|
HI-FLY WAVE 253
 |
|
WAVE 253
Length: 248.5cm Width: 56cm
Volume: 85 ltrs Weight: 14.5/6.6kg
Upwind: 3.69 Planing: 3.94
Speed: 4.06 Handling: 4.13
Jibe: 4.13 Overall: 3.99
Price: $1,398 Includes: Straps, Pads, Fin
|
The Wave 253 probably won’t be the biggest seller because it has the smallest market, but it’s the star. Never mind that it got the lowest score (by a touch) of the four, because numbered ratings do not tell the story. It’s the board that testers were most impressed by, and it generated the most enthusiasm. Which is not surprising on Maui, especially with the wind we had during the test.
At about 8’3” long and 22.8 inches wide, its outline seems to hit a very narrow target between wide enough to make things easy, but not so wide as to lose all its quickness. It has a proportionally wide tail but more narrow nose, and carries a solid 85 liters, making it floaty enough to be a high-wind board for big guys, although experts will prefer something more aggressive.
Among our wave boards, its shape most closely resembles the AHD Wave 257 and Starboard Wave 88, but there are enough differences in the rocker (medium amount), rails (healthy tuck), nose kick (right up there) and bottom shape (consistent shallow double concave) that the HiFly is unique.
Of course, they all are. Sailboards are like snowflakes, and that’s the wonderful, maddening mystery to it all.
SCORE: (16 ratings)
Upwind 3.69 Planing 3.94 Speed 4.06 Handling 4.13 Jibe 4.13 Overall 3.99
COMMENTS:
“A superb, gold-standard, medium-wind wave board—great in all conditions. Planes fast, fabulous even overpowered. A very fine production board.” Needless to say, this intermediate gave it straight 5’s. [Russell]
“Easy to use. Not very challenging. Excellent in the air.” [Stella]
“Quick to plane, fast and fun to ride, but bounced a little in the jibes. Good beginner wave board.” [Taylor]
“Excellent in the waves. Turns fast and responsive, goes upwind well and has nice deck and footstrap configuration. Best wave board I’ve sailed so far. Today was also the best wave day, so…” [DeMoraes]
“Fun from the moment you step on it,” said a woman with a keen sense for fun. ‘’It’s light, and flies off ramps with ease.’’ [Butzen]
“A little wiry maybe, for some people. Real snappy feel.” [Coach]
“My favorite small wave board. Very predictable, not skittish or too loose. Good jumping and control in the air. Some of my best rides all week.” [M Stumpp]
STAFF: Hedy Gurtner gave it straight 4’s with a 5 in Jibe.
|
