Bark Vapor

[robon]

Ouch Yugi,

Drop 30 pounds? Some peeps on here haven't been below 200 or 195 since they were teenagers. I'm pretty lean at 200 pounds and can count all of my ribs at 195 and that just ain't healthy lol. I have to seriously put in the cardio multiple times a week to get under 200 pounds and watch my diet big time, and yes paddling definitely helps. Only time I didn't have to watch my diet to get a little under 200 pounds was when I was logging,  brushing, or fightfighting (on active fires) which was burning up to 4000 calories a day, and I was working out by paddling, jogging, or hitting the gym when I got home from the bush too. Muscles decrease in size when you are working that hard, which helps to drop weight too, but it's just not overly realistic for some folks to get under 200 pounds in a healthy manner. Especially those who are really tall with broad, athletic builds. I couldn't imagine Pono or Tall Dude under 200 pounds. They would look like concentration camp prisoners.

There is a lot a lot more choices out there for boards now than a few years ago for heavier paddlers. That much is true. Especially those right around the 200 pound range.

[Eagle]

Nah, you are just getting boards that are moderately fast in flat water, and fairly limited in their downwind abilities. This is not a bad thing, but I think it is right to recognise that they are compromises. Good compromises perhaps, but compromises nevertheless.

^^^ Was chatting with a SIC dealer and he noted the 25" FX is targeted at paddlers with decent stability who need a board with a bit more bulbous nose float.  He noted it is a compromise crossover board -> not a flat water speedster - nor stable like a Bullet 14V2 DW.  For smaller general AW conditions he expected the FX to fill a specific market void.

In contrast dedicated boards just feel right whether for flat water or big wind DW.  Many of our DW crew have opted for the versatile Bullet 14V2 as an all-purpose board that works a charm for them.  Most all the crew have multiple boards including F14s and F16s better optimized for bigger steeper short period swells we often get.

[XLR8]

My friend and Surftech rider, bikeski here on the Zone, has just gotten his custom Vapor this week and we have gotten out already for a couple of downwinders.  The premier west Michigan shop, The Outpost, has another custom 14'x26 and their main man Jim joined us recently.  The Vapors are a nice, trim shape. Svelte, with a real pleasant gun-like outline out in front of you from the standing area.  Nice boards and these guys are fast on them.  Bikeski commented that the board was better at chasing little bumps than his Bark downwinder.  Not light lay-ups at around 27 lbs I'm told.

[Area 10]

Any updates on this board? Anyone else tried one? There are quite a few hybrid boards for 2016 and I'm trying to make up my mind which to get. The Vapour is a little on the heavy side perhaps, but it will be tougher than a full carbon board and is massively cheaper in Europe than, say, a SIC FX (which I'm also considering, but may be too tippy for me).

[SUPsideATX]

My friend and Surftech rider, bikeski here on the Zone, has just gotten his custom Vapor this week and we have gotten out already for a couple of downwinders.  The premier west Michigan shop, The Outpost, has another custom 14'x26 and their main man Jim joined us recently.  The Vapors are a nice, trim shape. Svelte, with a real pleasant gun-like outline out in front of you from the standing area.  Nice boards and these guys are fast on them.  Bikeski commented that the board was better at chasing little bumps than his Bark downwinder.  Not light lay-ups at around 27 lbs I'm told.

Those are 14x26? Those look really long (17') for some reason.

[coldsup]

Maybe the guys are three ft high?