Windsurf MagazineFANATIC GRIP TE 87 TEST REVIEW 2023

FANATIC GRIP TE 87 TEST REVIEW 2023

The Verdict

A board that is certain to bring on your wave riding potential. Composed and settled, the Grip will ensure you maintain control. Whilst on the wave it will react to every ounce of input making turns almost effortless.

: FANATIC GRIP TE 87

The Lowdown

For the 2023 season, Fanatic has completely redesigned the Grip in all sizes. Available in seven sizes from 69 to 107 litres, Fanatic states that the new design has a “focus on highly improved wave performance with minimal effect to the planing performance”. The constant trade-off between these two outcomes is a challenge all brands are consistently looking to solve, and as we dive into the board’s shape, we can see where Fanatic sees the solution.

This year’s Grip incorporates a new progressive outline with a wider swallow tail and a large proportion of its volume sitting forward of the hips. The board boasts a fairly surfy rocker with double concaves on the board’s underside that are especially noticeable in the planing area. The Grips rails are soft in the front and mid-section and transition back into a sharp release from the front foot to the tail.

The most notable change for the new Grip is its trim positioning. With the mast track and the straps located further back, the board is said to have improved turning ability. Whilst Fanatic has directed some focus on improving the board’s ‘surfy’ nature, the Grip still maintains good versatility with its five adjustable slot boxes allowing the rider to choose to set the board up as a quad or thruster and move the fin positioning to suit their style or conditions. Produced in the brand’s biax innegra carbon light finish technology, the Grip weighs in at 6.8 kg and is said to be 3% stronger due to the woven fabric.

: FANATIC GRIP TE 87

Brand Claim

“The highly adaptable Grip TE enables you to ride your wave your way, without compromise.”

Performance

With its first outing in some classic British conditions (messy), the Grip produced a distinctively settled feel. Despite their rearward positioning, the straps were surprisingly easy to find as the board moved onto the plane. Picking up speed, the Grip felt fast, lively and inspiring, but always in control as the grip and power provided by the fins allowed the rider to push smoothly through heavy chop. Overpowered the board’s tail provided ample control, giving the rider confidence to drive hard and fast, with the board maintaining a composed manner to cope with whatever is thrown at it. This control also assisted the rider in directing the board, making it very easy to keep the board tracking well, and as the rider turned upwind, it made ground comfortably.

On the wave, it became clear that Fanatic had done something special with this board. With the ability to ride on the front or back foot, the board was versatile in its turning ability, allowing the rider to choose the style that suits, from radical and aggressive to smooth and powerful, and even mix up the two when required. The Grip really doesn’t need to be forced through the turns, making for exceptionally smooth rail-to-rail transitions and redirecting at the top of the wave, whether on a clean face or through white water, was second nature. The Fanatic Grip was an absolute pleasure to use, and despite its reasonably radical design, the board was a refreshing ally, even when the conditions were questionable.