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AMERICAN WINDSURFER MAGAZINE
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HIFLY FREE 262
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FREE 262
Length: 256 cm Width: 59 cm
Volume: 98 ltrs Weight: 14.5/6.6kg
Upwind: 4.06 Planing: 3.94
Speed: 4.23 Handling: 4.12
Jibe: 4.00 Overall: 4.07
Price: $1,398 Includes: Straps, Pads, Fin
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The Free 262 was one of the most popular boards among testers, in a very competitive class including two other winners, the RRD 266 and Bic Saxo 270 RT. This is another case where you can forget about comparing lengths; close your eyes on the water, and all three of these boards—8-7,’’ 8-8.7” and 8-10.3,” with 99, 96 and 97 liters—feel about the same size. The versatility in both directions is intended. The Free 262, for example, doesn’t feel bigger than 8-7, it’s just that it’s capable of doing what an 8-9 can do (and more), so it becomes an 8-9 in your mind.
It’s a fairly shapely board, widest of the three by about half an inch, with its wide point significantly farther back toward the hips. It also has the widest tail, exaggerating the fairly narrow nose. Underneath, the rocker is modest and the vee subtle and consistent, with .5 mm more at the wide point than at the tail, the object being to improve carving response—which is reflected in the high marks for Handling.
The Free 262 came equipped with a straight 31 cm fin, which we found incompatible with the wavy Maui conditions. In addition to being too long, its carbon layered construction split after inevitable contact with the reef. We soon requested a wavier fin, and midway through the test received a 9 “ (24.75 cm) Finworks Wave Blade, which certainly looked much better on the board. As expected, the 262 handled and jibed better and got speedier, although the ratings didn’t climb dramatically as we thought they would.
Even before this, Eric Skemp had been lobbying the powers in Germany to provide two fins with the new freeride boards, because their versatility deserves if not demands it. Not everyone sails on European lakes. He reports that HiFly has seen the light, and that two fins will indeed come with the boards.
SCORE: (17 ratings)
Upwind 4.06 Planing 3.94 Speed 4.23 Handling 4.12 Jibe 4.0 Overall 4.07
COMMENTS:
“An exceptional board. It’s the surprise of the test for me, on a level above the other freeride boards.” [Gottleib]
“A great bump-and-jump board, but too fast for waves.” Of course, it wasn’t intended for waves. Nor is it exactly a bump-and-jump board. But that’s the thing about testers’ impressions. They’re valid by the mere fact of being. [Watson]
“Slippery between the footstraps.” And in front of them. Other testers also said it needed more or better non-skid. [N Johnson]
“Good padding under the straps. Too bad the glue is giving up.” We let it go, and later a big chunk of the pad ripped off entirely. It’s Cobra’s glue, no different than half the other boards in this test. Maybe the guy who spreads it needs to stop breathing it.
“Easy to use in both waves and flat water. Anyone could have a good time on this board.” [Alford]
“The perfect board for my style of sailing.” [R Johnson]
“Very comfortable convertible board.” [Hughes]
“Very comfortable. Got up on a plane easily, but had trouble feeling locked in (5.0 Pryde Zone sail). Jibe was smooth and predictable, and I managed about half my attempts. Could have used a bigger fin. I think with a bigger fin I could learn to like this board.”
I guess we shouldn’t have taken the big fin away from this dealer, who calls himself a “perpetual intermediate” with 18 years experience. And maybe it indicates HiFly knew what it was doing when it put that 31 cm fin on the board in the first place. [Ruffolo]
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