In 2010, NSP launched some of the most environmentally friendly boards on the market: their Cocomat line. The Cocomat technology allows the boards to be light for carrying and paddling yet remain strong and flexible for optimal performance. A lot of us prefer to make eco-conscious choices but we don’t want to sacrifice money or performance in the process. NSP’s Cocomat boards are available at a similar price point to other boards on the market and perform equally as well as their not so environmentally friendly counterparts. The following is my personal review of the DC Surf Wide and Coco Endless from their line of sustainably made boards.
DC Surf Wide
Surf
The DC Surf Wide comes in a number of size options but I chose the 8’3” x 32” as I felt that best matched my size and skill set (for reference I’m 5’7, 125 lbs.). I’ve been paddling for a few years now but the majority of my focus has been on racing and flat water so I’d say I’m a fairly novice SUP surfer.
As the name suggests, this board is definitely on the wide side as far as a SUP surf is concerned. The added width makes the board very stable on the water and allows for added control when paddling over waves or through choppy conditions. Additionally, when the wave is closing out the board remains pretty stable, without needing to shift your weight too far back on the board. While this board is not as maneuverable as a narrower board, it is still responsive and easy to turn in small surf. It’s a bit more challenging to get into waves than some of the longer boards I’ve demoed, but the learning curve is pretty quick and easy to adjust to once you get a feel for the board. The five fin boxes allow for different set-ups depending on your preference or the conditions, which is a nice option to have. In my opinion, this board is ideal for someone learning to SUP surf or someone looking to work on their skills and improve their performance. I’ve been having a lot of fun testing it out and am excited to see how it helps improve my surfing.
Surf’s Up!
Flat Water
Although this board is designed for the surf I thought it might do well on flat water as well, so I decided to take it for a spin in the harbor. Due to the width of the board, it was plenty easy and stable to paddle. I knew it wouldn’t be as fast as my raceboard, which it wasn’t, but it really was quite fast and easy to paddle. This board is super light and is much easier to transport than my larger boards, so it’s ideal to throw on the car if I’m only planning on a quick paddle. I also prefer to only bring one board on trips so it’s nice to know this board is versatile.
Coco Endless
NSP describes the Coco Endless as a “soulful longboard for the purest log rider seeking classic style and that endless glide.” While typical nose-riders are ultra heavy and are single-fins, the Coco Endless is lightweight and has a tri-fin setup. As a lady slider, I appreciate a lighter board for ease of transport but was concerned getting into weaker waves may prove to be a problem. This board will require a good amount of upper body strength to get into ripples but was easy enough to get into ankle biters. The weight of the board is not problematic for catching waves but is much appreciated for loading the board onto the car and carrying it to the water.
On the water, this board performs like a dream. I am by no means a skilled nose-rider but due to the neutral egg shaped rails with no edges at the tail, this board makes hanging 10, or more like 5 in my case, a feasible challenge. In addition to being a good nose-rider, this board is shaped in a way that not only allows for ample nose time but makes carving the wave easy as well. My boyfriend and I took turns riding my new log and we enjoyed it equally, agreeing that it is an ideal board for both men and women. It’s efficient to paddle, fun to ride, and easy on the eyes. If I had to describe this board in a few words I’d simply say it’s a “best of both worlds” board.
Relaxing with my log.
#Environment #Cocomat #Sustainable #Surfing #EnvironmentallyFriendly #SurfSUP #NSP
