Flow vs Soul - How do they compare?

[Badger]

I'm trying to figure out the purpose behind the two shapes. Why would someone choose one over the other?

Would the Soul be better on choppy/lumpy days? Is it that much more stable? If so, what are the drawbacks to the design?

Are the rockers similar?

Pro's and con's?

[Badger]

More specifically, I understand the ideas behind the Acid and Flow. They are similar to my JL Stun Gun and World Wide, but what exactly is the intention behind the Soul?

The Acid is a board for fast powerful waves. The Flow is more all around.

Apparently the Soul is just a step further into more stability?

I guess I just answered my own question.

I'm wondering if the Soul would be a good board those rough days when you need a lot of extra stability, but the question is, how well would it perform in choppy head high surf?

Has anyone ridden the Soul yet?

http://www.sunovasurfboards.com/product/soul-sup/

I'm thinking of replacing my two JL boards with the Flow 8'4 and Soul 8'6.

The Flow would be for Clean days and the Soul for choppy rough days. I already know I want the Flow.

.

[supthecreek]

Hi Badger

Short answer:
The Flow is a high performance board
The Soul is an intermediate board

Long explanation:
MY knowledge on this question is limited because I have not had a lot of time on them.... but I do have a strong feel for the difference.
The numbers seem that they would be fairly similar.... but they are not

After Christmas, I can bring the 9'2 Flow and the 9'5 Soul up to Jenness, so you can do a head to head.
I know they are pretty big boards by your standards, but they will give you a feel for the difference.


I got some OH waves in Jersey on the 9'5 Soul
I got some OH waves on Cape Cod on the 9'2 Flow

Impressions:

Soul
The 9'5 Soul surprised me by handling the conditions so easily... I was expecting an "intermediate" board and got a solid performer
It paddled the windy conditions with ease
It handled the late drops and produced solid bottom turns
Fast enough to make some very long walls with ease
It was not as carvy on a cutback as the Speeed and the Flow... but a nice board to surf!

Bottom line:
The 9'5 Soul was a very easy board to paddle and surf, and a solid performer for intermediate or advanced surfers.
I can't wait to get some more time on it!


Flow
The 9'2 Flow handled some really powerful and sucky waves on the Cape Friday. Scary takeoffs, into pits, that define winter surf on Cape Cod.
"Weed" got 1 sequence of Tommy on his last set wave, but arrived too late to capture the Flow in some size.
One wave, I took off behind Tommy... as I turned, I looked up at the bottom of Tommy's board.... way up!
I was shocked to see how much distance there was between me and him on that face.... it had some size!

The curvy outline of the Flow makes it harder to paddle straight
The curvy outline makes it turn much quicker
It handled the drops and top turns easily
I had to dial back my bottom turn, to draw out long enough lines to make the sections.... it wanted to snap up the face and go vertical.... I just wanted to make the wave!
Once on the face it was easy and comfortable to release the rail and "roll" back down the face to pump another turn
I surfed it very conservatively.... I was trying to make waves.... and not get killed

The Flow is going to take me some time to learn.... it is amazingly easy to turn, and I will have to up my game to enjoy how loose this board is.
Different from the Speeed, in that it turns easily from the middle.... no need to get over the fins

Bottom line:
You have to be an advancd surfer to unlock the Flow's potential
It will be harder for an intermediate surfer to paddle.... but it surprised me, how easily it caught waves..... the wider tail provides some magic in that department.

I think in the smaller sizes, the Flow will provide more stability than the Soul, but it will be harder to use.


1st pic is to show the size and conditions I used the Flow in.... Tommy got this nice set as his last wave.
The only pics of the Flow were on my last waves, which were smaller as the swell weakened, but shows how it tracked and turned.
The only pic I have of the Soul is from my session in Jersey.

I made up so pics that show dims on the boards I used....
then like sized Flow & Soul
then the sizes that Badger mentioned

[Tom]

I really like the way the water sprays off the board in the Flow 4.jpg picture. Shows that it is a high performance board.

[Badger]

Wow Rick, thanks for going to the trouble to post all that info. The side by side pics are very helpful.

The way you describe the Flow, I don't know if I'm advanced enough to ride it. I'm still calling myself an intermediate. It would be interesting to see how the 8'6 Flow compares to my 8'5 World Wide. The two shapes look very similar. The minor problem I'm having with the WW is that at 125 liters it's a very thick board making it feel a bit corky. I thought the 8'4 Flow at 113 liters and a half inch thinner might be a nice improvement.

You said the Flow had a tendency to turn quick and go vertical more than you wanted it to. Were you using three fins? I wonder if running quads might dampen the turns to a more controllable level while at the same time providing a bit more speed to make the wave. My Stun Gun was the same way until I switched to quads.

The Soul isn't sounding like the rough conditions board I'm looking for and now I wondering if the Flow is a suitable replacement for the World Wide. I have all winter to research. Tell Tino we need some smaller demo boards. 

I wish the website was more helpful. The descriptions don't tell us much and not to mention are full of misprints. The pics are basic. Overall it's a nice looking site but it could be a lot better and more informative. 

I would definitely like to see and try the boards next time you get up this way. The Wall, Jenness, Long Sands, Ogunquit. It doesn't matter to me. Whichever is the most convenient or has the best waves.


.

 

[Ake G]

Thanks for the comparison Creek. Count me in on the demo I'd love to have a go on those.

Nice wave shots! Looks so clean and California-like....did you bring along Wardog's personal photographer? 

[supthecreek]

Remember, I have very little time on either board....
Hopefully someone from Australia will chime in with some more experience on the boards.

Surfercook had a great session on the Flow in NJ.... I am sure he'll have some good info.

Also:
At another demo, which were all in choppy conditions, an intermediate surfer absolutely raved about the Flow.
He said it was absolutely the best board he had ever ridden..... so take my opinion with grain of salt!
I'm just so used to the Speeed, that paddling traditional shapes takes some getting used to.... and the Soul was the easier adjustment

Ake G..... we have our very own Zoner "weed",  who shoots most of our good swells.
Some swells he posts over 3,000 pictures on FB of SUPsters, surfers, shark dances....

Badger, I'll have to throw the quads in next time and see what it changes... it already has enough down the line speed, but it may draw out the bottom turns a bit.

[Ake G]

Just emailed the Sunova guys re: a custom thinned-out Speeed hybrid "something something". It would be great if we can get it done.

Hope they have the time to get back to me

[Badger]

Just emailed the Sunova guys re: a custom thinned-out Speeed hybrid "something something". It would be great if we can get it done.

Hope they have the time to get back to me

Are you thinking of getting a custom board done Garrick?

That would be the way to go. It must be expensive though.

I'll take an 8′10 x 31 x 110L Flow. That board would suit me well for all conditions.

.

[Badger]

Here is Bert's comparison of the Flow vs Soul.

http://www.standuppaddleboarder.co.uk/sup-shop/sunova-flow/

And a video with Bert explaining the Flow. He says the board turns from the middle which is also how my JL World Wide and Stun Gun turn. I like that trait in a board.

[SUPalon]

Thanks for posting that Video Badger, I love listening to BB talking shop, he has a really clear way of explaining things, that even you're average Kook like me can understand, I'll take and 8'7 Flow please..

 

[pguidry]

I liked the 9'2" Flow. I'm about 208 lbs. It was super stable for me. I really want to get on the 8'11 to see how it stable it is.

I felt I could take the 9'2" out in anything. It surfed really well and I really liked the glide.

[surfercook]

   I'm no board designer or dims expert, but I will say the Flow does just that, it flows so perfect w/the wave. It just felt effortless to get in sync w/those perfect waves we had on 12/15 for the demo. My comfort zone is right around 125 ltrs for effortless standing around and getting into waves. My V-Box at 116 ltrs gets a bit tiresome after a while. So the 9'2" Flow was WAY easy for me to wait around for sets on. I'm 180 lbs and consider myself pretty much an intermediate for life at this point. The 8'4" Flow would prob be a bit tough for me at first but once into a good wave would probably surf unreal. I REALLY like the template on that board. Considering how strong the wind got that day the 9'2" was a good choice. A lower vol board woulda been difficult in those gusty conditions.
  I didn't demo the 9'5" Soul and frankly it didn't interest me to try since we had a limited window to demo and I really wanted time on the Speeed also. It was prob too big for me anyways. But I think you are spot on as far as wanting the Soul for rough/choppy conditions.
  Creek def has a good understanding of what these boards do and how to surf them. More so than me. I'm editing a vid of my GoPro clips from 12/15 an 12/18 so maybe that will help to see how the Flow surfs. Here's the vid from 12/15 that a local shot of our demo. Guessing you saw it already but just to be safe I'm posting it here too.
GL w/your board hunting, Badger.
 

[SUPcheat]

Turning from the center is nice feature. My Prowave is pretty adroit at turning from the center.

I noticed the Starboard Wide Point 8'10" in Maui didn't do this (although it is an excellent board overall) and neither does my Vernor.

[Sunova_Tino]

Ok. Just for Xmas. Just set up a new user name for this other dude in our company. Guess who....  . He's been a bit sick from his last China trip, but we should get to hear something from him soon.

Until then, after the huge positive feedback from zoners demoing the way to big Flow 9'2 we had with us we are planning to send over a few more smaller ones together with some Speeeds to have Creeek ride around to you guys, UNTIL the first container will arrive in February.

Here the latest spread sheet. (yes they were adjusted a bit...  ). A lot of zoner did not find the surf comment funny, so its gone....

Looking forward to see you flowing, speeeding and maybe on acid. There is always some soul.

Merry xMas guys.
Tino