Ocean Rodeo Mako wide (150x40)

have a line on one of these locally......................demo set up for Wednesday............Ive read some good reviews online but again the knowledge/experiences here on PKF are hard to beat. Im a low end intermediate, a cruiser, just starting to get into waves, toe side not an issue, and the ocassional jump or two, or six. No really, I like to jump but at 51 id like to be doing this for 20 more yrs (Lord willing and the water dont rise) so I keep boosting reasonable.............................Any advice experiences welcome
....................... Im 6'1, 190 lbs.......................usual riding conditions light chop/semi glassy, choppy, tropical storm swells (seasonal), waves usually between knee to chest, winds 10 to 25 kts.....................thanx!!!

I demoed the board last year for about 90 minutes.

I did not try in big waves, only in 2ft chops (lots)

It kills chop like no other regular twin-tip. I was pretty amaze how smooth it is on chops. I had the feeling that it smooths the chop instead of cutting like a knife. I think it feels more like a custom type board (Jimmy Lewis model 3) instead of cutting butter like a knife like new snowboard contruction twin-tips do.

IMO this gives a smoother ride in the chops. If I remember well, it has lot of concave also.

The board is also very light, feels a bit smaller than its actual size. It carves very well easy to turn/witch toe-side.


What I did not like:

The pads. Well I ride Spleene so my standard is quite high

The board slips a lot. There is also only one fin per side which is centered. The board goes upwind OK (because of volume) but you gotta edge more than a regular board. You need put more pressure on the heels. For a long period, this is not relax.

Even if the board size seems big, It's not a LW tool (too much concave and rocker).

I am sure it would be fun to do a downwind with it. It would be more relax.

Quote:

What I did not like: The pads. Well I ride Spleene so my standard is quite high The board slips a lot. There is also only one fin per side which is centered. The board goes upwind OK (because of volume) but you gotta edge more than a regular board. You need put more pressure on the heels. For a long period, this is not relax.

Ditto on the pads (the old ones, I understand the new ones are better) and slipping. The board felt extremely stiff in chop (ie. zero flex), so that plus the old thin pads it used to come with made it the worst ride I can ever remember. My feet hurt so much at the end of a 6 mile downwinder that I could barely walk. Needless to say, I didn't like it and ended up selling it.

Although I'm not the only one I know who didn't like it, I have to admit reactions tend to be mixed. Some people swear by this board and claim it's the best wave board they've ever ridden (which is what prompted me to buy it in the first place). In 9 years of kiting on a couple dozen boards or so, in my opinion this was without question the worst board I'd ever ridden.

But give it a go, you might try it an love it. Just don't do what I did and buy it without trying it first.

If you're looking for a "chop" eating board, I love my CrazyFly AllAround. I've got a super wide model to compensate for my weight, but that's my go to board for just about all wind and water conditions. I'm slowly adjusting to my 2nd board, an el cheapo Liquid Force that I modded to have surf fins on one end, but it's not the chop eater that the CrazyFly is.

Just my 2 cents...

Have you guys tried the wide? It's a world different from the skinny mako... It's my fav. board, i have the 140 just for traveling... The new pads are considerably better than spleene's pads in my opinion as well...

The board is just so smooth, and it boosts really nicely when you get the hang of it i also think it goes upwind way better than any other twin tip design. Great in waves too. I think it's a true all round board and it makes everything effortless, even in mega winds... So So fun to carve these boards, they don't slip they just have a skatey feel to them. The wides are much better than the skinnys i think, they have a better range and smooth out stuff even more. I went from a session to a mako 140 the other week, and felt so much more comfy on the mako, its really kind to your knees and ankles.

Just what i think

thanks for the intel gents...............hoping the 150 wide works out........................:duh::duh:

thanks Dom for the first hand intel.......................figure its time to bone up and buy a production model since my son is now into it...........dont get me wrong my plyboards and fish work well, but this deal may be too good to pass up. Ive read the 34cm's were a bit harsh to ride, and required alot more edging where as the wides are more user freindly, good in all types of wind/water conditions, and made for a beginners thru expert.................................:duh::duh:

Ive got 2 demos............. 150x40 Mako and the Nobile NBL 142x42....................onshores today, low tide @1:30 this afternoon.............................:duh::duh:

I believe retail is $549 complete...............didnt ask if the demo was for sale or how much but plan on it if i like it.........................tide is going out, winds are about to turn, time to pack the van................................
:duh::duh:

got an hour or so on the mako...................very nice, chop buster......easy to set and hold the edge, very cushy on the knees......................didnt try the Nobile but have the boards till Fri pm............and murphys law....just read about and viewed the Placebo surfskate..............:dunno::duh::duh: