STARBOARD NUT 9’5″ TEST REVIEW
STARBOARD NUT 9’5″ TEST REVIEW
Verdict:
Another fantastically finished product from Starboard giving the rider near-shortboard feel with the stability and glide of a longer board. This board will work in most conditions you can throw at it; it’s a classy board as you’d expect from the price tag, but would you be better off with two boards or this one?
Overview:
The Nut has a lot going on. The first thing you notice is the peanut outline rail shape, narrower where you stand. On top you’ve got the usual premium finish so non-slip on the nose (Startouch), a great deck pad with textured standing area and a kick pad with centre arch on the tail. In the centre you have Starboard’s MK 20 handle which has to be their best ledge handle to date. Underneath you’ve got a wide nose with single concave running into a narrower centre point with quite a deep double concave, which runs back into a single concave performance tail shape. A tri fin set up.
Brand Claim:
Longboard glide with shortboard performance. In small and gutless to large powerful waves, it has a massive wave riding range. The Nut outline accelerates water as you apply rail pressure, so when you utilize the mid-section V, you get incredible sensitivity, drive and speed from the subtlest of movements. Tail concave gives drive and acceleration out of turns.
Performance:
The first thing you feel on this carbon board is how it’s rock solid feel underfoot. Nice flat deck with a very solid rigidity to it, Starboard certainly know how to make a light stiff board. As with most Starboards’ this year the Nut has chunky round rails upfront giving plenty of volume and control when surfing smaller waves. You can jump around all over this board and it won’t trip a rail or catch you out, it’s super forgiving. We found ourselves standing upon the board rather than in the water; you’re quite high and it felt a little tippy but stable at the same time (a little like a race board does).
Is this a good old cut-and-shut, longboard front and a performance shortboard tail? Well yes, this is what Starboard are claiming. Does it work? Well sort of. When you get back on the board the nose is well clear of the water and it does turn sort of like a shortboard, but then you have got a load of board out in front of you (a bit like a long board). Paddling into waves was super easy; standing around on a choppy day when it would be tricky on a short SUP was fine on the Nut. It did open up a lot more waves in less-than-perfect conditions and was far more fun than a 10’5 type or a wide stubby board would have been.
To crack open the Nut it really has got an appeal to it, it surfs like a smaller board but has the glide and ease of a longer board. Once you get over the bizarre first impressions and cut and shut outline you’ll find a real Swiss army knife of a board. Would you be better off with two boards instead of this one? You’ll have to ask the wife or justify the price of the carbon one to her…