I dont like my S4 looking for a new board.
 

So i got a Liquid Force S4 this season (09 board), ridden it like 4 times and i just am not happy with it. i feel like my riding is going down hill. i feel like the board is not edging that hard and when i do hit the wake i lose a ton of pop. When edging the board also seems to sit really high in the water, so you don't get that hard charge into the wake.

last boards:

Classic Watson 138- really fun and spins nicely- could be a bit faster
Double up Kieth lidberg 139 which i liked a lot just didn't spin to easily for me.
Double up delta series138
Double up Nelson 138

Recently i have tried the:

Ronix one- not for me, rode like a tank
Company recruit- fun but not much pop, and hard to recover tricks when falling. loves how light it was.
Lyman- too loose for my style and the edging reminds me of the S4.
S3- reminds me of the Watson, popped good but lands way too hard.

My style, don't usually talk about tricks but it gives you a feel of the boards i might like:
a lot of flip variations, with 180s
and spins up to 5's
But with the S4, well not many of these.


So can anyone give me any suggestions? anything would help, oh and i like steep wakes.

try the lf shane...it'll boot you off a steep wake and landings are cush.

does it track hard?
have you ridden the S4?

cwb absolute :D

the new watson hybrid spins like a dream, just finished a sesh with it and landed all my 7's HS, TS, FS and BS which Ive never managed before!

The board is super light, and thin. Edges hard and releases easy.

Honestly the best board Ive ridden. Try it

do you like it better than your limited S4? i like the idea of the new watson its just a but load of money. did you do those 7's on cable or boat?

Try a witness.
Tracks hard - super stable - not loose at all
Lands soft
NOt super fast(like a trip or covin), but not slow(like the one) I would say right it the middle.

Give the VIVA a try. It's a bit faster than the S4, tracks well, and has a lot of pop off the wake. I used to ride the Classic watson before I switched to Ronix, and I couldn't of been happier than on the VIVA

I'm with Joe, and I'd say give the shane a shot. Seems to fit the mold.

my 08 shane was a tank. no clue if that got remidied in 09 or 10 though.
loved the way it rode though.

I gotta say.... I'm digging the heck out of my new CWB Faction. Fast, responsive, poppy.... Just fun.

If i was sponsored or had hook-ups I'd tell you whoever that was to keep the pattern.

I don't get how the Watson lands hard.... but if that's the case I don't know anything aside from a flex board that will land softer.

Slingshot Recoil
or
Byerly Conspiracy

+1 for the Shane being good for everything you said, except its a tank

Have you rode a Hyperlite Tribute?

http://www.hyperlite.com/product/305833/21012/_/Tribute

A-dub- the watson doesnt land hard. the S4 does to me. i might just end up getting a watson classic. i rode really well with it so i think i might just get another one.

Michael-The 2010 Watson is the same as classic Watson, just faster I'm using that now and it's immaculate. I used to have the the 08 Ronix DHV1 and its sooo much better.

check out the Byerly Conspiracy. its fast, tough as nails, has some flex tip to tail but a stiff torsional flex and a super hard snap off the wake. plus if you look at the last 12 in of the edge (from where the boot mounts to the tip or tail) its completely straight, so it holds a super crisp and fast edge with very little effort.. oh and the fins are off set from the tail so it releases sick for spins. try it and let it speak for itself.

andrew,

Are you talkig about the 2010 classic watson or the 2010 watson?

Try the Liquid Force Lyman! I dont know anyone who hasnt liked it. Its really fast and sits pretty high on the water. Im suprised no one has mentioned it yet.

"Lyman- too loose for my style and the edging reminds me of the S4."

He mentioned it in his first post

yeah i dont think i like boards that sit high in the water.. my whole life i like boards that i can roll into an edge and just sit on that edge, and keep the predictability before i hit the wake.. none of this slide feeling before i hit the wake. it throws everything off.

Plus one for the new Watson. I also rode the S4 last year a bit, and I love the new Watson a lot more!

does the new Watson have the same speed as the old and sit in the water similarly?

What do u mean by its a tank? Shane is slow in speed or response? or does it sit deep in water...etc?

What board do you think that sits low in the water?

Have you tried Shane or Lyman? How do you compare?

And which 2010 Watson did you get exactly? regular or hybrid? size?

If you have a chance, try the Lyman again but make sure you have with the newer fins in place and and set them closer to the center of the board. The board will be have better bite and lose that looseness you are trying to avoid. I went from a classic Watson to a Lyman and after playing with the fins, I preferred the Lyman.

The new B-SIDE is sick......i left the MAREK for that this year.

I have this years B-side as well and love that board

can you demo a board? if so try them out lots of shops have demo programs.

yeah i live near a shop so i think i might give the CWB vibe a try. i enjoy flex boards.

Vision,
im not a fan of the Lyman, ive ridden my freinds and its not for me

Hyperlite Tribute.... Try it. Like Jeff stated above. It has all those characteristics you are looking for fast, great edge, ect....

Also the Obrien Coda (previously the Cartel) is definately worth a ride. Sooooooooo smooth carving and fast. Just keep the Fin in or it will be to loose for you if you did not like the Lyman.

Just an FYI that someone on the classifieds is looking for a S4. You should try the new Murray or the CWB DB9.