JP FOIL PRO 7’0 TEST REVIEW
JP FOIL
PRO 7’0
TEST REVIEW
Verdict
With most brands compromising on their SUP foil range by simply putting a couple of US boxes on the bottom of a stubby SUP, JP have put their money into state a of the art cutting edge design with no compromise. This board is a leap forward, the tiny dimensions hide a super floaty 115 litres which when you have the foil attached adding stability you soon find surprisingly ‘doable’. The super-flat deck is easy to paddle and you’ll soon be paddling on the flat or into the waves already in the straps. This board takes SUP foiling into a new dimension: if you’re serious about performance foiling we can’t recommend anything better that‘s currently on the market.
Overview
The Foil Pro 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. At the back of the board the deck pad is set well forward with a large kick pad. The bottom has a huge step on the tail but is otherwise flat right through under the hugely bevelled 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 the centre so that you can feel the centre of the board without even looking down. The pad tail kick is positioned perfectly for optimized foiling stance. The boards come with two foot-straps and foot-strap plugs.
Performance
This is quite simply a ridiculous looking board; it’s nothing like anything you’ve seen before for surfing, but that’s the point: it won’t be in the water for long. If the board looks tiny at 7’0 x 28” – JP also do a 6’8” x 26” – but it hides its volume in the huge bevelled rails. It’s actually pretty easy to paddle about on although it’s got a fairly small sweet spot along the centre of the board. Don’t forget this size has 115 litres packed into it so that’s about the same as an 8’6 wave SUP. Unfortunately the foil for this board didn’t arrive in time for the test so we used a well tried and test one of our own. Once up on the foil (and in the straps) we found new confidence (managed to catch a handful of waves without falling off). 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 also had a moment where we completely spooned the nose down in the wave only for it to pop back up with ease without losing much speed. Needless to say we really enjoyed this new shape-of-things-to-come. Easily pump-able along the flat sections, a very connected feel once strapped in and with very little length or edges to catch if felt light and agile turning on the foil. Surely this is the way all foil specific SUP boards are heading, how long will the other brands take to catch up?
OTHER BOARDS IN THIS TEST:
Aqua Inc Air Rider 14’
Fanatic Allwave VNT 8’9
JP Foil Pro 7’0
Loco El Diablo 8’2
O’Shea 10’8 HDX
Red Compact 9’6
Red Whip 8’10
RRD LongSUP 9’8
Starboard Longboard 10’0