FANATIC TRI WAVE 95L TEAM EDITION 2014 TEST REVIEW
FANATIC TRI WAVE 95L TEAM EDITION 2014 TEST REVIEW
BEST FOR
Those looking for a slightly more challenging board to use in coastal conditions but with all the benefits of a freestyle-wave rocker line and speed.
RECOMMENDATION
Placing the mast track back and front fins forward helps a lot in trickier onshore conditions and clew-out turns.
BRAND CLAIM
“Versatility is the name of the game with the TriWave. Whatever the conditions, whatever your style – the TriWave will deliver pure fun.”
OVERVIEW
Outline: Pointed nose, moderate tear drop with tail narrowing to shallow swallowtail. Wide point at rear of track.
Deck: Flat from nose-to-tail.
Rail Profile: Boxy throughout, most noticeably in tail. Soft, tucked rails up front, sharpening between straps and progressively more to tail.
Bottom Shape: Even double concave in nose, staying shallow towards straps, shallowing further at fins, more like vee through and past fins.
Rocker Line: Balances at track on small flat section, progressive but slight tail rocker, quite late nose kick.
Fin Configuration: Trifin cluster. MFC TF-custom G10 21 cm swept back US Box main fin – screw stands proud of bottom. MFC TF-Pro 12 Slotbox fronts. Adjustment markers rear and front. Blanks supplied.
Pads: Fanatic own-brand extra cushioned pads with recessed toe grip.
Straps: Own-brand leather PU traditional adjustment with anti-twist plastic plugs.
Construction: Team Edition (Innegra Carbon Sandwich)
PERFORMANCE
The first thing you notice about the TriWave 95 is it feels ‘corkier’ than 95 litres, offering the float and stability of a larger board but retaining a nicely compact outline.
It’s also keen to get up-and-running quickly with positive low-end power. In lighter air we found it tracked well upwind in ‘float and ride’ situations and was forgiving for non-planing transitions.
The rocker line feels flat without any noticeable drag through the water, although we found that slight attention is required to keep your weight back as, once the nose dives, it can be tricky to recover.
That lack of curve equals good speed, so jumping is a joy – also thanks to the fairly wide and chunky tail.
On the wave face, in slacker surf and onshore wind, it takes some commitment to squirt tighter, more technical arcs or full-rail, hookier styles of cutback, but that’s missing the point as the real joy of this thruster configuration is for how fun and easy it makes slidier, skaty turns to control.
This is a ‘dedicated wave board’ test, in a size that used to be the prevail of FSWs. While we don’t think Fanatic set out to make the most hard-core 95L possible, they have succeeded in their brief to make a forgiving and highly adaptable product for people on a journey to more technical boards.
If you can’t make up your mind whether to buy a FSW or a wave model, then this could be the board for you.
THE VERDICT
To zip around the park, jump at speed, catch every wave going and turn into an overnight tail-sliding legend then buy the TriWave 95.
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