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FANATIC FREEWAVE TE 95 2022 TEST REVIEW

25/04/2020
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FANATIC FREEWAVE TE 95 2022 TEST REVIEW


VERDICT

An easy board to get on with and enjoy, the Freewave is one of the faster boards in its class, making everything more expressive and exciting. A bump-and-jump crackerjack, its wave potential can also be unlocked by adopting a more back-foot riding style and snap.

THE LOWDOWN

The Freewave is a mainstay for Fanatic, being one of the most popular boards in their range for many years. For 2022, the designs remain the same, enjoying a slight graphical update for distinction. There is also a new size introduced – a 125 litre version for the heavier rider and lightest winds. The Team Edition (TE) version tested here is the middle offering, construction wise, with the middle four sizes available in the brand’s premium TeXtreme technology (benefitting from a full carbon wrap), and all sizes once again available in the standard Biax Fibre / Full PVC Light Finish (BXF) construction. The TE version comes complete with a quality resin transfer moulded MFC thruster fin set, thick dual density deckpads and the brand’s ‘Premium’ footstraps with their integrated sizing scale. There are inboard and outboard footstrap plug options, and the use of a central Powerbox certainly allows the use of a large single fin setup if required. One of the longer boards in this category, it is also relatively narrow, displaying definite hallmarks of the ‘compact / stubby’ era, its rails relatively parallel, before the tail is pulled in, to finish in a swallow tail. Well finished with the Biax Innegra carbon layer visible throughout the deck’s graphics, its polished rails and quality fittings make the Freewave a classy looking bit of kit.

BRAND CLAIM

“An evolution of the Stubby outline blended with our legendary FreeWave DNA, the FreeWave TE is a true chameleon – ready to adapt and excel in all conditions.”

PERFORMANCE

On the water, the Freewave 95 provides a blend of qualities that makes it easy to understand its popularity over the years. It feels big, safe and buoyant underfoot at rest, easy to direct and pop out over breaking surf. Deliver power and it accelerates keenly, the rider’s stance further back on the Freewave than on others, yet the straps are easy to locate and the riding position balanced and comfortable. There’s plenty of drive and traction from the fins to push against, the 95 releasing well to sit high on the water’s surface, capable of pointing upwind well. And it is certainly fast – one of the fastest and most directionally capable boards in its category, making it somewhat of a weapon for bump and jump playing, or aerial trickery on the way out. Transitions also come very easy on the Fanatic, with width in the shoulders to provide support during the tacks, whilst during gybes, there seems to be plenty of room for your feet to move into, providing the time and practicality to complete moves confidently. On the wave the Freewave did take a little time to get used to, particularly if stepping onto it from a more traditional front-footed wave-board. The 95 responds best to a more back-foot biased technique, leaning back and pivoting the board through its tail, redirecting it through its fins. We did play around with the thruster fins slightly and you can shift them a little further back in their slot boxes to make the board a little looser. Conversely, if you want to load the Freewave with a larger sail and fin for more straight-line work, the outboard straps really help to maximise the board’s speed and flighty release.

www.fanatic.com

 

FANATIC FREEWAVE TE 95 2022 TEST REVIEW

VITAL STATS

Price: BXF: £1949.00 TE: £2299.00 TEXTREME: £2649.00

Volume (Quoted): 95 L.

Length: 230 cm

Width: 61cm

1ft off: 41cm

Bottom shape: Vee with double throughout, the vee fading out under the mast track to leave straight double, before being phased progressively back in through the tail, becoming pronounced vee with double by the fin boxes.

Weight (‘Naked’): 6.93 kg

Fin: 1 x MFC TF_20 RTM (PB)+ 2 X MFC TF_12 RTM (SB)

Sail Range (Quoted): < 6.2m

Sizes Available: 75, 85, 95, 105, 115, 125.


OTHER BOARDS IN THE LINE UP 

JP AUSTRALIA FREESTYLE WAVE PRO 94

RRD FREESTYLE WAVE LTD 96

SEVERNE DYNO 3 95

STARBOARD KODE REFLEX CARBON 95

QUATRO POWER 94 FREE THRUSTER

GOYA ONE 3 CARBON 95 


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