Finally got our x26's.....I've been riding the Glide's since generation 1 with a couple of months of trying to master the 23" LE as well beginning of this year. On paper the x26 just looked like the answer to my desires. My desires being: Fast and comfortable on our downwind runs and possibly flatwater as well.
I'm 85kg, 1.8m tall and just shy of the big five-o and for me the 23" LE was just a step too far, incredible acceleration, super easy to control on the runs but the narrowness just meant any side-bumbs became challenging, tiring and ultimately slower than I'd been on the 2013 Glide (27 1/4" wide).
Enter the 26" wide LE - I got it on Wednesday morning, raced it that same evening and rode it again yesterday.
Wednesday was 15-22knots and I managed my best downwind race placing this year. The board catches everything on offer and the nose seems to skip through and over any bumps allowing you to link/railroad sections which the previous Glide just could not do. There is hardly any deceleration when the full length of the board is engaged - it feels very slippery and fast. Having ridden the 23 LE and the new 29" Glide probably helped understanding how to ride the 26LE, you can stand a little further back and getting the nose up is a simple step back. Stepping forward you will get into virtually anything.
The stability is almost on par with the 27 1/4" wide gen 1 and 2 Glides, there is a fraction more roll I'd say, but still way within my comfort zone. This translates into speed as you feel confident you can put the power down to accelerate onto runs without having to do side checks (unlike on the 23" for me). The nose entry also feels more forgiving so as the nose dips you can rest assured that even if it digs in you just brace on the paddle and the board will come back up with hardly any loss of speed or balance.
Yesterdays run was a good one - 40knots and 4m swell at 15 second intervals - a stonker! Probably as challenging as we get it here and the board went like it was on steroids - several sub 4min km times on my GPS and only one dismount when I lost it on a real steep take-off. With wind this strong our runs normally start running at a speed where we cannot railroad the bumps - but with this board I was still managing to jump bumps ahead, insane feeling!
The rocker allows you to accelerate or decelerate by simply moving weight forwards or backwards - this is crucial to staying on big runs. On the old Glide the back half rocker is flatter and once you take off on a big run it just accelerates and if you can't get it turned in time then you just plough into the bump in front and ultimately slow down. The 26LE allows you to slow it a tad and then engage footsteering to veer left or right to stay with the run. It's so lively on the footsteering I actually found it unnerving at first, almost too lively as the board would react to the smallest input.
Board is light, 10.3kg w.o fin and fragile as can be expected. It's a race-horse and you need to take care when handling it on land but the 23LE's are still going strong so should be ok.
I'm super excited about this board, I'm it will allow me to shave a couple of minutes of my downwind times (yesterdays GPS time was the fastest I've done) and come in without feeling jelly legged. If I was 10kgs lighter or 10years younger I'd be on the 23LE - but the 26LE fits me like a glove - and I think that is the key, you need to find the board that suits your weight and skill level to have maximum fun. If I wasn't obsessed about speed I'd take the 29" Glide any day, its like the 23 and 26LE's - just much easier and comfortable.
I tried to video yesterday - but the GoPro sticky mount failed minutes into my run and I lost the GoPro.....
That board sounds really nice... you must be stoked. Seems like that will be the go to board from now on.
It sounds like the LE X26 has a more evenly distributed (but flat) rocker - which I thought was how the 29" Glide was - would it be fair to comment that they have similar characteristics - just the LE X26 is the sleeker lighter version?
Bummer with the GoPro. I notice a lot of the other brands now are incorporating gopro slots at the front of the board - something for Naish to consider I reckon.
The Gopro will make it's way W.A. and move it's way around Australia to the Gold Coast in Queensland and will eventually wash up on Currumbin Alley or possibly South Straddie. Will get it back to you in about 18 month's.Select to expand quotePeterP said..
Finally got our x26's.....I've been riding the Glide's since generation 1 with a couple of months of trying to master the 23" LE as well beginning of this year. On paper the x26 just looked like the answer to my desires. My desires being: Fast and comfortable on our downwind runs and possibly flatwater as well.
I'm 85kg, 1.8m tall and just shy of the big five-o and for me the 23" LE was just a step too far, incredible acceleration, super easy to control on the runs but the narrowness just meant any side-bumbs became challenging, tiring and ultimately slower than I'd been on the 2013 Glide (27 1/4" wide).
Enter the 26" wide LE - I got it on Wednesday morning, raced it that same evening and rode it again yesterday.
Wednesday was 15-22knots and I managed my best downwind race placing this year. The board catches everything on offer and the nose seems to skip through and over any bumps allowing you to link/railroad sections which the previous Glide just could not do. There is hardly any deceleration when the full length of the board is engaged - it feels very slippery and fast. Having ridden the 23 LE and the new 29" Glide probably helped understanding how to ride the 26LE, you can stand a little further back and getting the nose up is a simple step back. Stepping forward you will get into virtually anything.
The stability is almost on par with the 27 1/4" wide gen 1 and 2 Glides, there is a fraction more roll I'd say, but still way within my comfort zone. This translates into speed as you feel confident you can put the power down to accelerate onto runs without having to do side checks (unlike on the 23" for me). The nose entry also feels more forgiving so as the nose dips you can rest assured that even if it digs in you just brace on the paddle and the board will come back up with hardly any loss of speed or balance.
Yesterdays run was a good one - 40knots and 4m swell at 15 second intervals - a stonker! Probably as challenging as we get it here and the board went like it was on steroids - several sub 4min km times on my GPS and only one dismount when I lost it on a real steep take-off. With wind this strong our runs normally start running at a speed where we cannot railroad the bumps - but with this board I was still managing to jump bumps ahead, insane feeling!
The rocker allows you to accelerate or decelerate by simply moving weight forwards or backwards - this is crucial to staying on big runs. On the old Glide the back half rocker is flatter and once you take off on a big run it just accelerates and if you can't get it turned in time then you just plough into the bump in front and ultimately slow down. The 26LE allows you to slow it a tad and then engage footsteering to veer left or right to stay with the run. It's so lively on the footsteering I actually found it unnerving at first, almost too lively as the board would react to the smallest input.
Board is light, 10.3kg w.o fin and fragile as can be expected. It's a race-horse and you need to take care when handling it on land but the 23LE's are still going strong so should be ok.
I'm super excited about this board, I'm it will allow me to shave a couple of minutes of my downwind times (yesterdays GPS time was the fastest I've done) and come in without feeling jelly legged. If I was 10kgs lighter or 10years younger I'd be on the 23LE - but the 26LE fits me like a glove - and I think that is the key, you need to find the board that suits your weight and skill level to have maximum fun. If I wasn't obsessed about speed I'd take the 29" Glide any day, its like the 23 and 26LE's - just much easier and comfortable.
I tried to video yesterday - but the GoPro sticky mount failed minutes into my run and I lost the GoPro.....
Thanks for your review.. Bummer about the GoPro.
Can't wait to get mine going on a good day.. 
DJ
Select to expand quoterockmagnet said..
The Gopro will make it's way W.A. and move it's way around Australia to the Gold Coast in Queensland and will eventually wash up on Currumbin Alley or possibly South Straddie. Will get it back to you in about 18 month's.
I heard they all end up in the debris filters for the tweed sand bypass pumping station. Apparently they pick up 1 or 2 GoPros a week off the grates.
I'll put 18months in my diary and pay for shipping of the GoPro - there won't be much footage though. It got knocked off punching through the waves going out. As I got to the backline it was dangling on the safety rope, so I thought great, I can just undo rope and put camera in my pocket.
Only problem was I had attached right on the nose and with a 6ft coil leash I could barely reach it and when I did I'd do an eskimo roll. Taking the leash off wasn't an option as the wind was 40knots and the water was lifting - any slip up and board would have been gone. Going back in through that size surf wasn't too appealing either.
So my final decision was to knock the safety leash mount off with my paddle and grab the camera. Should be good I thought, it had the backfloat on - so all good. Not so much......knocked it off and it sank instantly......lesson learned, don't trust the backfloat....
Select to expand quotePeterP said..Should be good I thought, it had the backfloat on - so all good. Not so much......knocked it off and it sank instantly......lesson learned, don't trust the backfloat....
I was going to get a backfloat for mine... as I worry about dropping it when changing between mounts on the water. I'll go with a home made scheme now. That just sucks.
Below are some speed stats from that 40knot day.
Yesterday I swopped LE26 with one of our guys here, he has been riding the 14' Glide Gen2 comfortably. It was 20-30knots.
He has been considering getting the 26LE and after the first 3km's he was sold - couldn't believe how fast it felt, but by the end of the 11km run and having gone through our choppy patch (which was bit more choppy than normal yesterday) he is not so sure.....In the end he felt the new 26LE was a tad unstable for him. I felt completely planted on the old Glide coming from 2 days on the 26 - so there is a difference in stability - it is definitely not as stable as the old Glide, but it is way more amenable than the 23".
And jeeez, its fast......
I've only paddled mine a couple of times and tend to agree.. On flat water it seems as stable if not slightly more stable than the old Glide..
But once it gets choppy it seems slightly less stable.. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it.
DJ
That's interesting stats output Peter, what program are you using?
Great speeds - interesting that your 1km averages aren't much less than the 250m...
I'm trying to imagine what 40 knots would be like in my neck of the woods. I don't think I've had it more than 25 yet. 40 would be great
Select to expand quotefoamballer said..
That's interesting stats output Peter, what program are you using?
Great speeds - interesting that your 1km averages aren't much less than the 250m...
I'm trying to imagine what 40 knots would be like in my neck of the woods. I don't think I've had it more than 25 yet. 40 would be great
I use this: gpsactionreplay.free.fr/
....we love 40knots....and we're very fortunate that we get a good couple this time of year...
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said..
I've only paddled mine a couple of times and tend to agree.. On flat water it seems as stable if not slightly more stable than the old Glide..
But once it gets choppy it seems slightly less stable.. Maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it.
DJ
Agree DJ, have had mine 2 weeks now, and is super stable on flat water and I find very good in chop, have come off a few times in really bad side chop, but generally really good. Here are some pics of the new board.
Thanks to Luke at Ocean Addicts for the deal on the board, and accessories. (Oh and if anyone wants a low km 2012 14 javelin GX, Luke has my old one) 
Ive had my jav le 26 for a week now, I had it out in 2 downwinders its amazing picks up the smallest bumps and feels effortless. I also personally feel its a super stable in chop and side chop I just eats it and let's you just keep powering.
The jav gx is definitely still faster on dead flat water though.
Kim, absolutely agree, the jav GX is faster on flat water hands down. Shame they couldn't get a blend of the 2 hey..now that would be a great board.
Select to expand quote
This link doesn't work for me. Is it just me?
I downloaded a similar named program 'gps sports replay' but that didn't see to have any track statistics features
Select to expand quotefoamballer said..
This link doesn't work for me. Is it just me?
I downloaded a similar named program 'gps sports replay' but that didn't see to have any track statistics features
worked when I tried - try this one it goes straight to download page gpsactionreplay.free.fr/index.php?menu=2
Thanks for the review. At 75kg / 180cm do you think I could get away with a 12'6 for downwinders (and all-round use quiver-of-one) or I'd be better off w/ a 14'?
At 10.3kg a 14' is suddenly becoming tempting as a quiver-of-one board.
We've found that the 12'6's only really work in extreme downwind conditions, anything under 35-40knots they are quite a bit slower - so unless your garage is too short I'd go for a 14' - it will be significantly better on flatwater as well.
I had my first flatwater session yesterday and managed to average 9.3km/h on our 1.9km course without too much effort - I think it will do 9.6km/h with me on it which is just shy of what I can squeeze out of the MC Javelin.
still doesn't work - have to try it at work tomorrow