Hi, looking for anyone with experience on the Sunova Skate. This look like a great board with Speed, stability and turning, but there are almost no reviews or videos on it.
I am 70kg and intermediate ability, with about 3 years SUP experience. i like the flat deck of the flow, but it seems pretty high performance with heaps of rocker etc. Any suggestions?
Where I surf a guy owned a Skate and was not all that happy with it - he felt he had to move his back foot from side to side too much to make turns due to the width of the board - that's the only comment I remember and he has sold the board.
I just bought a Flow and love it (but only 3 sessions so not qualified to comment) - but it has less rocker than my Hokua X32 and I feel it has less rocker than my Speeed when I paddle it. I personally don't think you'll find the rocker a problem. Here are a couple of photos - had trouble getting them both exactly side-on.
Flow all the way the skate is very wide in the tail will be fun in 1 foot slop. The flow is forgiving but still aggressive they are stable but turn on there rail with power I love my flow I can't fault it at all I came off a x32 and the rocker on the flow is a lot flatter and is actually more stable and the flag deck is so good for your feet and grip you won't be dissapointed
You could also look at the Soul. I have the 8'3" for a year now. It goes very well. I think it is a bit narrower that the Flow. I like Sunova brand and I don't think you would be disappointed with their product. This board is my go to board in any conditions including wind and is quite stable. I am 80kgs and 58 years. Best of luck.
Have a look ata the 8,10 Sunova Speed, a superb craft with heaps of litres for you.
Cheers CSE, really appreciate the feedback. The wide tail was my biggest concern, even though the Skate promo, says the opposite.
I surfed the speeed in ordinary conditions I liked the easy transition rail to rail but not how it doesn't like carving a turn from the rail. If that makes sense. The Flow should be perfect for this is my guess.
Would you call the X32 snappy and slow to paddle and the Flow, more for carving and faster for paddling onto a wave.
Your early thoughts are much appreciated.
Thanks Jonndg, the Soul is also on my list and 8'3 is about right too. I am thinking it would be pretty similar to the Flow, which I am partial to its flatter deck.
What Other boards have ridden you could compare the Soul to?
Select to expand quoteLucyloo said...
Have a look ata the 8,10 Sunova Speed, a superb craft with heaps of litres for you.
I am a lightweight so would get a shorter board if I got the speeeed (got carried away...too many e's)
Select to expand quoteslugga said...
Flow all the way the skate is very wide in the tail will be fun in 1 foot slop. The flow is forgiving but still aggressive they are stable but turn on there rail with power I love my flow I can't fault it at all I came off a x32 and the rocker on the flow is a lot flatter and is actually more stable and the flag deck is so good for your feet and grip you won't be dissapointed
Yep great feedback slugga. I was not interested in the X32 for these reasons. I was hoping that the Flow was not like that and pleased it's not.
Seabreeze... one of the best communities on the net. Great advice everyone!
Select to expand quoteRory4053 said..
Cheers CSE, really appreciate the feedback. The wide tail was my biggest concern, even though the Skate promo, says the opposite.
I surfed the speeed in ordinary conditions I liked the easy transition rail to rail but not how it doesn't like carving a turn from the rail. If that makes sense. The Flow should be perfect for this is my guess.
Would you call the X32 snappy and slow to paddle and the Flow, more for carving and faster for paddling onto a wave.
Your early thoughts are much appreciated.
I am relatively new to the Flow, so I am not sure I can properly compare it to the X32 on a wave - I liked the X32, but right now I will definitely take the Flow over the X32 unless it is very choppy/sloppy and I need the width. And with the lower rocker I do think it is faster to paddle - but I have not been on my X32 in a while...
My 8'8" X32 has 20 litres more volume than my 8'7" Flow (and about 2" more width) so they are quite different. But in the three sessions I have had so far, after getting used to the board, I have really enjoyed being able to ride it more like a surfboard compared to the Speeed (or the X32 - I feel that it requires more weight at the back than the Flow).
One last comment, having lower volume and less width, the Flow is tippier than the X32, so a couple of times, when it was really choppy/messy, I bobbled and missed a wave that I would have caught with the Speeed or X32. You can't have everything!
I have had an 8'6" skate for about 5 months now although over that time i have not been sup surfing much due to time restrictions and kitesurfing during the windy perth summers. I am 6'3 105kgs
I actually had an 8'8" X32 before and still have a jp 9'2 surf, the skate is more stable than either of those boards. Its overall wide outline and fairly straight rails especially down toward the tail coupled with a very flat rocker make it a nice efficient paddler with good tracking and glide for a board that size. With the flat rocker and wide tail it also catches waves really easy and will get onto the smallest swells. When your on the wave it is really fast definitely the fastest sup I have used you can really get the most speed out of the little lumps around the perth metro. It is pretty snappy and easy to turn but the flat rocker and wide tail make it feel kind of clunky sometimes during turns and in tighter steeper spots in the wave.
I haven't really tried it out in bigger waves but I imagine it could be a bit limited in bigger and especially more hollow waves. It definitely excels as a small wave board and does what it says on packet in that it is fast, easy to turn and good for making the most out of crappy waves
It is definitely a different type of board and I can see why a lot of people wouldn't like it or would prefer a more standard shape but I like it for now (keen to give a speed or flow a go though 
)
Select to expand quotecantSUPenough said..
That is a dream quiver! I thought I was stoked on my 7'4 Deep Minion and 8'11 Sunova Acid ...and then you parade this board porn!
How does the Speed compare to the Minion?
Thanks - it is a nice little lineup!
To me, the way I ride them, they are very different. My 8'10" Speeed is fast, stable, easy to surf, but you have to get on the tail if you want to do fun turns - and I love fun turns!
The Minion is a foot shorter (and a little less volume) and has very round rails. It is far less stable in every axis. So, if it was fairly clean, thigh-high or bigger waves, and not very crowded (so I could make sure I was in the right spot to catch the wave and not overly stressed if I missed a wave) then I would take the Minion every time. I love the way it turns and I love rolling up and down the wave as you race along the wave.
But so often there is wind, slop and small waves, so I use the Speeed much more.
From now on I will have a challenge deciding whether to take the Flow or the Minion. If it is small - the Speeed will go. But if there is a bit of size I think the Flow will go - unless it is very clean, then the Minion will go. (I can manage on the Minion if it is choppy but I occasionally miss waves because I bobble at the wrong time and can't power-paddle on to the wave.)
(I am 90 kg, 6'3" and 54)
Select to expand quoteYoungbreezy said...
I have had an 8'6" skate for about 5 months now although over that time i have not been sup surfing much due to time restrictions and kitesurfing during the windy perth summers. I am 6'3 105kgs
I actually had an 8'8" X32 before and still have a jp 9'2 surf, the skate is more stable than either of those boards. Its overall wide outline and fairly straight rails especially down toward the tail coupled with a very flat rocker make it a nice efficient paddler with good tracking and glide for a board that size. With the flat rocker and wide tail it also catches waves really easy and will get onto the smallest swells. When your on the wave it is really fast definitely the fastest sup I have used you can really get the most speed out of the little lumps around the perth metro. It is pretty snappy and easy to turn but the flat rocker and wide tail make it feel kind of clunky sometimes during turns and in tighter steeper spots in the wave.
I haven't really tried it out in bigger waves but I imagine it could be a bit limited in bigger and especially more hollow waves. It definitely excels as a small wave board and does what it says on packet in that it is fast, easy to turn and good for making the most out of crappy waves
It is definitely a different type of board and I can see why a lot of people wouldn't like it or would prefer a more standard shape but I like it for now (keen to give a speed or flow a go though )
I'm pretty new to paddling and still very average, so was thinking the skate might be a good board for a kook like me in Perth Metro conditions that are rarely great.
However I really haven't seen much love at all for the skate, other than the few good words you said, unlike most of the other sunova boards.
Now I'm thinking about the Flow, Speeed or Soul but I wonder if the better performance would be wasted with my lack of skill and crappy waves
I haven't ridden any other sunova boards though I am very keen to give them a go and much like everyone else I am enamoured with their light tough construction. One thing i think would be true is you would get more stability in a shorter length on the skate than on the other boards you have mentioned
Select to expand quoteYoungbreezy said...
I have had an 8'6" skate for about 5 months now although over that time i have not been sup surfing much due to time restrictions and kitesurfing during the windy perth summers. I am 6'3 105kgs
I actually had an 8'8" X32 before and still have a jp 9'2 surf, the skate is more stable than either of those boards. Its overall wide outline and fairly straight rails especially down toward the tail coupled with a very flat rocker make it a nice efficient paddler with good tracking and glide for a board that size. With the flat rocker and wide tail it also catches waves really easy and will get onto the smallest swells. When your on the wave it is really fast definitely the fastest sup I have used you can really get the most speed out of the little lumps around the perth metro. It is pretty snappy and easy to turn but the flat rocker and wide tail make it feel kind of clunky sometimes during turns and in tighter steeper spots in the wave.
I haven't really tried it out in bigger waves but I imagine it could be a bit limited in bigger and especially more hollow waves. It definitely excels as a small wave board and does what it says on packet in that it is fast, easy to turn and good for making the most out of crappy waves
It is definitely a different type of board and I can see why a lot of people wouldn't like it or would prefer a more standard shape but I like it for now (keen to give a speed or flow a go though )
Thanks YB, that is really great info, interesting that you find the 8'6 even more stable than the 8'8 X32. Sounds like it will be your stick of choice for most days?
Being vertically challenged and light I would need to consider the 8'3 or even the 8'0
Do you normally move your back foot across to turn?
Cheers
I have an 8'6" skate. Great board, surfed it up to double overhead. Good it bigger stuff, but you need to keep it on the rail. Have some video on vimeo search '8'6" skate' or sunova skate. Would think about selling mine as I am going in for some major surgery, not sure how I will come back.
Select to expand quoteRory4053 said..
.....
I surfed the speeed in ordinary conditions I liked the easy transition rail to rail but not how it doesn't like carving a turn from the rail. If that makes sense.
Rory this is exactly what the SPEEED does sooo well! Give it another crack and make sure you step back further and engage the narrower part of the board.
If you stand on, or in front of the hip with your back foot it doesn't turn on the 'juice' that makes this board so much fuuun!
Sorry to hear that Goggo, hang in there mate hoping for a great recovery for you. I think I would do the 8'3 or 8'0 if I went with the skate.
Cheers
hi lve got a 8 10 skate,had it three weeks and lve nearly killed myself several times.It is insanely fast and you find yourself way in front of sections on waves without any way of getting back.Very stable and easy to catch waves-l weigh 95 kg and 6 4in----like surfing back in my 20s again,just make sure you stretch before you go out cause your going to end up doing some crazy moves and twisting parts of your body that shouldnt be twisted Go for it if you are flexible
