SPOTLIGHT 95
Good to go!
Fanatic Stubby FSW 95 TE
Info: http://www.fanatic.com/product/freewave-stb/ Price: £1949
WORDS: WINDSURFING UK PICS: JAMES JAGGER
HAVING CHECKED OUT 2017’S 105 VERSION OF THE STUBBY FSW IT
WAS INTRIGUING TO LAY HANDS ON 2018’S 95 LITRE VERSION AND
SEE HOW IT COMPARED. AS ALWAYS FANATIC’S ATTENTION TO
DETAIL, FIXTURES AND FITTINGS AND OVERALL MANUFACTURING
FINISH IS RIGHT UP THERE. SO MUCH SO IT SEEMS A SHAME TO GET
BOARDS LIKE THIS WET…BUT STILL.
Coming as a 2+1 thruster fin
configuration, with x2 12cm side bites
and x1 19cm central skeg the Stubby
FSW 95 appears quite gunny and long,
relative to its overall shape. Parallel rail
boards can often take on this aesthetic
even when that’s not actually the case –
a sort of optical illusion if you like. The
board’s pronounced double diamond tail
and stubby nose (hence the name)
rounds off a very new school looking
board.
On the water and the Stubby FSW 95’s
flat rocker gets things up and revving in
no time – it’s certainly quick that’s for
sure. As such skyward boosts are
satisfying and a part of what makes
freestyle wave boards appealing. For
anyone looking at learning aerial
rotations it’s a good tool that make
inverted transitions easier to stomp.
Freestyle wave boards have come a
long way in the last few years. Whilst
the above traits won’t be any surprise
to those with FSW experience the most
notable performance increase – with
bigger versions of freestyle wave boards
(generally) – is in the wave riding
department. In the past FSW’s haven’t
really been that fulfilling for diehard
wave heads to ride, tending to
accelerate out away from the pocket
too often. Happily the Stubby FSW 95
is a sled that you can fully belt lips with
and delivers a bona fide experience in
the surf. Plus, with its stubby compact
shape, fitting into real world swells –
such as onshore slop and grovel waves
– is no issue.
Fanatic have taken the best of previous
freestyle wave models, onshore surf
sleds and mashed these traits together
adding a little bit of freeride flavour to
the mix as well for some additional
seasoning. Of course there’s no such
as the perfect board for every condition
– hence why we all have quivers. That
said Fanatic’s Stubby FSW 95