Jimmy Lewis Sidewinder Review

[PonoBill]

I've been using profoot heel inserts (marketed as plantar fasciitis relief) and I like them a lot. Diane turned me on to them. They help my knee quite a bit. I'm going to try wearing them on downwind runs with split-toe superfreak surf shoes in Maui this winter. They'll look positively smashing with my compression knee socks.

Nearly a full-on Welsh tourist getup. I just need some lycra, a bucket hat with kook straps, and lots of SPF 1000 white paste on my face.  Maybe gloves? Would gloves be overkill?

[yugi]

^^ anywhere you go in europe, if you want to pass for a German, then yes, definitely gloves. Isn't it the same on Maui?

[Muskoka SUP]

what does the foot sole do?

Maybe he means "footbed". 

[viatormundi]

what does the foot sole do?

Maybe he means "footbed".

I think they are called "custom insoles", plantillas in Spanish. We have this company in Mallorca http://www.podoactiva.com/en

I have one for running on the mountain tracks and one for standing long hours without moving purpose, especially for SUP long distance.

[Area 10]

At the end I have decided to order a 2017 Sidewinder 14X25 in white color. Delivery is estimated to be end of February.

I recently bought a 14x23 Sidewinder. I was quite a bit faster on the 14x25, actually.

[yugi]

A10,
Aside from the Sidewinder being narrower how does it compare to your Vapor?

[Area 10]

Sidewinder is lighter (this 14x23 is very light indeed), and faster in flat water (so was the 14x25). It surfs about the same as the Vapor. Its pretty similar in chop and cross winds- the Vapor is maybe slightly better there because of the extra width and slightly sunken deck, but they are both very good. The Vapor is a lot better downwind. The construction of this Sidewinder is excellent, except that the handle is not in quite the right place. The Bark is well finished too, and the handles are excellent, but it's heavier and doesn't really feel quite as top-notch as the JL. But in the U.K. At least, the Sidewinder is more expensive - although still looks like a bargain compared with similar weights Starboard, Naishes etc. The Sidewinder is a full PVC wrap, which just can't be beaten really, IMO. A Vapor with the Surftech core, and the JL construction would be awesome.

So, basically, choose the Vapor for downwinding or very choppy ocean paddling and choose the Sidewinder if your focus is speed in flatter conditions, mild conditions ocean racing, and where downwinding isn't a major goal. You could certainly race the Sidewinder in a pure flat water race, whereas you wouldn't really choose the Vapor for that.

They are both extremely nice and rewarding to paddle though, no matter what you are doing.

[Board Stiff]

deleted, posted in wrong window. :-)

[viatormundi]

At the end I have decided to order a 2017 Sidewinder 14X25 in white color. Delivery is estimated to be end of February.

I recently bought a 14x23 Sidewinder. I was quite a bit faster on the 14x25, actually.

Area 10,
How much do you weigh and how tall are you? What do you think about the balance of 23 vs 25? I ordered 25 width but wonder if I should take the risk and order 23. I weigh 82 kg and 1.80 mt tall.

[Area 10]

I'm close to your weight and height. Definitely get the 25. You'll love it.

The 25 is hugely more stable than the 23. The 23 really is for women and total lightweight men only really, I think. The waterline of the 23 with me or my similar-weight mates on it just doesn't look right. It sits too low in the water so the nose pushes water. IMO anyone over 160lbs will be happier, faster, and have more fun on the 14x25.

[viatormundi]

I'm close to your weight and height. Definitely get the 25. You'll love it.

The 25 is hugely more stable than the 23. The 23 really is for women and total lightweight men only really, I think. The waterline of the 23 with me or my similar-weight mates on it just doesn't look right. It sits too low in the water so the nose pushes water. IMO anyone over 160lbs will be happier, faster, and have more fun on the 14x25.

Thx Area 10. Appreciated.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[warmuth]

  Picked up a 14x25 carbon today. Very light weight and excellent stability. Pretty similar to the Vapor but I'd rate it higher in primary stability, which I prefer. The deck is also nice and close to the water so the lack of a recess wasn't much bother. The jury is out on it's speed, I'll test that out tomorrow but it does have that plowing feeling the Vapor has. I didn't buy it as a flat water racer so I'm not that concerned with flat water speed but I am interested to see where it sits. I only spent about 30 minutes on it  out in some shin high chop but I was impressed and the board should work perfectly as the messy conditions race board that I bought it to be.

[Area 10]

It's faster than the Vapor in all conditions except downwind. So don't worry.

[warmuth]

  I don't doubt it. Were I to paddle the Vapor and Sidewinder back to back, sight unseen, I'd prefer the SW without a doubt. I'd been on the Whiplash earlier in the day so the similarity between Vapor and Sidewinder was highlighted a bit. Just weighed it at 23lbs on the dot, with fin. The Whiplash is much more robust but also weighs 3 pounds more. The Vapor I have is an eggshell and weighs almost 29 pounds. It's maybe a bit stiffer than the SW but not enough to matter.

[Area 10]

The Vapor is hard to beat in small to medium downwind though, and I find it more stable than the Sidewinder 14x25. When the Sidewinder tips, it does go pretty quickly. But I paddle pretty confused choppy waters and I live in a windy place. Hardly a day goes by when the wind isn't at least 15 knots at some point, and we can have days on end over 20, with occasional days of 40-50+. So it's all about the DW ability for me. But if you are a racer rather than a downwinder and your conditions are a bit milder the Sidewinder works well, and is very well made. JL's Kinetic factory makes the output of the Cobra factory look shoddy and expensive IMO.