Our reviewer reveals the Holy Grail of surfboards, an ultra-high functionality sled for the instant surfer…
It does appear a bit like dishonest whilst you get, no longer simply what you wish to have, however what you want and with highest timing.
Thus it was once, that round the similar time Medina had slayed J-Bay on his 6’0” DFK through Johnny Cabianca I won mine in the similar dimensions, in time for a six-week run of highest waves the place my native resembled a sub-tropical heat water model of J-Bay, with the exception of higher.
Certain, I were given chipped for it through native wags.
“What, you assume you’re fucking Gabe Medina?”
Yeah, if Gabe was once reincarnated as a bald, albino with intermediate abilities. I do, after many hours within the solar seem like a plucked and cooked turkey, so I assume me and Gabs (armpits) do have that during not unusual.
The dominant narrative on Gabe’s forums is that you should stick deck chairs on ’em and host child boomer cruises to the South Pacific with little or no amendment.
That didn’t gel with my preliminary affect.
I felt an overly balanced, fairly decrease rockered spherical tail shortboard with the one noteworthy options being a fairly thicker tail foil and an overly crisp edge at the backside tail rail extending forwards of the fin cluster. Refined backside contours.
The object felt rattling nice. Considerable.
Virtually invariably the preliminary impressions of a brand new sled are decided through context, what you’ve been driving and the place. I’d been biking via some insane surfboards for nice level waves: a 6’3” roundpin Maurice Cole Protow customized, 6’6” Barren region Typhoon customized swallowtail and, on days when the westerly wind was once howling or the satan wind was once in, a 7’3” Aleutian Juice customized Vector-Cuda. The most productive quiver I’ve ever had for nice waves.
A 6’0”, regardless of how generously foiled, was once at all times going to be simple to persistent up after biking down from the ones forums.
I’m shit with my palms however earlier than I rode the DFK I did a bit DIY mod to the BeachGrit tail-pad, in line with a good revel in with a Necro pad and damaging one with a Connor Coffin pad. I figured a low, delicate kick was once to my style so took a stanley-knife and hacked the kick in part. That grew to become out to be an excellent transfer.
A ruled-edge lengthy duration east swell greeted my maiden voyage.
Crisp, earlier than first light on a Sunday morning. Surprisingly uncrowded. Scorching little head-high racetracks. It took little or no to get this board buzzing. Perhaps the primary wave or two felt little sketchy, slightly under-powered because of coming off for much longer rail traces.
It took lower than part the consultation to determine the board sought after to be surfed merely and definitively from most sensible to backside with out a wiggles or double pumps to stay the water flowing during the fins or the concaves engaged.
Since I T-boned an aged Vietnamese guy on a wet evening in Byron Bay and were given proven the door from bus riding* I’ve needed to account for my time with extra prudence.
As a full-time freelancer two go-outs in an afternoon is unusual. Feels too indulgent.
However my Bribie good friend had come again from FIFO within the Tanami wilderness, which is the center of Australia for those who’ve by no means heard of it. He was once prepared for a paddle, and even if I’m no longer a go away passer I did get the second one chunk of the cherry with the blessing of my partner.
2d surfs at all times really feel higher.
I by no means fake to be anything else greater than excessive intermediate, competent is the useless time period. The DFK is a board this is reassuringly simple to come back to grips with. After driving more than a few high-performance shortboards I’ve come to consider that keep watch over is a very powerful variable.
In sunny head-high level surf, with only a ruffle of aspect breeze, the DFK felt very, very forged. Leveraging pace off the ground to move directly again into the highest 3rd felt seamless, and you’ll push that as exhausting as you favor.
Producing rhythmic momentum from flip to show very a lot inside my snatch.
I by no means fake to be anything else greater than excessive intermediate, competent is the useless time period. The DFK is a board this is reassuringly simple to come back to grips with. After driving more than a few high-performance shortboards I’ve come to consider that keep watch over is a very powerful variable.
That stability between sensitivity and pressure must be tilted firmly within the pressure quadrant, for me, so that you can get the board the place I would like it cross. Suffering with keep watch over is nearly the definition of a board outdoor your space of experience.
I felt assured pushing this board very exhausting, from that 2nd surf onwards. That had usually certain effects. We will be able to all agree, I’m hoping, some extent of distinction for Gabe’s browsing is the facility to modify from hi-fi, fins-free or aerial assault to vintage power-based carving.
My talent set didn’t lengthen to the previous however very a lot loved the latter at the DFK.
The one combined bag got here in a crowded Saturday surf the place the Grace of God smiled upon me and I jagged 3 set waves in fast succession. Threading via a heavy pack I assumed I may blast a backhand excessive hook at the nook of a tubing phase with more than one other folks to dodge. Ended up catching an outdoor edge and slamming exhausting.
Now not certain whether or not it was once the rail of my board or any individual elses or the wave however I spent the remainder of the day considering I used to be having a center assault. Rib cartilage or damaged rib. Not anything Nurofen earlier than and after a surf couldn’t repair.
The one different slight warning is to be to your fin recreation.
I began with JJF M’s, fins created from recycled fishing nets (sourced in Chile) and carbon. Gorgeous fins they usually felt nice, however at pace, beneath force, I used to be ready to blow them out beneath load a couple of occasions. It wasn’t unhealthy sufficient to switch them out so minor downside.
I believe Gabe’s DFK is the perfect professional degree board I’ve wrangled.
The craze amongst most mavens has been to extend quantity. You’d have to present Matt Biolos credit score for that. When Fanning jumped at the Mayhems (at Trestles) and altered the emphasis to extra quantity he were given higher right away.
All up, from professional to Joe other folks most commonly glance higher and browsing feels higher on one thing that paddles and has some flow, even on the high-perf degree. There’s in point of fact just one human being alive who appears to be like nice on an underpowered sled and we name him the best of all time.
Toledo will get away with bladier forums.
Julian’s nonetheless glance underpowered to my eye, particularly now in comparison to Medina.
JJF has added litreage.
All up, from professional to Joe other folks most commonly glance higher and browsing feels higher (to me) on one thing that paddles and has some flow, even on the high-perf degree. There’s in point of fact just one human being alive who appears to be like nice on an underpowered sled and we name him the best of all time.
Some way forwards for the rec surfer is to get your most sensible finish dialed and customized, be certain your good-wave sleds are as nice as they may be able to be. That provides latitude for experimentation within the high-performance “house”, for those who’ll pardon the company malapropism.
Johnny Cabianca has put a high-performance sled sq. into the Goldilocks zone for the common leisure surfer. I will not suggest extremely sufficient.
I rode my DFK as a inventory 6’0”, just below thirty litres of quantity.
* I had two witnesses who testified he was once riding with out lighting on. Regardless of, I were given shitcanned.