For boosting in the waves and chop I prefer a board with more rocker and stiffness than the average freeride board. Also I find more of a square outline helps with upwind drive. I've tried a bunch of boards over the years and I found a sweet spot using the Xenon Infra. It's nice and stiff for great pop but has just enough flexibility at the tips around the fins for a bit of comfort and forgiveness, and a fair bit lighter than most boards of this style. I used to use this board in 2012 and snapped off the tips and ripped out the inserts boosting and looping with boots but since then it's been massively reinforced. Been riding the 2017 board for almost 2 years and it's been amazing.
yeh I see what you mean. My NHP carbon board is kind of in that mould. very straight rail on the heelside, quad bottom channels for grip, quite stiff throughout the board ....BUT with a big splash of rocker (rocker is quite pronounced).
Also has an asymmetric toeside rail for carving. It's not super wind hungry even with all that rocker because of those other factors.
Haven't ridden a board quite like it to be honest as it seems to combine a whole features that would contradict its performance.
No splash and pretty darn good in the chop because of the rocker.
yet your legs will break before its rail will break. You can load this thing until your sphincter bursts and even then it will keep laughing back at you, asking for more.
Years and Years of development in this board.
The only gripe I have it is a relatively heavy board (even the carbon version), also it is an expensive option in Australia.
Well not heavy, heavy but I'd like it to be lighter.