Can't find much about this board online. Has anyone surfed it and have an opinion on how it would suit me at 85kg for all conditions (a lot of onshore sydney beach break slop)? I have a Hokua 9'0 for the good conditions, but looking for a less serious board for playing around on in the slop. Cheers
G'day Mate,
i havnt ridden one myself but a good mate of mine has one that he keeps in his house over Bali. He is a very good SUP ridder and loves the thing. He is always talking about how great it goes and the width is no problem at all.
I also was (snapped it last friday) ridding a 9'0" Naish Hokua. I was going to buy the Pocket Rocket from my mates advise but i got the Naish for such a great price i could not go past it. Good luck and i really think if you have the money more boards the better!!!!
I have surfed it and did post my thoughts on it.
I am about 73kg and I surfed this board in both clean and shltty beachy conditions. i surfed it as a 2+1 setup also.
The board for me is easily as stable as a 9ft starby and ridiculously stable for an 8.5, even in heavy chop.
As for surfing it - well, the board felt like a 10fter for me and I even commented to someone on the day that I wish I was at least 10kg heavier. The board felt like it had very good allround potential but Im way too light for it. I eventually got an 8.5pro and have truly never owned a better surf sup.
Hey billboard,
Have you got the 2012 8.5 pro? Im wondering if there is much difference between the 2011 and 2012 boards. The 2012 is slightly less volume - I cant find many reviews.
at 92 kilos i am torn between the PR and Pro...but i think at my weight the PR should be the better option ?
Billboard, I had to place my order with SB this morning otherwise would have missed July delivery. Ordered the PR carbon before I read your post about the Pro! Anyway, advice on fin setup would be gratefully received cause you obviously know what you're doing! Hopefully will progress to a Pro board by the end of the year... 
Hi guys,
Been sick for the last two months so no surfing for me during that time.
Two days ago I got back into the water and I'm just speechless. The ocean is really the best thing you can have in your life!
Due to being sick and eating like a pig, I got 13 kg on my arse, so now the scale reads 110kg.
When I got back in the water I could hear my 2011 brushed carbon PR screaming in pain... underwater that is!
Anyway, it's still doable, even if it gets a bit hard in wind chop.
I've also tried the 2012 carbon model which I also like a lot.
I'd say the 2012 model surfs like the 2011 8'5 pro model while on the tail and noserides like a dream!
For the fin setup, being a big guy I use 2 different setups:
- PC7-PC5 for bigger surf (up to double overhead - 3 meters)
- PC5-PC3 up to head high
I like my board pretty lose so it gets easier to thow some 360s and helicopters.
Also from what I've tried on the 2+1 configuration, I liked the PC5 thruster set while using the fcs adapter. The board gets really loose, and it goes a lot slower than when riding it as a quad, so more control.
When it gets bigger or hollower (I surf Supertubos a lot here in Portugal), I throw a RFC Rake 7.0 (or the 6.0 depending on size of surf) to get a bit more control.
As for the 8'5 Pro model, I've rode it when I was 105kgs + 3.2 wetsuit and it still worked. Once again, not the easiest task, but definitely doable.
Now I just have to start SUPing, running and biking a lot to get rid of these F%&$&n 13 Kg ASAP.
Have fun
Awesome. Thanks Billboard. Board comes end July, then off to Fiji! Going to be a steep learning curve!
Hi Birchy
with your weight at 85kgs ( my weight also ) I would suggest you try & demo first a 8'2 x 32 Starboard Wide Point as you will find these are suited so well to the conditions you have described & you will be surprised by the speed & just how "FUN" they are to surf..
This model was developed, tested & released with exactly what you have described by that I mean guys that are wanting to ride a SUP but have less than deal conditions however still want to be able to throw some turns ..
If you are needing to try one & find it hard to locate give me a yell as I have one up here in Newcastle Id be happy to have you try out & a great excuse for weekend trip to find some fun waves..
The amazing thing is that this board during testing showed that it could handle sucky waves as well & the quad fin set up offers plenty of speed out of the pocket , so let me know if you would like to hook up for a try & we can enjoy some waves together..
Cheers Pete
this is an image of the Starboard 8'2 x 32 wide point showing that the width doesn't create an issue at all on the hollow ones , it just helps out when conditions get a little wobbly ..
**disclosure; Ive taken on a role in addition to my current position on the STARBOARD R&D team for the surf sup program along side Scotty McKercher to now offer assistance where ever possible to paddlers so that they can be standing on the boards best suited to them with correct information & the best possible service in locating their nearest outlet .. Cheers Pete
my pocket rocket arrived and i only tested it in the flat so far, but it seems nice and stable, way more stable than my psh ripper 9,6.
the nose is really wide, so i definitly wanna try to noseride it.
going to test it this coming weekend in hossegor, i will report back :).
what suprised me was the center fin, which seems quite large for such a board. gonna try johhnys quad set up and see how it goes.
Pete - my carbon PR comes end July. I see in your photo that you're riding a carbon board with no deck pad, only Startouch. What's your experience without a deck pad? Over at the Starboard forums people almost all say you need a deck pad or at least a kick pad on Startouch. (Was going to order the Starboard deck pad since lead times are so long where I live, but thought I'd try the Startouch first...)
Thanks for the advice everyone. I had a demo on the 8'2 x 32 and quite liked it but found it was just too much board to be thrilling. In the end I went with a custom 8'6 x 29 vaguely similar to the 8'5 pro but considerably thinner (112 litres) which makes it much better for my weight - so far I'm loving it, and haven't got back on the Hokua.
Hi Mark,
Bruno here in peniche is using a pc-5 thruster set with the us-box fcs fin adapter on his pocket rocket.
If you're going to use a longboard fin, i'd suggest a 5.5" or 6.0" center fin.
Then, you'll just have to find the best position on the finbox.
It will keep the board very nice and fun to surf, but beware: you're going to have to get used to it as the board will slide a lot unless you're setting your rails properly.
See ya,
Johnny
Hi DRun
I am mostly riding only the Startouch & believe after 2 or 3 sessions you become use to teh feeling & honestly grow to love it ..
My advice to anyone purchasing a brushed carbon with the startouch is to ride it for at least this long & give it a chance , the product is solid , it just takes a little to get used to & then the benefits are awesome.
If after the initial trial period you feel still not comfortable my next suggestion is to ride it wearing booties as this gives a sense of feel similar to the EVA deck pads however you are not adding any weight to the board & you get to enjoy the amazing benefits that the BRUSHED CARBON offers .
Lastly if you still feel you need more padding under foot then place a rear tail pad on & see how you go..
DRun , in my opinion if you give it a chance & allow your feet to become use to the sensation you will grow to love it & never look back ..
Please let me know how things work out as its great to hear feedback at all times.
Regards
Pete
Been riding my carbon PR for a couple of weeks, after the first 2 sessions started to really enjoy the startouch grip, good grip no wetsuit damage, dont feel the need yet for a tail wedge, for such a high volume board it is quite lively, re-entries off the whitewater are a breeze with that big nose, have to be a little careful with late takeoffs and go fairly sideways, feels a little faster in thruster setup but will need a few more sessions yet, super stable, I reckon the PR and and 8'5" pro would be the ideal quiver at my 74kg's, all in all absolutely loving it.
Another few sessions done, still a great board, now to be picky, yes I need a tail pad just for the extra grip off the top and to feel where the back of the board is, much prefer it in quad setup, certainly more manoeuvrable(for me anyway)startouch grip is great when I am standing a little slippy in a wetsuit especially when you are pushing out through whitewater or climbing back on. One issue with carbon is the price as I don't think I could go back to standard construction now, so Starboard have sucked me in!:-)
Great board loving it, maybe Starboard can now sponsor me an 8'5" Pro in B.C!!!
Pumpnjump
stoked to hear you have fallen in love with the STARBOARD Brushed Carbon Startouch finish , it is something as you have found yourself & mentioned takes a few sessions to get used to , but then the benefits are just awesome & the huge difference is the swing weight which drastically assists in turns ( this matters in SUPs) .
What size fins are you using as a Thruster ? as Ive been playing loads with a smaller rear center & am interested to hear what you find works for you as you are a few kegs lighter than what I am.. 
I found a tail "BLOCK" worked really well for letting you know where the 'jam' spot is on the tail as I noticed after using a GoPro & filming my feet positions that coming off the top my back foot actually slides across the tail area due to the width of SUPs & this is made a lot easier if you don't have a full tail pad ( IMO ) .
Anyway pumpnjump im keen to hear back from you re fins & any comments .
Cheers Pete
Been on my PR for a dozen sessions now, took it to Fiji and been surfing my local beach break. This board has allowed me to progress from 10ft boards. I can't say it's been easy but certainly manageable at my level which is important to help you progress. It's very stable given it's length, but does take getting used to, especially when turning to catch waves and the rails dig in! I need to work on that! Takes some practice to catch fast, steep beach breaks - you have to step back quite early and time the turn into the wave carefully. The feeling on a wave, coming from 10ft+ boards, is fantastic. It really helps me learn and progress, and my more experienced nephew just rips on it! But I do feel that in a year I'll be able and wanting something more narrow (length seems perfect)!
Startouch is good. Definitely takes getting used to because it doesn't feel like it will grip and you have to have confidence that it's going to hold you. It does. I was also surfing a Coreban in Fiji with EVA decking and I have to say it felt more slippy than Startouch. Of course after a few hours standing, EVA is nicer! And if you're a pro-surfer making radical moves maybe you need more traction. But Startouch is good and I actually like the hard footing. Gives me a better feel for the board underfoot.
I would like to have something on the tail because the only times I slipped off was trying to feel for the tail.
As for carbon, what can I add that hasn't been said. Can't go back now!
Has anyone compared the PR and the Rush? I'm looking to step down from my Angulo Surfa 9'0, SUPing in wind-driven choppy and mushy shorebreak conditions and sometimes I just want something more throwabout that likes late takeoffs in small waves. Seems that the Rush might be better than a PR? The old PR models were supposedly better in mushy crap than the current ones?
At 84 Kgs (before an appendix extraction) got a 8'5" PR (after some serious issues with Naish). To be honest I was a bit sckeptic going that short at the beginning but... oh my that board is fun!!. You forget you are on a SUP and feels much closer to a short board. VERY responsive, turns on a dime (surfed it with the stock fins 2+1). Waves were 1-2ft and despite the conditions had the funnest sessions I've had on an SUP to date. So much so that got a few people asking to borrow it.
We had with us a mate from Australia visiting, really good surfer, and first time I see someone on his first try ever, with a board of those dimensions paddling onto a wave and successfully catching it and ripping on it. I think you might have another sweeper in the lineup soon over there!
I rode the pocket rocket on the weekend in clean 4 ft waves. Found it really stable and quite manuvarable on the wave face.
Compared to my other smaller volume board found it quite relaxing, not rocking around as much,
it was the carbon model as well so responsive to paddle and felt light underfoot.
I am 85kg - it was the 8 5" x 30" 2012 (i think the 2013 is going to be similar ? )
i have surfed it this season..here are my thoughts about it :
it surfs really well, is stable for its size but i found it to be a very slow paddler. catching not so powerful waves can be a real pain, specially compared to my PSH ripper 9,6.
Yeah, agreed over there, a bit sow to paddle, that forces us to sit closer to the regular lineup, but the performance gain once on the wave is a bliss. Also to remember there is almost a foot difference in length
