96 SPOTLIGHT
Three of a kind
Mistral Quikslide 100L, 110L, 120L freeride
windsurf board comparison test
Info: www.mistral.com/windsurfing-boards/
WORDS: WINDSURFING UK PICS: JAMES JAGGER
YOU'D BE FORGIVEN FOR THINKING MISTRAL PARKED
THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH WINDSURFING A WHILE BACK.
YET THE RECOGNISABLE RED DOT BRAND HAS ALWAYS
REMAINED, JUST BUBBLING UNDER THE SURFACE THESE
LAST FEW SEASONS. TOWARDS THE END OF 2018
MISTRAL ANNOUNCED THEY WERE FULLY BACK IN THE
GAME WITH INTRODUCTION OF THEIR LINE OF QUIKSLIDE
FREERIDE WINDSURF BOARDS AND ZONDA SAILS (MORE
ON THOSE NEXT ISSUE).
For this test WSUK was delivered the whole shebang of three board sizes -
100L, 110L and 120L to compare. There's also a 130L in the pipeline but at
time of writing this wasn't available.
By Mistral’s own admission they’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, merely deliver
access to the recreational side of windsurfing and keep things as simple as possible.
With the co-operation of Simmer Windsurfing, the new Quikslide windsurf sleds sit
firmly in the new school freeride arena. Utilising thin rail/tail, wide egg shape concepts,
what you get is a large platform that belies its quoted litreage. As any seasoned
windsurfer will know trying to determine a board’s performance by litres alone is folly.
With ample sail carrying capacity, each size of Quikslide ekes out the lighter end of
its wind band thereby delivering maximum range of use. For instance, the 100L
would be perfectly fine with a larger rig yet equally at home with a 5m. Likewise
Mistral’s larger 120L Quikslide can happily take an 8M+.
uk
WIND
SURFING
Quikslide 100L
The first QS we stepped aboard was the
smallest of the lot. During initial forays
conditions were moderately breezy with
pulses of swell rolling through.
Powering up from the get-go the 100L
is a nimble and engaging platform that
loves to blast full pelt in either
direction. Those thin rails bite round
corners, slicing through chop to allow
super smooth gybing. Even with a
double back strap set up, it loved being
chucked into a lip and rewards sailors
with decent aerial boosts. We flung
ourselves over the handlebars a few