Surfladle

Just thought I would write you a review on the Pure Acid 74 compared to the old Acid 77 after my first outing last Saturday.

Most noticeably the slightly softer rails and little extra width make the board a lot smoother and more forgiving in the turn. Despite not having sailed for 7 months my first run out was further enhanced by a fully planning gybe on the wave face to take me back inside. The 77 had a tendency to bounce a lot in the turn which often caught me out and landed me in the water. No such problem with the 74 – it was a real peach in this respect.

I did notice the difference between 74 and 77 litres, although the extra width on the 74 helped. Whilst others on the same sail size and boards were planing comfortably, I struggled a little to get up and going as quickly although to some extent this will be down to my weight (and fitness) and the fin maybe a touch on the small side. One up and running the board is quick, very comfortable and absorbs the bumps with ease. It jumps well and is nicely controllable in the air, but until I test it in big waves I cannot really compare it to the 77 in this area.

The 77 felt more ‘aggressive’ and in a sense you needed to concentrate harder as it skipped around. The 74 is so nicely behaved that you can focus more on choosing the best path across the water and selecting the best part of the wave to hit. I never felt like it was going to do anything unexpected which, after taking the nose of the 77 the first time I used it, was a blessing. I think the 74 is deceptively fast whereas the 77 was noticeably fast for a wave board. The 77 seemed to be able to point further upwind but again, the 74 might benefit from a slightly larger fin to drive it harder.

Finally, The Pryde straps I fitted as a replacement to the Drake/Starboard ones were not as comfortable as the original 77 but probably need some adjustment on my behalf to get them to mould my feet better. A few more sessions and I am sure they will start to feel more comfortable.

So overall it is definitely a worthy replacement to the 77 and I am very happy with the result as I always have been my purchases form Surfladle!

Does this sound like a Boards review or what?!?

Reviewed by Dave Kimmer