Jimmy Lewis 8'1" World Wide Carbon Edition initial review

[jarvissup]

I'm 6' tall and 185 lbs(+or-). I usually ride a few different boards from 105 liter performance wave boards to 120 liter Simmons boards. I ride a soft wave in New England and a heavier wave in Hatteras. 
       The 8'1"x29.5 110 liter Carbon World Wide is a very light little board.  Using a terrible, bathroom scale and subtracting my weight, I have it weighing 15 lbs with pad and fins. It has a really deep ledge handle and this makes handling and carrying the board absolutely effortless.  The board has a relatively wide tail for it's short outline which adds stability and standing on the 8'1" World Wide confirms that it is stable for it's dimensions and volume. Working against it's stability is it's very light construction which is tossed easily around by any chop, I think the standard construction would feel more planted. However, once on a wave face that light construction is a significant, contributing factor in it's electric performance.  On the soft, New England wave the board was fast, but not too fast. It could accelerate in front of the curl as needed, but not with the same velocity as a Simmon's style board. On the wave it is the loosest board I've ridden, it almost intuitively turned to the slightest input, and in a predictable way, not twitchy at all. The short, pulled in nose and light construction eliminate any perceived swing weight as if there is nothing out in front of you. The World Wide is capable and turns vertically, instantly. It is also a forgiving little board and allowed me to recover more easily from maneuvers that sometimes result in a splash.  Using the stock fins set up as a thruster was fun, but I broke the tail free too easily and at my weight I prefer setting it up as a quad. As a quad I am still able to slide the tail, but it has more bite when jamming hard turns.  I took the board to Hatteras this last few days and took it out in some waist to chest high leftovers to see how it would deal with a punchier wave, it did not disappoint.  The board felt very fast on these waves, but still remained in control.  My mid 8' performance boards would have felt slow, and lifeless in these waves, but the World Wide felt fast, rocketing to speed as I dropped in and allowed for some really fun turns and maneuvers.  Wave after wave the 8'1" World Wide produced quick, predictable, and electric rides.
               I think the WW may be a good choice for an "All Around", "do it all" board for someone looking for a shorter, performance board, or the perfect "tweener" board if you like to ride performance boards on good/ big waves, and nose riders, or Simmon's boards on small/weak waves.  My wife hasn't tried it yet, so for now, I still get to ride it.

[Caribsurf]

Ian great review..I am pissed I didn't try it while I had a chance in York.  It sounds like a good board for the quiver
I guess you didn't find it too wide or slow?  how did it compare to the short time you were on my Hobie RAW?

I have to decide between another JL Kwad or WW as both are on their way to the shop.

[ninja tuna]

Nice write up as always from you. Thank you for that.   Been waiting to hear some more about these boards.

[coldsup]

Great review.....not h and anything but good reviews of these boards.

I get my Striker next week

[SupPadre]

How did the stability of the World Wide compare to your 8'7 Stun Gun?

[supthecreek]

Hey Jarvis... I almost missed this excellent review. Glad I searched around!

Great to hear your take on the WW... since I know how well you surf and the types of boards you have had, this all adds up to good news for the World Wide.

Hope to see you surf it in the coming months.

[jarvissup]

Sup Padre, the stability of the 8'1" WW is quite good for it's size. The comparison between my 8'7" Stun Gun and the 8'1" carbon WW is slightly more complicated due to the ultra light weight of the Carbon WW.  As for the outline, they are the same width, but the tail on the WW is much wider. That width give the WW more stability, but the WW is 2.5 lbs lighter than the Stun Gun and 6" shorter.  In completely flat conditions the Carbon WW would feel more stable, but the light construction gets moved around quite easily if there is any motion in the ocean, and I think the standard construction board would feel more stable. So, to answer your question, the 8'1" carbon WW is more stable than my 8'7" Stun Gun in clean conditions, as stable as my standard construction 8'7" Stun Gun in less than perfect conditions, but I think the Standard construction WW would feel much more stable than my Stun Gun.....I hope that makes sense.

[Badger]

Sup Padre, the stability of the 8'1" WW is quite good for it's size. The comparison between my 8'7" Stun Gun and the 8'1" carbon WW is slightly more complicated due to the ultra light weight of the Carbon WW.  As for the outline, they are the same width, but the tail on the WW is much wider. That width give the WW more stability, but the WW is 2.5 lbs lighter than the Stun Gun and 6" shorter.  In completely flat conditions the Carbon WW would feel more stable, but the light construction gets moved around quite easily if there is any motion in the ocean, and I think the standard construction board would feel more stable. So, to answer your question, the 8'1" carbon WW is more stable than my 8'7" Stun Gun in clean conditions, as stable as my standard construction 8'7" Stun Gun in less than perfect conditions, but I think the Standard construction WW would feel much more stable than my Stun Gun.....I hope that makes sense.

It may not be the board weight affecting the stability as much as board shape or thickness.

I have the 8'5 WW and the 9'2 SG and feel the same difference in stability in relation to conditions but both are standard construction.

The WW is the more stable of the two in smooth conditions but the stability level drops dramatically in any kind of chop and it becomes a real challenge. The SG shape handles choppy conditions much better with less loss of stability.

[SupPadre]

Jarvis and Badger, thanks for the feedback. I received my carbon 8'7 stun gun this week, just in time for 5 to 8 foot waves and 20 to 30 mph winds. I took a big step down in size from my previous board, 140 to 110 liters, and it was a challenge in these conditions. Needless to say I spent quite a bit of time in the water, but once I got on a wave the board is amazing. Each time I've gotten a smaller board in the past, it felt shaky at first but in a couple of weeks I'd be comfortable. I'm sure that will be the case with the stun gun, and it was so windy and choppy here this week I spent more time in the water on my other boards than I usually do.

I appreciate the feedback because I'm thinking of getting a World Wide or a Raptor later this year.

[surfinJ]

Nice review Jarvis, thanks for taking the time.  I've been drawn towards the JL boards after reading how easy they are to turn.

My shorter performance board requires significant back foot movement to engage the rail or it won't turn.  What I've read about the stun gun seems to describe a more surfboard style, easy to turn board.

How did the wider tail of the WW go?  Especially when the wave had some juice, did it still turn without much effort?

[coldsup]

Sup Padre, the stability of the 8'1" WW is quite good for it's size. The comparison between my 8'7" Stun Gun and the 8'1" carbon WW is slightly more complicated due to the ultra light weight of the Carbon WW.  As for the outline, they are the same width, but the tail on the WW is much wider. That width give the WW more stability, but the WW is 2.5 lbs lighter than the Stun Gun and 6" shorter.  In completely flat conditions the Carbon WW would feel more stable, but the light construction gets moved around quite easily if there is any motion in the ocean, and I think the standard construction board would feel more stable. So, to answer your question, the 8'1" carbon WW is more stable than my 8'7" Stun Gun in clean conditions, as stable as my standard construction 8'7" Stun Gun in less than perfect conditions, but I think the Standard construction WW would feel much more stable than my Stun Gun.....I hope that makes sense.

It may not be the board weight affecting the stability as much as board shape or thickness.

I have the 8'5 WW and the 9'2 SG and feel the same difference in stability in relation to conditions but both are standard construction.

The WW is the more stable of the two in smooth conditions but the stability level drops dramatically in any kind of chop and it becomes a real challenge. The SG shape handles choppy conditions much better with less loss of stability.

I guess everyone will have their own take on this. I was close to getting a SG or WW at one point and did a bit of research. I had spoken to one of the JL riders over here who surfed the 9 2 SG and now has the 8 5 WW. He prefers the WW as a board to do everything and his take is that the WW is more stable in all conditions....not by a lot but enough to make it more forgiving if your waves are not perfect. If it is BIG and glassy he takes the SG out, otherwise the WW which is about 95 per cent of the time.

[jarvissup]

SurfinJ,
The WW was a blast with a little more juice.  It felt fast, without being out of control, and it was eager to turn with any input...I'd say electric, but predictable, without, ever being out of control, or twitchy. You really couldn't ask much more from a board.