Parabolic Flex System

[adam.s]

Can't knock it till you try it.

Seriously, bodyboarding is all about gimmicks...
Contours? Gimmick IMO.
40/60 - 45/55 - 50/50 rails? Who actually notices anything different there?
3D? It's just heavy.
Now this "Parabolic" business. It doesn't make a difference. We are just so easily conned.

I'll take a PE double stringer, nose bulbs, channels and be done.

Contours? You notice it if you're not the size of a 12 year old girl and your elbows "lock in" properly

Rail sizes? You've got to be kidding me, try drop knee on a 60/40 and then a 50/50 and tell me there is no difference between the two

3D - I wouldn't go back to any other core after trying it, it's only 200g heavier than my PP board and when you weigh around 78kg 200g isn't going to make any difference

Lets be honest here mate, for me, contours don't do f@k all. My elbows do "lock in" to the dints I've made on the deck. They just look flasher and add $20-30 to the price of the board. My elbows and hips don't move at all with a normal board and some wax so why have them there?
And I have tried drop kneeing on a 60/40 and a 50/50 and there is no difference. I've been doing heaps of DK lately on a few different boards and theres no difference what so ever. And I used to have a 3D core, it's just more expensive than a PE x2 stringer. Waste of money.

And the only thing I'll give to different rails is they feel a bit different in your hand but don't actually do much else. I have tried heaps of different things - contours, PP, PE, 3D, 60/40, 55/45, 50/50, nose bulbs, no nose bulbs, bat tail, crescent tail, wide boards, skinny boards, drop knee, stand up boog so I reckon I can comment on these things.

[savage flame]

In my opinion, the 3D/FRC/EFC (whatever) core is one of the best innovations to bodyboards.
I'm still stoked on riding 3D since they first came out. I hate PP - too stiff, and I hate PE - too spongey. 3D is perfect, good for all temps so suitable for an all-round travel board, and perfect for what I like surfing around home in winter or summer.
I've tried PE with 2 stringers also. Didn't do it for me.

[brad]

Lets be honest here mate, for me, contours don't do f@k all. My elbows do "lock in" to the dints I've made on the deck. They just look flasher and add $20-30 to the price of the board. My elbows and hips don't move at all with a normal board and some wax so why have them there?
And I have tried drop kneeing on a 60/40 and a 50/50 and there is no difference. I've been doing heaps of DK lately on a few different boards and theres no difference what so ever. And I used to have a 3D core, it's just more expensive than a PE x2 stringer. Waste of money.

And the only thing I'll give to different rails is they feel a bit different in your hand but don't actually do much else. I have tried heaps of different things - contours, PP, PE, 3D, 60/40, 55/45, 50/50, nose bulbs, no nose bulbs, bat tail, crescent tail, wide boards, skinny boards, drop knee, stand up boog so I reckon I can comment on these things.

And other people have ridden boards with contours and and other features and like them. Are they all idiots? Personal prefrence.

A friend of mine rides a pp board with a stringer all year round on the south coast, and he likes that the set up and has ridden a ton of different boards over the last 12 years. I've been riding for about the same amount of time in the same water and waves and ride an frc core with three stringers (two tab stringers and one normal) and I dig that set up. Having options is a good thing I would hate it if all the companies cut out the same old boards for the next 12 years. It's all personal preference.

[adam.s]

And other people have ridden boards with contours and and other features and like them. Are they all idiots? Personal prefrence.

Therefore you will notice in my posts I have written "IMO" and "for me" etc.

[brad]

And other people have ridden boards with contours and and other features and like them. Are they all idiots? Personal prefrence.

Therefore you will notice in my posts I have written "IMO" and "for me" etc.

I have, you are entitled to your opinion and so is everyone else. I just don't see how you can say that these are all gimmicks when obviously other people rate these features and say they have worked for them.

[nickthedevil]

I'm pretty sure it's out now hey, check out the plc range http://www.pridebodyboards.com/product. ... 5&class=12 it's been a while coming (the site I mean) but it's looking good, pride make some expensive boards I have a bionic leash from them cause thats all the pride I can afford. The reason they are so expensive is because each one has a half ounce of a teenage girls self esteem in it. Noone could say the wound't pay for whatever help they could get to be more like PLC.

The PFS (parabolic Flex system) is just the answer to the Manta Tri core and 3D cores and stuff, Go check out my page on http://bodyboardingwa.com.au/gear/bodyboards board for some info on core types. Sadly the people who sell these things wont tell you about them, so the information I get is limited, but you know we keep at it. Check out the pride site through the link above, some good design with some nice boards.

Paying $500 for a lid is how you support the sport, maybe a little to well but never the less

[Wonderbread]

Lets be honest here mate, for me, contours don't do f@k all. My elbows do "lock in" to the dints I've made on the deck. They just look flasher and add $20-30 to the price of the board. My elbows and hips don't move at all with a normal board and some wax so why have them there?
And I have tried drop kneeing on a 60/40 and a 50/50 and there is no difference. I've been doing heaps of DK lately on a few different boards and theres no difference what so ever. And I used to have a 3D core, it's just more expensive than a PE x2 stringer. Waste of money.

And the only thing I'll give to different rails is they feel a bit different in your hand but don't actually do much else. I have tried heaps of different things - contours, PP, PE, 3D, 60/40, 55/45, 50/50, nose bulbs, no nose bulbs, bat tail, crescent tail, wide boards, skinny boards, drop knee, stand up boog so I reckon I can comment on these things.

50/50 vs 60/40 is a water displacement thing, anything with a post highschool physics education can tell you that the 50/50 is going to have better buoyancy along the length of the board with the upright position of DK. As for 60/40, take a look at your hand and try to tell me that the key gripping part of your fingers are the same length as your palm. A very valid point can be made for contours, lots of people seem to think they do nothing, I rode a contour board for 18 months and switched to a non contour board and it was very noticeable. Riding a mates board for 5 minutes isn't going to give you enough time to feel out the board, and going by your age you have not had time to ride that huge list of boards for any substantial amount of time.

[pete]

I've got to agree about the rails too.

It depends on your size a lot Adam. You're a pretty little dude, right? Your board is going to sit a lot differently to the bigger blokes on here, and that's where the difference can be more noticeable in relation to the degrees of rail/chine...

[GoldCoastbooger]

Im only 15 and about 6ft 3 and 100 kegs. My Joe Clarke (55/45 rails) doesnt have as much float as my 60/40 board. I reckon the 60/40 tends to sit a bit higher in the water creating more board on top of the water, bit more speed IMO

[adam.s]

Riding a mates board for 5 minutes isn't going to give you enough time to feel out the board, and going by your age you have not had time to ride that huge list of boards for any substantial amount of time.

I have owned all these types of boards and ridden them all for months at a time. I just don't notice the difference, it's so minor it's not going to impact the way you ride. It's all in your head. I don't ride a board differently because it's got different 'features'. The only thing that makes me ride boards differently is the size.

Maybe you just need to take a step back, and start riding the wave without thinking how your sick new contours are gunna change the way you do a reverse. Just ride the wave for what it is, things don't change.

[Griff]

Gotta disagree with adam.s there. Switching between an 42.5 PP LMNOP Skipp bat tail and a 42 EFC No6 Max crescent tail which are 2 boards I am riding at the moment and they handle totally different. Different cores, the tails, the width, the rails. They just handle differently.

[adam.s]

Cores, tails and width change things, but thats about it.

[Wonderbread]

Riding a mates board for 5 minutes isn't going to give you enough time to feel out the board, and going by your age you have not had time to ride that huge list of boards for any substantial amount of time.

I have owned all these types of boards and ridden them all for months at a time. I just don't notice the difference, it's so minor it's not going to impact the way you ride. It's all in your head. I don't ride a board differently because it's got different 'features'. The only thing that makes me ride boards differently is the size.

Maybe you just need to take a step back, and start riding the wave without thinking how your sick new contours are gunna change the way you do a reverse. Just ride the wave for what it is, things don't change.

There's no way you've ridden all of those boards for substantial amounts of times at 16 years old. Just not possible.


My board has no contours or fancy options, I just know that they are for more than just pretty looks.

[nickthedevil]

"50/50 vs 60/40 is a water displacement thing, anything with a post highschool physics education can tell you that the 50/50 is going to have better buoyancy along the length of the board with the upright position of DK. As for 60/40, take a look at your hand and try to tell me that the key gripping part of your fingers are the same length as your palm. A very valid point can be made for contours, lots of people seem to think they do nothing, I rode a contour board for 18 months and switched to a non contour board and it was very noticeable. Riding a mates board for 5 minutes isn't going to give you enough time to feel out the board, and going by your age you have not had time to ride that huge list of boards for any substantial amount of time."

At the end of the day you can't argue with the laws of physics (they force themselves on everyone) But setups are about personal preference. I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to this most comprehensive thread about the PFS, opinions shared are vary valuable. There is no doubting that if winny is riding one i'll have one, the same could be said about any pro.

Innovations in core types PFS, 3D, Tri-Core are all good for the sport. I'm pretty sure you'll still be able to buy a PP or PE in the future.

The comment about forgetting the features and riding the wave is well put too. This sport is meant to be about riding waves after all, is it going to be more fun hitting ramps on a PFS well thats up to you it's your money. The PFS did well in Chile for winny but then maybe winny was firing that day. Winny is no average grom after all.

[marty_n]

Well i suggest you get to try one adam
and until then just let it slide!

I just bought myself another of the exact same so i can take them to hawaii