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DCIM100GOPRO

JP AUSTRALIA THRUSTER QUAD PRO 84L 2016 TEST REVIEW

Stats Price £1749 Volume (L) 84 (quoted) Weight (Kg) 6.2 (naked, quoted) Length (cm) 229 Width (cm) 57.5 Fin JP Wave G10 20cm (slot) + 2 x JP Side Wave G10 10cm (MT) Construction Pro Edition

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JP AUSTRALIA THRUSTER QUAD PRO 84L 2016 TEST REVIEW

THE LOW-DOWN
JP have refreshed their Thruster-Quad line up for 2016, extending it to five boards and “improving the overall performance so the Thrusters rip in side-shore conditions too!”. The 84 on test here has a distinctly traditional and gunny appearance compared to others in the group, being one of the longest yet narrowest, with a pointed nose and narrow rounded tail. Available solely in PRO construction, it makes use of the brand’s unique S-Glass construction, providing durability and more importantly flex, which JP are quick to point out as a must for smoother, more comfortable turns. It comes supplied with the brand’s usual attention to detail and fittings and was the lightest board on test here.

BRAND CLAIM
“These new, fast and versatile wave toys offer a huge range of use from onshore to side and offshore conditions. They now deliver improved planing performance and thus also qualify as bump and jump high wind boards. And you will love them for their ease and reliability to carve up waves.”

PERFORMANCE
Used as a thruster initially, the JP does feel the smallest in the group underfoot and needs to be pushed off the wind, keeping your weight forwards to release it before stepping back, due to its narrow tail. Once going though, it is one fast exciting machine, gathering pace rapidly and feeling crisp and exciting underfoot. The nose sits comparatively low to the water, which, with its pointed outline and the board’s extra length, does make it seem traditional and gunny. There is plenty of traction from the fins and rail, enabling the board to point superbly upwind, and giving plenty of impetus for some rocket air or aerial manoeuvres. As a thruster, the 84 is such a rocket ship that we did find it almost too fast and stiff for cross-onshore conditions, outrunning tight sections as it preferred a more full-rail carving style. With the speed it carries into the turn and the carving response you feel through the narrow tail, we are sure it would be a stunning board for powerful cross-off conditions. For cross-onshore conditions though, the JP was transformed by changing the fin set up to a quad. It retained its front foot bias as you initiate the bottom turn, but allows you to drive through the back-foot to redirect much tighter up the face without stalling on the tail. It does lose some of its speed as a quad, but will remain plenty fast enough for most, with the added benefit of faster rail-to-rail response.

THE VERDICT
The Thruster Quad is incredibly adaptable and demands time experimenting with the thruster / quad set up to find the perfect match for your riding style or conditions. It rewards positive rider input with bags of speed and energy, offering a unique blend of traditional familiar feel and cutting edge response.

www.jp-australia.com


Other sails in this test:

FANATIC QUAD 81

QUATRO CUBE 85

RRD WAVE CULT V6 82

SEVERNE NUEVO 86

STARBOARD QUAD 84

TABOU DA CURVE 86

 


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