Transcend vs Absolute Plat

Buying a new board in a couple weeks at a boat show and I am not to sure which one to go with. I do not have a chance to test them. I was going to go with the Plat but I am hearing good things about the Trans.
Your Opinion Please

I've spent some time on both.

Biggest difference is board speed and acceleration. The Transcend is the slowest board I have ever ridden. A couple of times I swear I was dragging something behind the board. The Absolute however feels pretty fast to me considering it is a big-rocker board also.

On the other hand the Transcend did deliver HUGE pop! The snap off the wake was extremely impressive. More than any other board I have ridden. I also thought it landed softer than the Absolute and tracked better on hard landings.

If you were to choose one without riding either board, I'd say you can't go wrong with the Plat Absolute. They are very rider friendly. But, I wouldn't recommend spending your money on a Transcend until you have ridden one. It’s extremely sluggish.



(Message edited by jarrod on December 08, 2004)

I to agree with J that the plat is alot faster then the transcend but I love the pop and the control I have with the transcend. I find that the trancend is more consistent overall from takeoff to landing and I think it holds a better edge. But it all depends on your riding style and the way I ride the transcend works best.

Derek if you really want a better idea I would post a little about your riding and what you want to accomplish it might help in your decision.

Good review J-Rod.

Right now I ride an 04 Absolute and it is a great board. I don't think there is anything special about the board but it does well in all categories.

Sorry I don't know about the Transcend.

hey Derik , the AP is a great board it pops and lands buttery smooth. I think it cuts the water great and it also has the spine which gives it a great cut. You'd be real happy with it,
I am.

I've never ridden the transcend, but the Abs. Plat. is my favorite board I've ever ridden. It delivers great pop and solid landings. Like Patrick said, you couldn't go wrong with it. It's rare to find a complaint about the Abs. Plat.

I don't ride the Abso Plat, i ride the regular core. It works well too. The transcend is a different type of ride, like mentioned it's very slow but really bucks you off the top. The landings are a little smoother than on the Absolute. The absolute accelerates quicker and still offers a huge pop. Personally I like the way molded fins interact so the Absolute is my choice. I'd say the Absolute is a little more user friendly and odds are that you would like it more. The Transcend is one you have to get used to or just be one of the lucky few who just loves it.

I've been riding the Transcend since it came out last summer, and my friend just picked up the '05 Absolute Platinum last month. So far everything everyone has said is dead on. The Transcend is slow, but, at the risk of sounding like an advertisement, the pop is nothing short of explosive. When I tried my buddy's Platinum it was a whole different world. I could cut hard and it was fast as hell, plus, much more lightweight than my Transcend. The other thing to consider is that the Plat has a removable center fin, whereas the Transcend has no center fin at all. I'll have to agree with everyone, it's all about what you want and how you ride. I think the real issue at hand now is hoping CWB makes a Transcend Platinum for '06!!!

Oh yeah, I ride my Absolute finless and have never ridden it with the center fin. It really slows it down to almost the Transcend level. If you wanna go to the flats you have to really give it a cut. It makes it so loose off the wake though!! If you're a little off on a landing you can tictock out which i like.