Rockstar surf –
Starboard Hyper Nut 7’8x30”x115L
As with many boards listing seemingly small dimensions how these
SUPs actually feel on the water is what ultimately makes or breaks
them for individual paddlers in question. One man’s stable is
another woman’s ‘dead in the water’, and so on. Test driving is the
only way to discern what works and what doesn’t.
Price:
£1179
Info:
http://star-board-sup.com
With its wide nose and tail, plus
30” of width, there’s no shortage
of stability. Paddling position is
key during the act of getting out
back as there’s a specific sweet
spot (for heavier paddlers at least).
Once located it’s efficient through
white water, the board’s nose lifting
above flotsam and helping make
headway to the take off.
CONCLUSION
Top notch manufacturing and
attention to detail Starboard’s
Hyper Nut 7’8 is a small package
that delivers big on performance –
especially in less than ideal surf
conditions. With speed on tap,
particularly through bottom turns,
it’s a surf platform that allows
critical pivoting turns and flat
spray chucking slashes in all
manner of surf environments. We
loved hitting inside close out
sections, the HN’s wide nose
corking the board back out of the
brine from steep come downs. For
those wanting to look like surf
rockstars in cruddy conditions
here’s your weapon of choice.
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Advanced SUP surfers will
appreciate the Hyper Nut’s tail
squirting prowess – even in small
mushy swell. Generating speed
off the bottom in readiness for
that key lip hit is where the Hyper
Nut shines. If you’re a wave rider
looking to get out in any kind of
conditions then having access to a
board like Starboard’s Hyper Nut
7’4 will see you notching up plenty
of days that you wouldn’t normally
sniff at.
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In position it’s a case of picking your
wave of choice. Sitting slightly more
critically yields best results in terms of
easy wave pick ups. Once on a
wall the 7’8 zooms for the
shoulder and allows for all
manner of nippy turns and
cutbacks. As with the brand’s 9’
it’s a board that flatters the rider
and allows for easy progression
within SUP surfing. That’s not to say
it’s any less critical through carves –
it isn’t. But it’s nice to have a
comfort blanket when looking to
hone skills.
After last issue’s review of Starboard’s 9’ Hyper
Nut (which we loved BTW) it was time to take
one of its smaller siblings for a run out.
Falling just short of 8’ the 7’8 Hyper Nut
is a compact yet level platform that
spins on a dime (flat water). This is
great for manoeuvrability but will
take a bit of getting used for riders
dropping to this size for the first
time. That said after a short
initiation period it’ll be gotten
used to.