LOCO AMIGO
9’11
TEST REVIEW

Verdict
The big, friendly Amigo is the type of all-round sup board that remains true to the roots of the sport. It’s safe and stable enough to learn on, go on a day-tour or use for fitness, but with a refined tail and rails that surf properly. The inflatables and buzzed-down surf shapes may have pigeonholed aspects of sup for newcomers but we’re happy to say that the Amigo is here to open the sport right up again. 

Overview
Loco are renown for their vibrant, original designs and the loaded 2018 Amigo is a real eye-catcher. Beyond the high-contrast graphics on deck from the nose backwards you get an FCS cam mount, deep-cut three-quarter diamond deck pad (with a decent tail-kick), offset ledge handle and a windsurf mount. Underneath, a single concave flows into a double that exits via a 2 + 1 fin set up.

Brand claim
The Amigo continues to be the go to shape for beginner and intermediate paddle boarders looking for the best combination of glide, stability and plug-and-play fun. Whether you’re looking for a family board in paddle or windsup mode, or you’re a more experienced rider graduating from an inflatable but less bothered about out and out surf performance, the Amigo offers a compact yet easy-to-use outline that provides options for both flat water and wave use. Simply match up the right size to your body weight and you’re done.

Performance
In this era of polarisation, at first glance the Amigo might look a little anachronistic, but as we discovered its design is rooted in function and practicality rather than trying to guess at market trends. The big, surf shape template looks as if Loco have just went ahead and made the most ‘stable sup board that still surfs’ that they could. And that’s what it feels like; the broad, flat deck is very forgiving but not so corky that you don’t know where you are on it – the Amigo still responds, just like a very big surfboard. 

Straight tracking and wave catching are ridiculously easy, intermediate surfers will need to mind their wave count in surf up to shoulder high. The full, buoyant nose climbs over white water on the paddle out and you have an overall feeling of running stabilisers. It reminded us of the very early days of sup when the done thing was to learn from scratch in small surf and THEN progress to flat-water exploring; a crossing-over surfer or windsurfer could realistically learn on the Amigo in that way. 

This is a big, friendly board from Loco that deserves attention from newly addicted paddlers who KNOW they’re not going to stop at flat-water, and bigger riders who want to go big on wave count and short on wobbles.

www.locosurfing.com

OTHER BOARDS IN THIS TEST:

Bic Cross Adventure 11’
Fanatic Ray 12’6
JP All Water GT 12’6
Loco Amigo 9’11
O’Shea HD 10’6
Red Paddle Co Ride 10’ 6
Riber Deluxe 10’2
Starboard Go 11’2

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