Windsurf MagazinePATRIK F-WAVE 95L

PATRIK F-WAVE 95L TEST REVIEW 2024

The Verdict

The PATRIK F-Wave was a real standout in the FreeWave category – delivering fun in all conditions, while not requiring expertise to get the most out of it – particularly in small to medium waves. The F-Wave allows you to match the pace of the wave and hit the sections presented before you.

The Lowdown

With a simple and subtle colour scheme, the F-Wave won’t scream at you on the beach with its blocked colour graphics. Yellow at the nose it transitions into black, which turns to a brushed carbon white in the tail to make it visually appealing. With an even volume distribution, the F-Wave feels forgiving and user-friendly. The F-Wave’s footstraps, which are placed on double-density pads for extra comfort while riding, are positioned so that you are very much over the centreline of the board. In the tail, PATRIK have placed their ‘bat-tail’, and small cutouts which encourages the water to release earlier for better acceleration, while making the board feel loose in a straight line and agile through the turns. Rolled over and scanning the hull, the F-Wave boasts a faster rocker line which has officially broken 40 knots on a speed strip in La Palme. Up front a nose with a considerable kick at the tip, which will come in handy when speed and early planing are essential, but you are faced with choppy/difficult water conditions. The F-Wave comes supplied with a set of stiff quality thruster fins made by PATRIK – consisting of 22cm central and two 8cm side fins. Featuring a full carbon/Kevlar deck for stiffness and a biaxial glass fibre hull, the F-Wave is capable of holding and spreading substantial loads – particularly when landing big jumps and aerials. Don’t let its simple appearance fool you as a lot of work and design has gone into the F-Wave to deliver something that is not only user-friendly but also capable of ticking the box for those seeking high performance.

Brand Claim

“This new concept in our range is made for airtime lovers who don’t want to sacrifice wave riding. The PATRIK F-Wave is most probably the fastest wave board ever that still performs well in small to medium waves. With a Powerbox for the centre fin of the thruster setup, we leave it entirely up to you which fin to choose to go fast and jump high or ride waves and slice turns.”

Performance

The F-Wave feels comfortable right from the moment you step on board thanks to its volume distribution, which offers great stability without losing its nimble feeling underfoot. The F-Wave pops up onto the plane extremely easily, while with its rapid rocker line, you’ll soon accelerate up to an impressive top speed, all while retaining solid upwind performance and the board feels locked in no matter how hard you drive it. In the flats, the F-Wave delivers comfortable, yet nimble riding, so it will take bump ’n’ jump conditions in its stride. It wants to pop into the air with glee, while it will offer you plenty of forgiveness upon landing, so it doesn’t require real expertise to get the most out of the F-Wave. Meanwhile, confused waters are yesterday’s news for the F-Wave with its nose rocker allowing you to cut through any unruly yet predictable chop. Through transitions, the F-Wave is a delight as it gybes with ample speed and holds its rail on your chosen radius. Through tacks, it remains stable thanks to its well-positioned volume, which makes the F-Wave an ideal board for anyone from intermediate right up to the most advanced sailor. However, where the F-Wave really excels and shows its incredible adaptability, is in some waves. Its volume and rocker line allow you to sit on the crest of the wave, let off some power, and remain planing until your chosen moment to commit, accelerate, and drop down the face and attack. Bottom turning wonderfully, the PATRIK bat-tail extends the rails back, allowing for a well-calculated arcing bottom turn off the front foot, before then, at a moment’s notice, playing the back foot to tighten the turn as you project up and into the section before flying down the face again. The F-Wave carries speed well throughout wave riding, so it’s easy to ride with flow and style, as you match the wave’s speed and pace, which allows you to make the most of small to medium waves. The F-Wave never feels too big or too small and it delivers the ultimate in fun and playful riding, which will happily fit into the majority of riders’ quivers.