2011 Xenon Laluz 132 Review

Rider: 75kgs, Level: intermediate (3 years)
Style: Freestyle
Weather: 15 - 30
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: Addicted

My Comments:

First official review of anything!

Board Construction:
When I first unwrapped the board I couldn't believe how light this thing was. It's ridiculously light. You can really pick it up and twist it around one handed without breaking you're wrist. Must weigh half the weight of an NHP?! It's super flexy at the tips and you can actually flex the top of the tips with your bare hands - crazy. It's solid through the middle but thins right out at the tips to only a few mm. Noticed that because of this, the inserts closest to the tips aren't as deep as the inserts near the middle of the board (possible concern?!). Not sure if this is standard across all boards or if it's just because the laluz thins out so much towards the tips.

Aesthetics:

The board looks much nicer in the flesh! It has white glossy lines that run the length of the board, so if you think it's just a plain white board with a bit of blue and red - you're wrong! The thing looks PIMP, but tasteful and without all the crap their putting on today's boards. One very small complaint would be that the red and blue prints that run from the top sheet, across the the edge and onto the bottom sheet just don't line up. Makes it look a little cheap, but still nothing major to worry about! Still looks the great top and bottom.

Although I do love the look of the board, it is a struggle to find it in the surf and against the sun glare with it's white top and bottom sheet. I still wouldn't trade this board for anything though.

The ride:
There's always a lot of pimping that goes on when reading reviews on any equipment and the laluz was the same. I came across a lot of rubbish statements along the lines of "It's like riding a cloud" etc etc. Well guess what? It's like riding a f**ing cloud!!!! hahahahah...

The ride is so soft and comfortable through chop and landing tricks. It really does absorb a LOT of impact when landing. I'd always feel pain through the knees when riding hard and fast over the top of chop/waves but havent had any trouble with the laluz.

The board is nice and wide, and light. Can really pick up some great speed and cut hard up wind with it. No real spray in the face like my old imperial. It's easy to flick about and carve through the turns. I'm no expert but I reckon this board would also excel in the surf for a TT.

I've only just started to get my raileys fully down (board over head) so I can't really comment on how great the pop is. Yeah it 'pop's' but I can't really tell you how well as I'm still trying to perfect my pop and a lot of it comes down to technique. Anyhow I'm happy with how it pop's for the meantime although can't really compare it to anything. The board is super flexy at the tips, and as I've read, this may not contribute to achieving a huge amount of pop, however I believe this is still debated?!

Haven't noticed too much difference in regards to boost as I believe it all comes down to technique. If you know how to boost big, you will boost big on any board really...

Still haven't got my straps so can't comment on them. Been riding the board on 2011 cab syncs.

All up, EXTREMELY happy with the board!!!! From it's looks to it's performance on the water.

Bought it because:
I am looking to get right into freestyle/wakestyle. I wanted a board that was fast and that could handle Melbourne's chop in the bay and advance my riding. I'd recommend this board to anyone looking for performance in the chop without sacrificing your KNEES!

peace

Rider: 96kgs, 185cm Level: Beginner
Style: What style? Freeride with freestyle ambitions I guess.
Weather: 20-25 gusty
Build Quality: 9/10
Satisfaction: 9/10
Disclosure: I don't work for none of these mothers, I don't get discounts, and I'm not in debt to the mob.

I took this board out today for a demo. Did like 3 full hours at Melville in really gusty conditions with quite a lot of chop out a ways but nice and smooth near the beach. I've been demoing a lot of freestyle oriented boards lately and the frontrunner so far was the 132 North Jamie.

I was happy with the look of the board. Nice and plain, no fluorescent crap. I rode it with the new straps and I must say I like them a lot. They are soft but not so much that the compact too much on hard landings. The straps are easy to adjust and are really comfortable. I like these even more that the North ones I'm used to. They are a lot easier to get into even if they are tightened right down. So much so that there was no need to fit the grab handle saving a little weight. You can grab wiht your toes easily when you boost and you can lever againts the straps hard without them loostening.

I won't reiterate the high points from the above post but I do agree with most of it. It has quite a lot more rocker than the 140 North Xride I've been on lately. This makes it a lot more lively under foot but it still planes quickly and is quite fast. The fins are about the right size. Small enough that the board is easy to kick around to toeside even if you are lazy and drag it round slowly.

I don't chuck big raleys so I won't comment on "pop" really, just that I was able to pick a bit of flat water, edge hard, and release into a little pop off the water much better than my current board. I was pretty amused by this so started chucking little ollies and getting nice height.

I didn't find it to be super smooth in the chop but it did soak it up well for a board with square tips and this stiffness. The Xride is better here but gets left way behind in almost every other respect.

I was finding that I was nose diving the board a little bit in the pretty nasty chop, with the straps in the inner position. But I am pretty heavy and tall and I've just come off a much longer board. The 135 might be the better length for me. So, would I buy it? It does everything just as well as the Jamie, pads are better, it's lighter, looks better, and is quite a bit cheaper.

I'm going to pick one up this week.

The La luz is avaliable for demo at Woodies shop.

Is your new board a new model and if so how are the pads and straps?

jt737 said...

Have the Xenon LaLuz 135 which I am really enjoying. Agree with all the other reviews, this is a great board, extremely well made and good for any rider from beginner to expert ability. Here is my opinion:

The 135 colour is just right, easy to see being white, graphics simple and elegant. The finish is impressive, being made in Europe I think with snowboard technology, so should last. Have just got the new footpads and straps which are comfortable and easy to adjust. I ride in the chop and waves and find my knees don't complain after riding as they did with my previous board. The ride is very much like the Nobile range, but the board has speed also, whilst being a lot cheaper. Landings are smooth and it tracks upwind easily.

A friend rode it and whilst looking for a lost board, ran over it and sliced a 5cm gash into the "lost" board right through the layer and into the wood core - however the LaLuz didn't have a mark on it!

Try one if you can! I have no affiliation with the suppliers or any shop.

the pads are good and you're foot should stay in snug. Only problem i found that if you want maximum duck then the straps don't really line up with the pads. Hard to explain...

Here in Melb, got it delivered from QLD earlier last week. I kite at Altona these days so feel free to hit me up and I'll show you what it looks like/how it rides.

Thought I'd provide a small review.

75 kg, beginner (1.5 seasons)
Style: None
Weather - 17-32
Build: 9/10
Satisfaction 10/10
Disclosure: Went on a trip to PNG with seller

I love this board. Marvin pimped the 2010 last year pretty heavy and was tempted to buy one. Was up in Cairns and the local dealer there turned me off of it because he sold a few to some beginners and they got damaged pretty quickly, and he was concerned about build quality. Saw some beginners later that week with them and they all really loved them but hadn't been riding that long.

Anyways. So on the PNG trip, trialled the 2010 and really liked it, it got me going and in control a lot quicker than my (in retrospect) too advanced Cab Custom. Decided to wait for the 2011 to come out and bought it.

Bought a 132. Really happy with it. Flexibile, light as hell without feeling cheap, board straps feel a lot more comfortable than my previous Liquid Force luxuries and the Custom's shoelace things that kept coming loose. I'm only just starting to jump but have been bouncing up and down on the waves at Altona, and feel a lot more comfortable on the landings. Staying upwind about as well as I was on the 136 Custom. I've been running it into the sandbars a lot at low tide, and the fins still look fine without any damage. Can't say anything about pop and flex or anything, but I really really love riding it, and I guess thats all that matters. I've taken it out in 17 knots, plus the 28-30 knot ripper yesterday, and it just feels great.

Negatives? The rubber Xenon logo on the straps was loose on arrival and had to super glue them down. Other than that, can't think of any.

I was a bit skeptical what with the heavy pimpage online, and it not being a super well known brand, and the possible low durability mentioned earlier.. But Marv hasn't steered me wrong, it's a really good board that I'm incredibly happy with.

is anyone riding with board with maximum duck? It's possible to screw the straps down but the straps don't line up with your foot correctly. A bit annoying

Tips look pretty square, what's the spray in the face factor like? Toe side carve turns?

Hi Jas,

please note that the stances are Wide and Extra Wide on the 2011 LaLuz! No more normal stance (like 2010) except of the 129cm which still got normal and wide stance for the 2011 LL.

Which Stance position do you ride?
I prefer the inside option.

In General the wider stands will cause a bit more spray i reckon.
The Xenon's dont spray much- the board is very lively and the flexy tips cause less spray me thinks.

Hang loose

The narrow settings are sweet. The wider settings will give you spray.

Damn that's cheap!

We have The LaLuz, Rayo & Infra on clearance sale deals at Woodys.
Check our website for the super special run-out prices.

1 LaLuz 1 Rayo and 1 Infra - thats all thats left. Get in quick.

I swopped from the Styx to the La Luz 135. Much smoother board in the chop and fast also. I ride Slingshot bolt-on footstraps though as I prefer to duck my stance out more. Build quality is great and priced well.