I'm looking to upgrade my board this summer. I was going to get the Starboard All Star since they seem to be the most common boards I have noticed at the races but I have been reading about the Lahui Kai Race and I am now confused on what to buy. Nobody around by me has any advice and very little feedback on Lahui Kai Race. I was hoping someone could give me some advice.
I live in Carlsbad California. I am in a similar situation. Brian S lives and works in nearby Encinitas, SUPATX has a 10,000 sq.ft facility 20 miles from our home.... this is SUP race country here in San Diego. I demoed the 14x27.25 Lahui Kai Race board yesterday. I was quite impressed. And especially the rock solid feel and stability, particularly in the tail section. I tried a couple of buoy turns and was amazed at the rear stability the tail block offers.
There is a fair amount of nose rocker in the LK, which will do you well in the open ocean and perhaps be a small compromise in the flats.
The only other board I have demoed recently is the Hobie Apex 14x 27.50 The Hobie is lighter by lbs. With nothing other than feel, it seems a little faster. There are more inserts for BOP style handles on the sides than LK Race. In contrast, LK has forward inserts for a GoPro, Speed coach, or a leach. And yes, a few racers, including most notably Annabelle Anderson are forward positioning leaches now for easier removal in beach entry finish type races.
If I had to choose today I would buy LK race 14. Especially if your paddling will include open ocean and beach entry and exits. And as the Starboard Allstar was originally designed by Brian S you'd do yourself good by giving it a go as well. You'll pay less, at least here in the US for the LK and still have a triple carbon finish and about the same weight as the carbon All Star. The LK race is showing up a lot more at the local paddle spots and in races here in San Diego county all the time.
No doubt it's Brian's follow up to the 2014 All Star, except it's now a Lahui Kai Race. Annabelle certainly hasn't lost a step following Brian from Starboard. My only question is, are the China built Lahui Kai's up to the Cobra factory standards? I'm in the wait and see camp. But even if not, they are way less expensive.
Since you don't give your stats, the question you have to ask is the if 27.25" is what your after; The Lahui Kai Race 14 only comes in one width. Choice is one area where Starboard absolutely smashes the competition.
Thanks so much I'm 6 ft 212lbs and paddle mostly the ocean and the bay. I agree starboard has more widths but I was looking at the 14' long 28 wide. I think 26 or 25 is to narrow for my skill level right now
i have a 12.6 x 27 lahui kai and love it feels quick for a 12.6 and best of all nice and solid structure whilst being light . i bought it just for training and to save my full carbon 14 board from to much were and tear but i find i grab it first now
We have sold a few of the Brian Szymanski Lahui Kai race boards and so far the feedback has been very positive.
The triple carbon construction is a nice balance between weight and durability and at $2450 for the 14'er they are very good value here.
The 2016 models are on their way and the weights have come down to around 12.5kg for a 14'er.
The main feedback we get on the 14' x 27.25 is that it is a solid allrounder for Ocean touring and down winding.
Its stability in chop and swell is a standout feature.
There is a 14' x 26" in the works and we should see this around August.
A good video from Brian on the 12'6 race from which the 14'er was developed.
There are a number of us in one of the squads up here at Currumbin that have been using the production version Lahui Kai's for a while.
I have given my one a hammering so far and it is standing the test of time as good if not better than the last custom carbon one I had which was also very durable.
Both the boards you mention are great designs with excellent construction.
Go with the board you like the most and you will be a happy paddler.
Cheers, Lockie
I see you mentioned the 2016 Lahui Kai Race. Do you happen to know when they will be coming out. And have you ever paddled a 26? Are they a lot more unstable then a 27?
FWIW 'm a good bit heavier than the OP, I chose the 14 x 27.25 LK over the 14 x 28 Allstar. The LK felt more stable to me despite being a bit narrower and having a bit less volume. Also feels to me a little more slippery through the water (but that's entirely subjective, haven't done any comparisons with a Garmin or whatever). I also like that the deck recess is not so deep - I find the deeper deck on the Allstar uncomfortably restrictive
I spoke to the folks at SUP ATX this morning about the upcoming new models mentioned in the previous post. They are expecting two new models, in the 2015 design to show up in San Juan Capistrano, California about 3 weeks. There might be more, but the two below were discussed.
The are set to see a 14x26 Brian S LK and a 12'6" x 25.25 LK model. No mention of pricing was made and the guess is that both models will be lighter in weight than the existing 14 and the 12'6" x 26 versions.
If there are no other updates to this forum on this subject I will report back in after they arrive.. I will be demoing both as soon as they arrive.
Excellent post AA.
You provided context and perspective to what I couldn't precisely describe when I spent my first 5 minutes on the LK 14x27.25. Stability wise you are spot on. And again, particularly so from the side to side stability and the control you have from the tail. Dare I say "barge" for a 27.25 wide board ?
And soon, you'll have two more choices to push your limits or to have the current "elite" level board characteristics.
And if my guess is right, SUP ATX will continue building the brand through the podium successes of it's team riders and we will see widened range of choices within lengths and types in 2016 and beyond.
The 14x26 Lahui Kai Brian S board became available to the public in San Juan Capistrano two days ago.
I demoed the board yesterday in harbor channel conditions with 10-15 mph winds and some surface chop. The board I demoed weighed in at 26lbs. It has the same finish and color characteristics as the 12"6"x 26 Team Race model.
The board is sleek and fast, glides well and tracks exceptionally well. I wouldn't call it tippy, but it is definitely more "twitchy" than the 14x27.25. The tail, when performing a buoy style pivot turn is far less stable than than it's counterpart at 27.25".
I didn't have a speed clock so I can't speak to how fast one is to the other. Results may vary.
At the end of the day, I opted for the 27.25 wide model. If you want to be at the front of the line on bragging rights by owning the most current "elite" racing board, or if your strictly going to stay in flat water conditions, the 26in wide is the board you want.
If, on the other hand, open ocean touring or down winding is what you do most, there is going to be less work balance wise and for some less fatigue with the 27.25, particularly in paddles in excess of ten miles.I don't believe the 27.25 is a significant compromise and probably the better option for most riders. It was for me.
I am starting to dial in my new LK Brian S 14x27.25. First of all, and probably important when considering this board, is what version and vintage you're trying or wind up getting.
Two of the older, early production boards in the SUP ATX boardroom weighed in at 29lb and 31lb respectively. I demoed a 30lb version.... felt like a barge. The one I received weighed 27.6lbs, close to the advertised weight. I immediately put on the first of what will be several fin options, a keel type made by SUP ATX. I don't have exact sq.in measurement, but I'd guess it's a little under 50.
In flat harbor type water, so far, my 27.25, with the keel fin, feels and responds very close to the 14x26.25 version with the stock fin. The 27.25 is by no means a barge, and is, as would be expected, slightly more stable than the 26 in version. I felt just enough additional stability to stop thinking about the board being tippy and to start thinking about a full power stroke and the delightful glide. 10 strokes per side was pretty easy, with little off tracking.
So if you're on the fence, I'd take Larry Cain's blog advice, and error on the side of stability. When properly bought, and equipped, the difference in speed performance is minimal, save for what type of fin setup you might do on the 26 in.
Dialling in your Lahu Kai - some great footage from the Currumbin boys! How smooth and efficient is Kelly stroke OMG
WHY DONT YOU ACT YOUR AGE!
No, 180lbs 5'10". Perhaps more importantly I am
65 yrs old. Geezer status. In decent shape with a
47 bpm resting heartbeat.
So I got about 2 weeks to compare the All Star Starboard (non carbon) vs the 14 x 27.25 Lk Race. I talked my neighbor into upgrading his board as well. So there is a shop here that had both boards and a 2 week return policy of up to 20% restocking fee depending on the quality of the board returned. We made a deal to split the return cost which allowed us to really test both boards in the ocean,bay, and lake. We went with the non carbon All-star because it was the same price as the Lahui Kai. I have lot's of comparison notes if anyone is in the same situation I was in and wants me to post them. Anyway I went with the Lk Race and my neighbor did also. He chose the 14x26 I chose the 14x27.25. I am a bigger paddler so I was glad I went with the wider board. My neighbor is only like 5'8" 150lbs and loved the smaller width. I am taller and heavier and the 26 was tippy for me. I do have to say in the ocean I am faster on the 27.25 then he is on the 26, we are competitive on the bay just depends on the day, but on flat water the 26 is so much faster. Thanks to everyone that helped. The Race is amazing and again I have a pro con list to compare the All-star with the Race if anyone wants them.
Hey speedz18, glad you like the board and it sounds like you both made the right choice for weight and height. What area do you live in? Glad to hear that your local store is selling the 14' x 26" its only new in Oz and I think will be a great seller. Enjoy the board and your time on the water and anytime your near Currumbin come for a paddle
Speedz18- sounds like you made a great choice, and after a good test period under different conditions. And at 150b and 5'8" your friend is probably right at home on the 26in.
When I changed out the stock for a keel fin, as I mentioned in a previous post, flatware speed increased nicely. I am also finding at 180lbs and 5'10", and when on flat water, if my toes are about 3-4inches in front of the carry handle, the nose gets buried just enough in the water to have the wake just, at times, barely rise above the bow. This position increases the speed and glide of board as well... I trim back near the front of the carry handle when moving out into ocean swell and chop.
Speedz18, which All Star were you testing? 2015? And what width? Any details on why you guys liked the LK over the All Star. Thanks.
I'm from NJ. Lot's of different water to paddle. Metedaconk River, Manasquan River, Toms River, Barnaget Bay, Forge Pond, Medford Lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean. That's in my County. Lot's of other waterways in the state and we have plenty of paddle clubs too. So if ur ever in the neighborhood let me know. One thing NJ is good for is paddling.
How does the LKs stability compare to wider downwind boards like the Naish Glide 29, NSP/DC 29 and Falcon 30?
Im looking for a 14fter for mostly flat but also keen on some downwinding. I'm about 6'5 and 95kg so stability is important but I don't want to sacrifice heaps of glide. Grateful for any feedback provided.
Thanks DJ. You certainly make them look stable in your vids. Are they as quick on flat?
Anyone else got any feedback on stability?
Not sure which Lahui Kai you are referring to DJ but the Szymanski 14' x 27.25 Race is super stable with its big arsed tail.
The LK Manta's have a bit of a roll side to side, but they are a different beast.
I recently tried the new 14' x 26 Team Race and was super impressed with it stability for 26".
Also impressive are the new weights - 11.5kg