Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => Gear Talk => SUP Gear Reviews / Newly Acquired / On Order => Topic started by: coldsup on April 23, 2016, 10:12:30 PM
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Just arrived. Not an item of beauty IMHO but really interesting things going on and seems very well thought out . Hope to get it wet soon.(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160424/5c67fa5472565ef0d04070c5706c202a.jpg)
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I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions. Larry Cain does a good job of selling the All Star over on SUP Racer. You've done well to get one - it looks like most of the hybrid construction All Stars are already sold in the UK. They are not only hugely cheaper than the carbon ones, but also look better IMO. How much does your board weigh? It sounds like the upwind performance of this board is very good, in particular, which interests me since I do a lot of upwind/downbreeze stuff.
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The review from Larry resonates well after our recent test paddles. My conclusion was the 25 All Star CS was pretty close to being able to do everything well. For our DB and flat use however - the 23 would be a better choice since our Dom and SB Touring have definite top speed limits. Those boards are very stable AW boards - so something faster would be more fun when we do our quick upwind downwind runs.
As it was - my wife easily paddled the 25 the same speed as me on the 28 - as we went into the breeze. The 25 was surprisingly efficient and comfortable for her to paddle. And that was someone who was very uncomfortable paddling the Dom a couple of years ago. As we turned DB - both of us glided so quickly we outran a few boat wakes heading back to shore.
Talked to one of the sponsored SB riders - and we concluded that these demo days are the best - since they allow average joe paddlers like my wife and I to test so many boards so quickly firsthand and cut through all the speculation.
The All Star may not be as sleek and pretty as a M-14 - but it should be a nice AW complement nonetheless. Have fun on your new board! Get it wet!
http://www.supracer.com/starboard-all-star-stand-up-paddle-board-review/
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It is weighing about 14 kg with the fin ( which isn't the lightest) so not that light yet doesn't feel too heavy to pick up etc. Hope that weight equates to a bit of durability.
Certainly quite different to my M14
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31lbs? Well I suppose it is a high volume board. I wonder how much lighter the carbon one is for an extra Ł1000. Still, although 31lbs is going to be a work-out to carry over much distance, at least the weight will help with stability in the water and smooth out the ride downwind.
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Yes 28/29 is my sweet spot for a downwind/all-around board and 24/25 for a flat water one.
The extra three or four pounds makes a big difference in the carrying and handling of the board.
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The weights SB lists seem within the +/- 6% variance. The 28" All Star is 31.4 and 27.1 -> 27" is 30.5 and 27.6 -> 25" is 29.1 and 25.8 -> and 23" is 28.2 and 24.3 lbs respectively for Hybrid and CS.
The 25" CS at 25.8 was pretty good - and the 23" CS at 24.3 felt really excellent. Light as a feather compared to the 25. That pound and a half made a huge difference carrying and handling - and the board still felt very solid underfoot while purposefully bouncing on it - out on the water.
So would expect your 27" Hybrid to be fairly durable. Our 30" SB Touring Carbon still looks literally brand new except for a touch of paint fading - and that was a demo model. Hopefully the weight will be ok out on the water. Maybe a touch slower to accelerate - but you do get an excellent trip concave design. We find that the weight of the board impacts most when catching bumps - and when paddling for longer distances.
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Reckon I could get the weight down by:
1. Swapping to a lighter fin
2. Dropping my own weight lol
I'm not overly worried re the weight....I'm very much a recreational paddler ...I prefer a 14 ft board that I can just jump onto and feel at home on as I mostly surf on my surf SUPS. The chap who delivered it has a carbon x 25 one - says it picks the bumps up super easy...very fast.
I will probably give it a proper weigh later - the scales were a tad funny - tends to go up or down a few pounds depending on where I stand and the surface I put the scales on. The fin is heavier than my Futures DW Calif one.
At the end of the day.....it is a battleship of a board.....not petite ;D
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14 kilos is light enough imo.
Looks sweet, but i never though I'd see the day you get a 'boat looking board' :)
8)
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Looks sweet, but i never though I'd see the day you get a 'boat looking board' :)
8)
Me too...must be getting old!
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My Glide has a listed weight of 35.3 pounds and with three repairs, and tie downs, it's probably 36 pounds+. A 30.5 pound AllStar would be noticeably lighter. The carbon is just too much scratch. Is there much of a fin selection right now with the shorter fin box the Allstar has? That seems to be one draw back.
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The inbox is 8 inches long. Unless you like using wide based dolphin type fins I don't see it being an issue. The fin that comes with it seems good enough...but not as nice as my futures DW fin.
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The inbox is 8 inches long. Unless you like using wide based dolphin type fins I don't see it being an issue. The fin that comes with it seems good enough...but not as nice as my futures DW fin.
New FCS still need sanding:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/209496559112628/
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Looks sweet, but i never though I'd see the day you get a 'boat looking board' :)
8)
Me too...must be getting old!
You're already old :)
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The inbox is 8 inches long. Unless you like using wide based dolphin type fins I don't see it being an issue. The fin that comes with it seems good enough...but not as nice as my futures DW fin.
New FCS still need sanding:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/209496559112628/
Haa - fair point...I tend to use thin based fins so I'm okay ;D
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So, when are we going to hear your impressions of your new board, coldsup? There will be quite a few people (including myself) who are wondering if it's worth splashing out for an All Star this year. The carbon ones are hugely expensive (although no more than all-carbon boards from other top brands, for sure), so you'd need to be sure before you pulled the trigger on one.
I suspect you'll find the 27 All Star quite a bit more stable than your M14.
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Or you could just take the risk like me ;D
Its only backfired once and that was because of another chaps advice.
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I onderdeed my custom hollow B17v2 just on pics and videos and knowing exactly what I was after. Thats key - Know what you want and what exactly you'll be using it for.
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So, when are we going to hear your impressions of your new board, coldsup? There will be quite a few people (including myself) who are wondering if it's worth splashing out for an All Star this year. The carbon ones are hugely expensive (although no more than all-carbon boards from other top brands, for sure), so you'd need to be sure before you pulled the trigger on one.
I suspect you'll find the 27 All Star quite a bit more stable than your M14.
Might be a wee while....just getting over bronchitis just now. :(
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I ordered my custom hollow B17v2 just on pics and videos and knowing exactly what I was after. Thats key - Know what you want and what exactly you'll be using it for.
Hah. That's exactly how I ordered my F16v3... But as the owner of two Allstars, the incredibly fragile 2012 12-6 and the better 2013 12-6, I can say with the former, I wish I'd know abut the fragility before I bought.. or at least knew about the Zone to get the intel first. Can't wait to see the review on this 14 x 27 as if I ever buy another All-Star it will be a 14' not a 12-6.
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Yep - I had the exact lemon - an egg shell strength board! That's where my relationship with SB finished :)
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14kg isn't too bad. My 14x26 Red inflatable is over 15kg just to put it in perspective.
If that weight translates to durability, that's a winner.
and if you do need to carry it over long distance like I needed recently, just rig the leash through
the handle converting it to a shoulder strap.
Looking forward for the review.
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14kg isn't too bad. My 14x26 Red inflatable is over 15kg just to put it in perspective.
If that weight translates to durability, that's a winner.
and if you do need to carry it over long distance like I needed recently, just rig the leash through
the handle converting it to a shoulder strap.
Looking forward for the review.
Ta....good idea...
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So, when are we going to hear your impressions of your new board, coldsup? There will be quite a few people (including myself) who are wondering if it's worth splashing out for an All Star this year. The carbon ones are hugely expensive (although no more than all-carbon boards from other top brands, for sure), so you'd need to be sure before you pulled the trigger on one.
I suspect you'll find the 27 All Star quite a bit more stable than your M14.
Might be a wee while....just getting over bronchitis just now. :(
Get out there Man :)
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I onderdeed my custom hollow B17v2 just on pics and videos and knowing exactly what I was after. Thats key - Know what you want and what exactly you'll be using it for.
and that's what everyone who onderdeed their board just on pics and videos sed
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14kg isn't too bad. My 14x26 Red inflatable is over 15kg just to put it in perspective.
If that weight translates to durability, that's a winner.
and if you do need to carry it over long distance like I needed recently, just rig the leash through
the handle converting it to a shoulder strap.
Looking forward for the review.
Ta....good idea...
I’d just ride it, preferably downwind. But… whatever floats your boat.
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So, when are we going to hear your impressions of your new board, coldsup? There will be quite a few people (including myself) who are wondering if it's worth splashing out for an All Star this year. The carbon ones are hugely expensive (although no more than all-carbon boards from other top brands, for sure), so you'd need to be sure before you pulled the trigger on one.
I suspect you'll find the 27 All Star quite a bit more stable than your M14.
Might be a wee while....just getting over bronchitis just now. :(
Get out there Man :)
I am, but surfing ;D the Allstar will have to wait 8)
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Always baffled by the 'egg shell' comments on the All Stars. There were no All Stars in 2012. 2013 was the first year for the All Star. My 2013 AST battleship grey All Star was bulletproof.
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Always baffled by the 'egg shell' comments on the All Stars. There were no All Stars in 2012. 2013 was the first year for the All Star. My 2013 AST battleship grey All Star was bulletproof.
I have a 2014 and a 2016 AllStar and some of the guys I paddle with have them and we all agree on how tough they are compared to other boards.
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Maybe tough compared to other 'eggshells' :)
I guess they're still putting a single layer over Eps?
I've had a fair few SBs and all have been deconstructed.
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A friend of mine had a 2014 All Star and after 16 weeks of normal use it had taken on so much water through so many holes that it was basically a write-off. Starboard use (or were using then) PVC pipe that looks like plumbers' pipe to make the drain holes, and it is tricky to get a good bond between PVC pipe and fibreglass/epoxy, so as the board flexes, leaks can occur. So if you are buying a Starboard that has drain holes it might be wise to check very carefully around them.
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You still not been out on your All Star, coldsup?
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Tonight was the first go...can only compare it to the M14 which as you know is a different animal. I did a few miles along the coast.
I found the Allstar a wee bit more stable....stable in a different kind of way....it really resists going over. Certainly faster and more glide. Love the nose....has a small sprinkle effect. Cuts through nicely and doesn't feel like it slows much.
I paddled into a mild wind...no probs. I haven't properly paddled for a long while due to illness....couple of easy surfs but nothing else.....but I felt I could go further with less effort on this board.
I paddled over to a bay which sometimes has 1 ft or 2 ft waves coming in on a small easterly. They were less than 1 ft today....boooo! Anyway, still had a go and what surprised me the most was the thing picked them them up easy and kept going!! On the M14 I would be paddling hard trying to catch and stay on. I reckon this board will be an amazing small bump machine...it is going to catch bumps super easy.
I didn't feel that tired after the paddle especially the legs which is great.....and I am out of condition.
I guess it will be good in choppy stuff but I have some doubts on paddling cross wind....any board with a full nose is going to catch wind. A few days ago I watched two of my pals on a 30 Knots DW ....they had to paddle straight out on their knees for 20 mins before they turned with the wind. One was on an M14 and fired out really easily whilst his friend with a high railed board was blown sideways and struggled big time.
Still got loads to find out about the Allstar but so far very good....just ideal for coastal paddling and downbreezers. Any negative.....well....the centre handle could be say an inch further back to be bang on....but because it is one of those foamed carry handles it can get away with it...I carried it no probs and it is easier to carry than the lighter M14 which has those horrid old fashioned handles.
Hope it is durable....at 14 kg it should be okay.....by the way....you don't feel that weight much in the water.
Strangely I found the M14 tracks better in a straight line...the Allstar is easier to for steer...wonder if that means it will surf well?
I would still want to to be on the M14 for a proper DW....just don't know how that lack of nose rocker would handle it.
Hope that helps....will update as I go on.
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Tonight was the first go...can only compare it to the M14 which as you know is a different animal. I did a few miles along the coast in light winds.
I found the Allstar a wee bit more stable....stable in a different kind of way....it really resists going over. Certainly faster and more glide. Love the nose....has a small sprinkle effect. Cuts through nicely and doesn't feel like it slows much.
I paddled into a mild wind...no probs. I haven't properly paddled for a long while due to illness....couple of easy surfs but nothing else.....but I felt I could go further with less effort on this board.
I paddled over to a bay which sometimes has 1 ft or 2 ft waves coming in on a small easterly. They were less than 1 ft today....boooo! Anyway, still had a go and what surprised me the most was the thing picked them them up easy and kept going!! On the M14 I would be paddling hard trying to catch and stay on. I reckon this board will be an amazing small bump machine...it is going to catch bumps super easy.
I didn't feel that tired after the paddle especially the legs which is great.....and I am out of condition.
I guess it will be good in choppy stuff but I have some doubts on paddling cross wind....any board with a full nose is going to catch wind. A few days ago I watched two of my pals on a 30 Knots DW ....they had to paddle straight out on their knees for 20 mins before they turned with the wind. One was on an M14 and fired out really easily whilst his friend with a high railed board was blown sideways and struggled big time.
Still got loads to find out about the Allstar but so far very good....just ideal for coastal paddling and downbreezers. Any negative.....well....the centre handle could be say an inch further back to be bang on....but because it is one of those foamed carry handles it can get away with it...I carried it no probs and it is easier to carry than the lighter M14 which has those horrid old fashioned handles.
Hope it is durable....at 14 kg it should be okay.....by the way....you don't feel that weight much in the water.
Strangely I found the M14 tracks better in a straight line...the Allstar is easier to for steer...wonder if that means it will surf well?
I would still want to to be on the M14 for a proper DW....just don't know how that lack of nose rocker would handle it.
Hope that helps....will update as I go on.
That should be foot steer......not for steer.
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A friend of mine had a 2014 All Star and after 16 weeks of normal use it had taken on so much water through so many holes that it was basically a write-off. Starboard use (or were using then) PVC pipe that looks like plumbers' pipe to make the drain holes, and it is tricky to get a good bond between PVC pipe and fibreglass/epoxy, so as the board flexes, leaks can occur. So if you are buying a Starboard that has drain holes it might be wise to check very carefully around them.
I have seen that before in my friend's All Star that I repaired for her. Water was leaking & bubbling out of the drain pipe area, I found little cavities under the surface.
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Cheers for the review of the 14x27, coldsup. It sounds like a very good board for what you want.
It's a shame that the handle isn't perfect. It's unforgivable really that it shouldn't be. Especially if I'd paid Ł2500+ for a carbon one, if everything about it wasn't absolutely perfect I think I'd throw a wobbler. I just don't understand how Starboard could be getting it wrong. It's not rocket science.
It's interesting what you say about cross-chop. That's the one area where Larry Cain noted a weakness of the All Star, in an otherwise highly effusive review. Unfortunately it's also an area that matters a lot to me. Several of my DW runs also have substantial cross-wind sections. I wish I could demo one...
But then, no board is perfect, and this one sounds like it's pretty close.
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That's weird ....a load of posts appear to be missing.
Just checked with Admin ......seems to have been a load of stuff lost this morning.
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Well, one thing the new Allstar is NOT good at is handling cross winds.....that nose is a total f&ŁKer to try and keep straight.
Okay, not many big nosed boards will be good but I really struggled when I know my M14 would be much easier. So, there's a weakness.
It also can't surf small waves anywhere as good as the M14 but I didn't expect it to.
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Yeah, you'll want to be on the M14 if conditions are lively. When these brands talk about "all waters" race boards, they kinda have in mind "all waters that you'll encounter in Florida" not "all conditions you'll encounter in Scotland"! Different worlds altogether. 90% of the world paddles in milder conditions than you get on 90% of days.
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Well, one thing the new Allstar is NOT good at is handling cross winds.....that nose is a total f&ŁKer to try and keep straight.
Okay, not many big nosed boards will be good but I really struggled when I know my M14 would be much easier. So, there's a weakness.
It also can't surf small waves anywhere as good as the M14 but I didn't expect it to.
What wind speed are we talking about here?
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Well, one thing the new Allstar is NOT good at is handling cross winds.....that nose is a total f&ŁKer to try and keep straight.
Okay, not many big nosed boards will be good but I really struggled when I know my M14 would be much easier. So, there's a weakness.
It also can't surf small waves anywhere as good as the M14 but I didn't expect it to.
What wind speed are we talking about here?
It can get a bit breezy here in the UK. Here's a measurement from my local beach weather station a couple of months ago. Gusting 75 knots. It's not at all unusual to have whole days that blow in the 35-50 knot range, especially in winter. Where coldsup lives the wind is actually stronger than where I live (at the opposite end of the country).
(http://i1313.photobucket.com/albums/t550/Area_10/Gusting%2075%20knots%20at%20CHIMET_zps6pfikxws.gif) (http://s1313.photobucket.com/user/Area_10/media/Gusting%2075%20knots%20at%20CHIMET_zps6pfikxws.gif.html)
The problem is that this can be quite unpredictable. So the situation that coldsup describes, where you end up dealing with more than you bargained for, is quite common. So a board that can really handle some juice is a comforting thing to have.
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With a side wind of over 10 mph put me on a planning shaped board. Once you have to paddle into the wind then put me on a displacement shaped board. Another factor is board length. A 14 is way more affected in side wind compared to a 12’6.
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With a side wind of over 10 mph put me on a planning shaped board. Once you have to paddle into the wind then put me on a displacement shaped board. Another factor is board length. A 14 is way more affected in side wind compared to a 12’6.
That's what I was going for. I wanted to know at what speed of cross wind coldsup is starting to lose the nose
on his 14 SB and compare it with my 12.6.
Also, what kind of chop this wind generating, in my area when the wind is 15mph+ I can start catching
some waves here and there, white caps throughout.
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Well, one thing the new Allstar is NOT good at is handling cross winds.....that nose is a total f&ŁKer to try and keep straight.
Okay, not many big nosed boards will be good but I really struggled when I know my M14 would be much easier. So, there's a weakness.
It also can't surf small waves anywhere as good as the M14 but I didn't expect it to.
What wind speed are we talking about here?
It can get a bit breezy here in the UK. Here's a measurement from my local beach weather station a couple of months ago. Gusting 75 knots. It's not at all unusual to have whole days that blow in the 35-50 knot range, especially in winter. Where coldsup lives the wind is actually stronger than where I live (at the opposite end of the country).
(http://i1313.photobucket.com/albums/t550/Area_10/Gusting%2075%20knots%20at%20CHIMET_zps6pfikxws.gif) (http://s1313.photobucket.com/user/Area_10/media/Gusting%2075%20knots%20at%20CHIMET_zps6pfikxws.gif.html)
The problem is that this can be quite unpredictable. So the situation that coldsup describes, where you end up dealing with more than you bargained for, is quite common. So a board that can really handle some juice is a comforting thing to have.
A10, what's your general area? Just for reference
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I live on the south coast of the UK. Where windsurfing was invented, in fact, and a lot of the world's best sailors have come from. So I guess it's not surprising that there is wind.
The wind at sea here is pretty much 15 knots or over 5 or 6 days every week throughout the year. I find that hybrid type raceboards, and even some displacement nose ones invented by people who go in the sea a lot (e.g. the SIC X14) are pretty much fine up to 15 knots. In fact, my Bark Vapor is fine quartering the wind and waves up to about 20 knots or maybe a tad higher. But after that you really need to be on a planing nose board if you are doing it for any distance. So, if 15 knots is a decent blow where you live, you should be fine on most race boards IMO.
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I live on the south coast of the UK. Where windsurfing was invented, in fact, and a lot of the world's best sailors have come from. So I guess it's not surprising that there is wind.
The wind at sea here is pretty much 15 knots or over 5 or 6 days every week throughout the year. I find that hybrid type raceboards, and even some displacement nose ones invented by people who go in the sea a lot (e.g. the SIC X14) are pretty much fine up to 15 knots. In fact, my Bark Vapor is fine quartering the wind and waves up to about 20 knots or maybe a tad higher. But after that you really need to be on a planing nose board if you are doing it for any distance. So, if 15 knots is a decent blow where you live, you should be fine on most race boards IMO.
Your area sounds like a lot of fun when it's not too cold (probably now, right?). I'm always looking
for a point of reference on how water conditions looks like in places other than mine.
My area (New York harbor area) where the ocean, LI channel and the Hudson river are
colliding creates some very interesting conditions, add to that the wind tunnels and some
crazy boat traffic, it can be chaotic (but not too big though).
So although my board does handle these conditions quite gracefully, I'm wondering if I would
have more fun with a more downwind kind of board like the Bullet V2
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It was pretty moderate ....maybe 15 mph plus.
I was there to surf small waves as it was only supposed to 8-10 mph but just standing and waiting for the waves that board was not staying still at all. You would expect some pull round but loads more.
As the wind picked up I took the board for a paddle and found unless you kept it upwind or downwind the board wanted to turn and I was fighting it.
Having always paddled the M14 this was really quite new to me...was so much harder on Allstar
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It was pretty moderate ....maybe 15 mph plus.
I was there to surf small waves as it was only supposed to 8-10 mph but just standing and waiting for the waves that board was not staying still at all. You would expect some pull round but loads more.
As the wind picked up I took the board for a paddle and found unless you kept it upwind or downwind the board wanted to turn and I was fighting it.
Having always paddled the M14 this was really quite new to me...was so much harder on Allstar
Was it purely wind or was there also moderate chop pounding from the side? Interesting to read how the boards fair.
would you prefer the M14 over the AllStar in a moderate to heavy side chop as well?
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Chop wasn't too much really on this go...... Allstar is pretty good in chop actually.....I feel pretty solid and confident on the board....been in bigger chop and no issues....certainly better than the M14 upwind.....not as much slap and slowing.
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This was just before the wind picked up.....(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160515/35d453e169b736da66f7884d9880f6eb.jpg)
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