Author Topic: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad  (Read 4034 times)

B-Walnut

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Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« on: December 13, 2021, 09:16:47 PM »
Out in Maui for our first sunshine escape since the pandemic hit. Normally I'd bring all my wind gear, but we decided to snorkel and SUP surf this trip. Rented two boards from the local shop (808, can't say enough good things about them). We got a 8'x31.5" super frank and a 9'11" Kwad.

I'm 195lbs with a black project surge paddle. Intermediate SUP surf skill. Advanced kiter. Beginner foiler.

The kwad does what they said it would. Cruises around. I spot turtles and my wife swims with them. I did surf it on a few waves and didn't care for it at all. I didn't think it caught, or surfed well. My lady knee paddled into some waves on it and had a blast tho.

The super frank....
Good god what a fun board. The conditions are quite marginal this week. Knee high with the occasional waist high "bombs" rolling through. Back home I'm on a quatro carve pro 8'2"x29" and its a great board on the wave. The JL SF though, just a ton of fun. Seems to love catching the worst of the greenest waves and allows me to play on them as much as possible. Very stable for me, despite howling winds while on the water. Not much glide when trying to get into waves, but it didn't seem to matter. This board just wants to catch every little wave. I believe the description says it's the "ultimate sup groveler" and I've got to admit that seems true. I pulled in over 30 waves in a two hour session today, and it was fun. If you ever get the chance to try this board out, I think you'll enjoy it.

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2021, 07:31:34 PM »
Great to hear you're stoked about that board.   I have a 8'6 x 32 Super Frank, and like it for the reasons you mention, but also because finally I'm on board that is small (relatively) and super light, so no longer schlepping giant SUPs around. Its a minor thing, but makes me happy...   
RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

toolate

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Re: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2021, 11:15:49 AM »
DP: how do you compare your destryer to your SF?

Dusk Patrol

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Re: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2021, 12:57:35 PM »
Hard to compare because of their different dimensions/uses.  The Destroyer is 9'8 @160L and I use it as kind of a longboard substitute.  The SF (8'6 @141L) is just able to be turned and  tossed easier due to lesser swing weight.  They both catch anything.  I was initially going to get a second Destroyer in either 8'5 or 8'10, but then thought I'd try the SF for variety.

There are reviews that suggest the Destroyer is better all around when the waves get some height.  But I'm seldom on waves more than head high so the SF is great.   I suspect that at my relatively unsophisticated skill level, I wouldn't notice much difference between a more equivalent  8'6 SF and an 8'5 Destroyer. They both catch and turn better than I do.     
     
There have been some good discussions on the Zone that give better detail:

https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,36683.0.html

https://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=35207.0

« Last Edit: December 15, 2021, 01:25:07 PM by Dusk Patrol »
RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

B-Walnut

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Re: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2021, 02:16:30 PM »
Two more updates:

1. The very next day the surf really came up up and it was just overhead for most of the session. The SF still did great, really stable dropping in and catching that first bottom turn. It was a little more noticeable the lack of glide though. I was still catching plenty that surfers couldn't, but other SUPs were able to get into waves WAY earlier than I could.

2. I made it back to Oregon and switched back to my carve pro. SO HARD. I feel like it paddles into waves better than the SF, but I really can't casually paddle around waiting for waves. In the washing machine waters we have here, I had to stay seated until I saw a wave coming. I think the superfrank would have handled it better, but the carve pro did surf better at 29" wide.

Mmac

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Re: Quick Rental Review: Jimmy Lewis Super Frank and Kwad
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2022, 06:43:39 PM »
Try the 8'6"x30" SF Lean model, great board!

 


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