HYPR HAWAII GUN 9’6 TEST REVIEW
Verdict
Despite its esoteric appearance and big wave design, Hypr’s 9’6 Gun is a very accessible surf shape that starts running beautifully as soon as waves start to appear. Paddling out and moving between sets is a cinch and picking up waves is automatic. There’s loads of controllable speed and the Gun remains composed in all conditions; if you want to smooth out the onshore bumps at your local or chase down a rifling Irish point break this winter, we can recommend it.
Overview
Our test Gun came in the stunning ‘ultra violet’ finish with balsa nose and tail blocks finishing the two point ends. The template is a modern gun design with a bit more girth for SUP specifics; pin tail and nose with a fast taper and the nose and tail. The deck is finished with a three piece deck pad, rear cargo bungee, two leash plugs and nose GoPro mount. Underneath Hypr’s trademark deep twin concaves set up the trimaran bottom contours.
The finish is deep and glossy and very hard wearing; it’s a beautiful board but it is made to withstand intense situations.
Brand Claim
Hypr Hawaii guns have a special super-fast rocker. Combine this with the unique double concave that creates extraordinary levels of lift, these boards are probably the fastest surf-style boards you’ll ever paddle, in any conditions.
List price includes board, board bag, full carbon one piece oval shaft paddle, honeycomb fin set and leash. Paddle can be removed from package for a £200 saving.
Performance
The Gun feels smoother and more pleasant to paddle than even the generous width and hull contours suggest; it drills through chop and whitewater more like an ocean-going racer than a 9’6 surf board. We were soon running laps at our high tide beach break for this board, to borrow a phrase, is a ‘wave magnet’. If you paddle for it, you’ll catch it. It tracks quickly and smoothly and barely deviates from a straight line.
The pin tail and nose help this larger surf board fit into steep pockets and you feel connected even in smaller waves. The pin tail also wins over wider tails in making it easy to sit higher on the wave face, particularly on your backhand. The board happily rolls over onto a rail for smooth flowing turns which maintain speed; a treat if you have grown tired of the flat, angular slashes of wider tail boards.
This 9’6 Gun is great fun in small, reeling beach breaks but has the volume and composure to be very effective for charging the biggest surf most of us will ever encounter. If you have the fitness and the skills and the opportunity to charge some significant this winter, this board will easily meet the challenge, plus it will be an enjoyable experience getting familiar with it in whatever waves appear in the meantime.
10’6 Gun featured in video!
VITAL STATS
Price: £1545 with paddle.
Length: 9’6″
Width: 29″
Thickness: 4″
Fins: US Centre fin plus 2 FCS