I'm looking to buy my 7 year old his first board for his upcoming birthday, so I'm looking for an older 128cm Belmont board that is the same shape as the current Motive shape. I see they used to make a "honeycomb" or HC model, as well as the foam one. I'm guessing the honeycomb construction is lighter, but is it weaker? Should I stay away from it for a 2000 or 2001 board or do they hold up fine?

well my neighbors step bro has that exact same board that u are talking about and ya its way light and he has had it sense it came out and is riding it like everyday but he has never hit a slider so its at leaste good for wake tricks but im sure it would be fine!

honeycombs are nice and light but i wouldn't hit sliders with them unless your willing to chance breaking it. check out the charley patterson hc models as well.

<a href="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/1/178006.html?1090354754" target="_blank">http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/1/178006.html?1090354754</a>

like i said he has never hit one befor

they should makea 128 absolute platinum <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0>

Thanks wade and mango. Good info.

While honeycomb boards are lighter, they tend to bounce more in choppy water because of it. Also, something like the handle dropping on the board will dent it, or standing on the back platform with your board on when you are getting ready to hop in the water. To me it's not worth the extra money for a lighter board. Honestly I don't notice a huge difference in how heavy a board is when I am riding it. <BR> My brother had a '99 Murray honeycomb board, and I had the '99 Fluid (same board, just foam core instead of honeycomb) and he actually preferred to ride mine more over his.

Honeycomb boards (and Carbon Fiber boards too) are very light but flex very little. The landings on these boards are brutal. Stick with foam. Go find the LF Mini Squirt. That board will work great for a 7 year old.

I think most are missing it on this one. HE IS 7 YEARS OLD. I'd say the chances of him breaking a HC board are somewhere right between slim and none. Probably the only way he'd break it is if he dropped it from the boat when it's on the trailer and then ran over it.

I weigh in at 160lbs and ride a honeycomb Drifter, older board. I love how light it is complared to other boards the same size. I also heard they are harder on landings but have not run into a problem. I was able to land 4 backrolls back to back and the landings weren't too bad. <BR> <BR>Hope that helps.

I also like the lightness and the snap of the stiff core, but they definitely land harder than foam core boards, and they ding easily, as Bonnie pointed out. The hard landings probably would not be a problem unless you are going huge and landing flat all the time, or unless you're an old timer with bad knees like me. The honeycomb decks also might or might not chatter a bit more on rough water, depending on the other characteristics of the board design. <BR>Surflover, either core material should be fine for your kid. Just check the edges on an older used board to make sure there are no places where the layers are splitting apart, even a little bit, as this will allow water top be drawn into the core and ruin the board over time (delamination). good luck