Windsurf MagazineSTARBOARD ULTRA 82 TEST REVIEW 2024

STARBOARD ULTRA 82 TEST REVIEW 2024

The Verdict

The Ultra works well under pressure and makes the most of the wave when you really tap into its versatility in the turns. A user-friendly combination of being really surfy, capable of snappy turns, yet super comfortable for the rider.

The Lowdown

Available in two constructions, Wood Sandwich and their flagship construction, Carbon Reflex Sandwich, we were provided with the latter construction along with their recommended and supplied fins. This board is a pure thruster. Sticking with the tail, it features a pulled-in swallow tail, aimed to provide grip in the turns, while also keeping the board more compact to allow for a tighter turning radius. A double-to-vee double concave runs from the nose to the tail, with an aggressive vee in the tail. Flipping the board over, its shape is incredibly attractive. Featuring an aggressive rocker line, especially in the nose, it begins to curve from the midpoint of the board, while it also tapers into the tip of the nose like a needle, adding another attractive, yet beneficial line and angle to the Ultra.

A substantially domed deck fills the board from nose to tail, which not only offers a friendly distribution of volume – especially along the centreline – but also provides the rider with extra confidence in marginal conditions. Meanwhile, the mast track is set in a flat recess to provide added control to the Ultra. Unlike some of the other boards on the test, there is minimal board behind the back foot strap with the strap being positioned right at the rear of the Ultra, while sitting directly over the central fin. Overall, the Ultra has a radical and exciting outline, which entices you to pick it up, give it a solid look over, place it on the beach, and let others come and admire its rocker line, curves, and attractive volume distribution.

Brand Claim

“Delivering ULTRA snappy off-the-top manoeuvres and smooth bottom turns, the innovative ULTRA concept thrives in real world wave conditions. Fast acceleration gets you quickly into the line-up, keeps you moving in critical sections and allows extra jumps on the way out. The ULTRA features centred volume and a thinner rail, improving turns and control.”

Performance

As the lightest board on the test, the Ultra feels weightless when connected to the rig and walking down to the water’s edge. Floating out through the white water on the inside, the Ultra is comfortable off the plane due to the clever volume distribution, which assists you. Having found a flat spot and gained some cleaner wind, the Ultra works onto the plane, while the volume distribution works well to offset the radical rocker line of the board. The recessed deck pad adds control and helps stabilise the board. Most noticeably, it was much more comfortable and stable when tacking, with the flat area working for you during the midpoint. Dropping into a wave, the board feels poised and ready for anything the wave presents. Its super-domed deck allows you to play the rail with minimal effort through the back and front foot, while it has the ability to adapt to the fast-changing scenarios on a wave, enabling you to perform a variety of turns at a moment’s notice and put that rocker line to serious use. In the turns, the tail follows the nose, sharpening up the bottom turn, while if needed the Ultra allows you to really pull the tail under you to achieve a much tighter turning radius, hit the lip with a steeper angle and send heaps of spray, putting a a show for those stood on the beach.