JP 7’0 FOIL WOOD EDITION TEST REVIEW
JP 7’0 FOIL
WOOD EDITION
TEST REVIEW.
VERDICT
This JP foil board has led a new breed of foil specific boards to market, its chunky bevelled rails and rock solid construction with accessible performance made it a fantastic foil surf partner. The board was super secure in footstrap mode and with its raised centre arch along the whole deck pad it made finding the sweet spot underfoot simple. Foil specific SUP boards don’t get much tougher, easy to learn on and a pleasure to foil on than this one, it’s highly recommended.
OVERVIEW
The Foil Wood looks more like a kitesurf foiling race board than a SUP being massively thick in the centre with huge bevelled edges with plenty of nose kick. On the deck you have a very flat platform augmented with a raised centre arch throughout the deck pad, a windsurf insert and two footstraps – one on the centre line at the back and a switchable angled front strap (for goofies or regs’) on the front. The bottom has a huge step on the tail but is otherwise flat right through under the hugely bevelled Volcanic basalt rails. Long foil boxes allow SUP foiling and windsurfing.
BRAND CLAIM
For 2019 Werner has developed the dedicated foil shapes with great input from Keahi. The boards are short for reduced swing weight during pumping and maneuvers. The extremely bevelled rails help reduce the wetted surface at take-off and prevent the board from catching the water in the turns. The cut-out tail section on the bottom surface has the same purpose. The flat deck ensures stability. The pad features an increased arch line along.
PERFORMANCE
This attractive looking board with its tough wood deck and Volcanic basalt rails (yep made of volcanic rock!) is super durable. If the board looks tiny, JP also do a 6’8” x 26” – but it hides its volume in the huge bevelled rails. The long double US boxes are open ended so sliding the foil in with bolts attached was very user friendly. It’s actually pretty easy to paddle about on although it’s got a fairly small sweet spot. Don’t forget this size has 115 litres packed into it so that’s about the same as an 8’6 wave SUP. Once up on the foil (and in the straps) we found new confidence and having the centre footstraps give you massive control, you’re able to really lean into your turns and drive off them in ways till now you’ve only dreamed of. We loved the super tough feel of the JP and the flat, secure feel of the deck. On the foil it’s controllable and grippy; leaning hard the deep bevelled rails don’t catch. We really liked the more committed feel of the straps and you’re less likely to fall off onto the foil too. If you want a great looking solid board that you’re not likely to grow out of then the JP wood is a great partner. At this price point the JP is hard to beat and comes in a great tough all round package, go and buy one and foil all summer.