After selling my old Mana and ordering one of the bamboo Mana'a I couldn't wait to check it out.
Yesterday I got the call saying that it had arrived.. Waa-hoo!
It looks very different without so much yellow.
I also got the opportunity to try one of the new full carbon Naish paddles.
I didn't have much time before work but it was such a nice day how could I not take it for a quick spin down at St Kilda marina.
The carbon paddle looks amazing in the sun with its checker pattern carbon weave.
The handle had a similar checkered pattern.
After paddling past where I dropped off the beer keg I went to the pier to snap a few pics and test out my new camera and play around with the settings.
Big square arse.
The new bamboo Mana has a kicker pad in the deck grip now.
The vent screw is now a gortex one.. Nice.
The hand hole was the old type.. Bummer.
I like the look of the bamboo and white rails.
Nobby rash yellow bottom.
The fins are very good quality.
Resting in calm water you can see just how much rocker there is in these Mana's.
Back at my tree and thinking that I need to chase up some more stickers.
I like the waves on the deck grip.. It's still going to be hard to keep clean.
Back in its bag.
I guess having the board in a padded board bag there no need for all that bubble wrap that usually comes around new boards.
Now I'm looking forward to catching some waves.
DJ
While we are pimping the beauty of Bamboo I will re-post the boards as below.
Aussie made, custom, under 7 kg and can be made in any volume or shape you wish. Price is the same or lower than some other bamboo options and given the input and shaper contact arguably much higher value......
Very interesting. I'm still on my first SUP which I bought last September (thanks to KRudd) and it's a 10' Mana and I was influenced by reviews on this web site. Great board but due to the rocker pushes some water so you have to put yourself in towards the pocket to get the best out of it. Doesn't worry me and I'm having a ball on the thing.
DJ, I'm wondering if the Bamboo Mana is lighter than the original? After a looong surf that 12kg feels double and the grip seems to overstress my fingers. Okay, I have office hands but you get the idea.
Also, I was thinking of something smaller and didn't even consider the 9'5" Mana. I'm 6' tall and 100kg.
I don't know if the new bamboo Mana's are any lighter.. It doesn't feel heavy to me but it's certainly not a super light weight.. I'm glad about that because I've had a few collisions in the surf on my old Mana and the board came off without a scratch.. Once my board hit Olivers and I heard a loud crunch sound.. I didn't want to look but when I did it was perfect.. Olivers didn't come off so well..
I stayed with the 10' Mana because it paddles flat water better.. and my daughter likes to use it.. I have a 9' board that Dean Snow made me so I can use that when the surf's good.. If I only had one wave board I think it would be the 9'5" Mana for sure.
Hey CMC, that board looks great.. What does DMS stand for and where is he.. I'd love to see heaps more pictures of it.. and any other boards.. Just wait till Jonathan gets his new secret DW Starboard.. I'm sure I will be posting just as many pictures of it as I have of my new Mana..
DJ
hey DJ nice looking board !
New Suplove Bamboo
Suplove rider, Stuart Murray at the SPSC June 2010 Event with his Suplove Challenger 8'10". Stuart took 5th in the surf comp on the day and took out the title for the SPSC Open Paddle Race for 2009-2010!
Now that bamboo is becoming the latest fad in stand up paddle boards where are they sourcing all that bamboo ? - I assume china ? If so what are all the poor old pandas going to eat ? OR have all the pandas got jobs now in those chinese factories pumping out those ever so cheaply produced pop-out stand up paddle boards we seem to love so much.
Nice pic's DJ
I too like the bamboo look.