pretty tough?

[Frankieboy]

Tautologies,

Can you do me a favor and go ride (the quad from your mate)

I am also sceptical about the tests in the mags as I sometimes don't experience the same...
They say the CR 5'6 has very low rocker, and it is supposed to be the opposite, etc.
I remember the test of the Sonic I, quiet negative and very strange (they said very high bar pressure, etc)
Also they tested the Thruster from Eclipse and it is not as good as I experienced...

They didn't test any Rocketfish though...

Frank

[tautologies]

Hey, we were just out now, and I asked only after our session, I'll go back out tomorrow. Probably a good day to check it out if I hit the tide right and he's there...

In any case, the CR, I have had it out quite a lot, the quality feel good to me. It certainly feels stronger than my surftech, but not as strong as the 5'4'' perhaps(?)..I wouldn't land hard on it from jumping, like I do my 5'4'', but I have jumped it, and there are no visible dings yet..but as I said, I think both the LF board and the CR boards are geared towards surfing. If you use it for surfing or general riding, I don't think there should be a problem...

That said I did mess up my CR the first time I had it out..I was grinding the reef (I hit it head on, and it threw me off the board) with it and lost two fins, and got two "nice" deep dings on it, but I doubt any board would ever take that without any dings...I got it repaired and after that, no dings even if the fins has hit the reef..I've even landed on it with my spreaderbar after trying to jump it strapless, and I hit the board hard enough to make a hole in the pads, but the board it self didn't have a scratch.

...so I have no doubts I CAN break the board, but I havent done it so far


Without having had the boards besides each other, I think the CR board is more narrow...I'll bring it tomorrow and see them side by side...as I said I really enjoy the CR board, but I also think the LF boards looks really nice, way nicer than a lot of other board coming to market this year I think.. Do you have any chance to test ride them?

A

[kitenb]

unfortunately, no chance to test ride them. I'd have to order one special through my local shop.
If you do ride the quad today, let me know your thoughts.

[cglazier]

I just got back from riding my 6' 1" Naish board in Cabarete for 12 days. What a super board. We were lucky enough to get some really big waves and it seems to handle everything well.

I did get a chance to switch with my buddy who has the 5" 10" Naish fast rocker board and there is a difference. The 6' 1" feels more like a surfboard and has a softer floatier feel. I think it is more for pure wave riding while the 5' 10" has a faster and harder ride. I have not tried the Liquid Force product.

The construction of my board seems great. I have put some small dings in it when I encountered shallow water, but no problem. And I was actually doing some pretty high jumps until I landed a bit flat and realized I was putting my knees at risk. Big directionals land a lot harder than small twin tips. I have no doubt that you could break this board, so jump at your own risk. But it certainly should not fail in normal wave riding use.


Chris Glazier

[windmaker]

Surfboard design is something that has always been and continues to be very personal. Most riders know what works for them and what they like so I would'nt take magazine test too seriously. I had the opportunity to see some of these so called "testers" in action and was not impresed. Besides the good results of a product in most magazines is usually proportionnal to the advertising budget of the manufacturer in that same magazine.