No one here can remember having so some much expectation and interest in a board like we've had with this beauty. Ben Aipa who sadly passed away recently was a larger than life legend in the surfing world and Akila has carried his work forward, this collab with Slater Designs looks stunning.
Akila designed this board and worked closely with Slater to realise the performance and usability they were both looking for. They wanted an everyday go to board for knee to overhead waves that would work for a big range of surf abilities, they look to have nailed it.
The overall template looks to be based on the Akila Winged Twin model with some width and thickness added to give better performance in marginal conditions and generally give the board a more forgiving feel, but without sacrificing performance. A low entry rocker and subtle exit rocker combined with single to double concave and vee through the tail gives speed and drive combined with great release into turns. The fin set up gives twin or twin plus trailer option, the purist is going to say it has to be ridden as twin but the option is there to play around with a trailer.
Fin wise the Akila signature fin from Futures is an obvious choice, the MR twin plus trailer from FCS will work too.
Slater Designs LFT or Linear Flex Technology is an eco friendly construction process that results in a durable board with a unique flex pattern. LFT uses an 18mm wide Composite Springer HD Suspension System that runs from nose to tail (in effect a space age stringer) and is overlaid with a top-deck sheet to improve the boards resistance to 'ridging' often seen on traditional PU boards with a wooden stringer. LFT produces a feel somewhat akin to a brand-new PU surfboard, but with a huge hike in durability, this will last for the lifespan of the board! Enjoy the lively sensation of a brand new board with the added durability of modern sandwich construction.
Slater Designs surfboards are more durable than other surfboard manufacturing processes, and for 90% of surfers they will improve your surfing. Slater Designs is pushing the limits of applying new technology and innovation to surfboard design and always has an eye on the environmental impact of what they do, they truly are different to the other board companies out there. Slater Designs have come a long way since the early boards and the range of shapes and tech just gets better and better. A big chunk of the boards in the range are perfectly suited to the waves that 90% of us surf on a regular basis so if you haven't already give them a try.
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