Vader first impressions

tacodog1 · Since 11 Jul 2015 6 Posts Portland Kook

Picked up a 5'3 firewire Vader recently and just got a chance to try it for the first time today. I haven't seen much on the forum about it so figured I would share first impressions. I was on a 12m Neo at the event site, nicely powered up.

First interesting thing is the volume. I weigh 205 and normally wouldn't have gone for a 5'3, but it has considerable volume - 25.8 liters - mostly due to a pretty thick region in the center of the board. As a point of comparison the Cab secret weapon 5'6 is 24L but side by side the cab looks considerably bigger. Definitely needs to be ridden pretty far forward in normal chop / back and forth, but I think in surf you want the back foot wayy back due to the diamond tail. Anyway, with the center volume and concave channels it planes up immediately and accelerates quickly. A couple of pumps to unstick it and you can feel it release and fly.

Next is upwind performance. I set it up quad fin and found it super easy to get upwind even though I'm new to strapless. With the kite fairly high in the window and a pretty forward stance, not a ton of edge, you can hold a nice line and pinch way up in between swells.

Turning is really loose and squirrelly. Feels like it will be incredibly good in the waves when I get the hang of it. Nice and slashy. I had trouble getting it to settle down on some reaches... felt like I was running into the chop instead of gliding over it. Probably just stance and technique. Rode great toeside and worked well downwind with the Neo drifting.

Overall I'd say after one session I fing love this board. Anyone else riding it?

skent · Sun Jul 12, 15 10:07 pm

I also recently picked up a 4'10" Vader (I weigh 140) but haven't had a chance to ride it. Sad

Hopefully, this Tuesday!! I also have a 5' Vanguard which makes nice smooth turns in the waves. However once I heard that the Vader was slashier in the waves I had to have it. I found that the Vanguard rode over the chop really well so I am hoping it is a stance issue and that the Vader handles the chop just as well. I find the Vanguard even in a tri fin set up goes up wind great. I am hoping the Vader works just as well as a tri. For now I am choosing to go without the front pad and no wax and have opted to apply Monster Paint traction. I have never used it but have heard good things. I'll let you know how it goes.

Here is how I applied it.
https://vimeo.com/133203492

that_guy_stu · Since 22 Sep 2012 27 Posts

Nice video Steve - thanks for sharing - looks pretty easy?

Interested to hear how it rides and holds up after several sessions...

tacodog1 · Since 11 Jul 2015 6 Posts Portland Kook

@skent the monster paint looks like a great idea. Hope you get to ride it tomorrow and look forward to hearing how it handles