RRD WAVE CULT HARD CORE 75 "Boards Mag March 08"

6th Mar 2008 @ 08:42:20 PM

RRD WAVE CULT HARD CORE 75

RRD have kept us guessing a bit with their revised wave range for ’08. All their waveboards are called Wave Cults but there are three smaller (65, 70 and 75L) boards that are different by design and have the ‘Hard Core’ tag to distinguish them. The ordinary Wave Cults are very much wave all-rounders, quite wide with moderate vee and fast rockers. The Hard Core boards have a more trad outline with considerably narrower nose and tail. In a complete reversal from the high vee equivalents from last year they now follow the widespread fashion of full length single concave. Finally, the rocker is unusual too in being very flat by waveboard standards.

On the water: With the concave and very early 2cm point the HC75 planes
much earlier than you would expect from a board of this volume with a trad outline, and it easily carries a 5.3m. It accelerates quickly and cleanly, reaching a fast top speed and tracking fine. It’s very comfortable underfoot, quickly feeling part of the sailor. Its quick acceleration and small, controllable feel gives it good jumping potential. However, the concave is certainly noticeable in onshore conditions when it resists being pinched
upwind hard between closely spaced waves and you need to concentrate on keeping it tracking when squashing jumps over white water.

The real revelation of this board is in the riding. It is hard, without the comparison of its peers to judge exactly, but more than one of us commented on how well the HC75 seemed to flow through its rides. Certainly in decent sized (overhead) 45° onshore waves it gave us some riding that felt rather more like cross-shore. It keeps the speed up really well and allows excellent redirection of arc. The combination of flat rocker and single concave gives great flow and speed on a wave, and although the lowish nose needs watching on smaller waves it still feels quite snappy.

Its quality is more in the thoughtless ease of its flow through the carve and easy grip on the rail rather than in any particular feel of being incredibly loose or slashy, but it would certainly seem to give the lie to any idea that you need a stubby planshape to ride in onshore conditions.

Fittings: All the fittings were of high standard with the double density pads
particularly welcome.

Overall: Whereas last season’s Hard Core was more of a high wind (control) or
going out (jumping) board this season’s is much more about riding. It is exceptionally fast, clean and smooth on a wave. It’s fine for jumping, just needing a bit more rider input than last year’s board, but seems much better for riding. It is a shame that we couldn’t put it head to head against other trad, single concave boards such as the JP Pro and Fanatic NewWave – boards that have a bit more rocker but are otherwise very similar. So, although slightly riding biased it is nevertheless a very good all-rounder that will get you out and ripping in much less wind and smaller, more onshore waves than conventional trads, but still have you longing for those perfect down-the-line conditions.

WCHC 75