Axis New Wave vs. Ocean Rodeo Jester (strapless freestyle)

[baxterbradford]

It's not that it is too heavy to jump, their promo videos show it doing well. I was being realistic in relation to some of the specialist lightweight boards that are around. However it's commonly acknowledged that lightweight comes at expense of durability. The New Wave is almost pristine after so much time on the water. I've just weighed my new Wave 5'8" and it says 5.8kg (with 3 glass fins). The Mitu 5'10" standard construction I have on order is supposed to be 3.75kg, the carbon version being 3.1kg (albeit manufacturers figures for F-One).

[zig zag]

The Jester and Duke are loved by many kite surfers who originally only surfed around Vancouver Island.. they are like no other directional and manage to do just about everything... jumping to slashing and freestyle.. you won't be disappointed.

the construction is bomb proof and duke or jester rip up the chop just like the mako boards

[zerogee_ca]

Hmmm?? Jester... the fool, buffoon, clown ? "Hyperactive, twitchy, and lively". Not qualities I would look for in a surfboard for myself. Makes it sound like it's got a mind of its own and hard to control.

I haven't tried the Jester, but I had 2 sessions on the Duke. Kept swapping with my ride back to back for comparison. In case I was just imagining things. It was not my cup of tea.

In thruster mode, the board felt huge for a 5'4. Slow, like it needed more kite or more wind. It liked longer drawn out carves. Not a bad thing, it did those great. But it was exhausting trying snap it around on tighter turns. Like I was too light for it. Then out of nowhere, it would do this annoying rail to rail shimmy thing, knocking me off balance. I was not easy to pop it off the water too. It did go upwind well and it's super smooth in chop as advertised.

It was more fun throwing it around in quad mode but still has those other issues.

I buckled an original Mako Surf (similar construction) in 13 months. That one was not bombproof.

[EastCC]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU_Hz0fb5X4

[Slappysan]

The Jester and Duke .. manage to do just about everything... jumping to slashing and freestyle.

the construction is bomb proof and duke or jester rip up the chop just like the mako boards

While they very nice boards and they do manage to do all those things very well (jump/slash/freestyle) they don't surf waves very well. If your goal is bottom and top turns on waves they are not the boards for you. Just look at the Nobbys Head video, you'll see the guy brings a proper surf board as well for actually surfing the waves. The Jester is for strapless freestyle.

In his other video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0z49cyoRZ4 ) you can see he rides the Jester for strapelss freestyle (a role it's excellent at btw) and never when he's on the wave.

Also calling them bomb proof is very misleading. They are expoxy boards, they are not bomb proof at all. They have a thin rubber like coating over the top of the epoxy that helps with dings but that's about it.

My Jester weighs 7.6 lbs as a quad and is excellent for strapless airs.
For comparison my full quiver weights:

- Cabrinha Secret Weapon 5-2: 9.4 lbs
- Exile Dude! Cruise 50.5 w full pad: 5.6 lbs
- Shinnster w Launchpad: 9.2 lbs
- OR Jester quad: 7.6 lbs
- Slingshot SP Wakesurf no fins: 7.6 lbs
- Wave Bandit Performer 4-10: 5.6 lbs (6.0 dirty)
- Catch Stump 5-0 quad: 8.2 lbs

[EastCC]

While they very nice boards and they do manage to do all those things very well (jump/slash/freestyle) they don't surf waves very well. If your goal is bottom and top turns on waves they are not the boards for you. Just look at the Nobbys Head video, you'll see the guy brings a proper surf board as well for actually surfing the waves. The Jester is for strapless freestyle.

In his other video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0z49cyoRZ4 ) you can see he rides the Jester for strapelss freestyle (a role it's excellent at btw) and never when he's on the wave.

Also calling them bomb proof is very misleading. They are expoxy boards, they are not bomb proof at all. They have a thin rubber like coating over the top of the epoxy that helps with dings but that's about it.

My Jester weighs 7.6 lbs as a quad and is excellent for strapless airs.
For comparison my full quiver weights:

- Cabrinha Secret Weapon 5-2: 9.4 lbs
- Exile Dude! Cruise 50.5 w full pad: 5.6 lbs
- Shinnster w Launchpad: 9.2 lbs
- OR Jester quad: 7.6 lbs
- Slingshot SP Wakesurf no fins: 7.6 lbs
- Wave Bandit Performer 4-10: 5.6 lbs (6.0 dirty)
- Catch Stump 5-0 quad: 8.2 lbs

Hello,

Can anyone compare the Axis new Wave and the Ocean Rodeo Jester? I am in the market for a new strapless freestyle board, and I am considering buying one of these two. Can somebody compare the two? I am interested mainly in the strapless freestyle performance, ease of jump, weight, but any other info like low end, feel in chop, surfability, etc. will be welcome.

Any other similar boards?

thanks,

Xoen

Should suit the OP perfectly....

Yep for pure (kite)surfing in decent waves or hunting barrels then there are better boards for sure, but if you're strapless freestyle and/or riding in choppy onshore then the Jester is a good fit. Top / bottom turns fine for me, having less nose rocker is an adjustment but spend some time on it you'll be sweet, it is a different board.

You're correct that Leo uses the Jester for strapless freestyle and onshore mush, his other board for surfing, in the video in Indo he did not have the Jester in any case.

Wave comps he'll use a more traditional shaped sb, freestyle comps the Jester.

Bombproof is a big call agreed, but I've seen no issues over here so far, besides the odd broken fin.

If you get a chance to try one go for it, everyone is different in their style, likes, dislikes etc.

Leo in very small waves on both boards: