My aim is to review boards and products for the average knockabout surfer (or ‘kook’ like me) without all the technical terms and manoeuvres.
I have reviewed a lot of foamies lately, and it's been so much fun testing them all out. When you are deciding which foam board to buy, at the end of the day, it comes down to it one question, why are you buying a Foamie?
For me, the main reason is fun! I want a foamie that’s not trying to be anything else other than a foam board. It doesn’t have to perform like a fibreglass board because if the swell is that good, a foamie is the last thing I am grabbing.
I don’t care if it can turn on a dime; it just has to be able to catch waves with ease, give my surfing a variety for when the waves are small and let me attempt dumb stuff like riding fins first or trying to ride on my bum.
Recently, I had Tom from Spooked Kooks on the podcast (Click here to listen) and was lucky enough to pick up one of their newest boards, the UFO, in a 6’7. This board is hands down one of the funnest foamies I have ever ridden. Not the highest-performing board, but definitely the most fun!
It’s probably not my first pick for a beginner, as Spooked kooks have various models that would cater for a learner, but I wouldn’t say that it would be out of the question in the bigger size.
The 6’7 UFO is what I would say is the perfect length and volume (46L) for me as an all-rounder mid-length board this summer. I would be comfortable grabbing this board, knowing it would handle any conditions that get thrown at it. It can handle that freak bomb set that randomly appears on those small days whilst easily hand-picking the smaller waves.
The UFO is a board that you wouldn’t move your feet a lot on, but that’s ok. With the shape of this board, the fun is at the back, attempting to do turns. It's super stable under your feet and easy to paddle as there is more than enough foam under your chest.
My favourite thing about the UFO is that all the hard plastics in the surfboard are made from 100% recycled post-consumer plastic waste. This includes the ‘slick’ leash plug, futures compatible fins and fin key.
The ‘Eco Slick’ on the bottom of the board, made from recycled plastic, doesn’t affect the board's performance at all! I will admit, though, I did swap the fins straight away for twin keel fins as I could see that the shape of this board would be so much fun as a mid-length twin fin. Super stoked that I had the option to do this because the UFO comes stock with a Futures fin box system.
Like all Spooked Kooks boards, the UFO comes in various cool pastel summer colours. The 6’7 was hard to get my hands on because of the high demand, so I ended up with a Lavender one. It wasn’t my first choice of colours, but since seeing it in the flesh, it looks sick, and I love it!
The only negative I have found is that it can get pretty slippery, so definitely give it a good wax job before each surf.
I'm going to give the UFO 8.5 out of 10, I have ridden it heaps, and the froth factor hasn’t gone anywhere.
To learn more about this fantastic company, Click here to listen to the podcast episode I recorded with the owner, Tom, owner of Spooked Kooks, or buy this board or boards similar to this; click the link here to check out the full Spooked Kooks range.
Thanks for reading my review; if you make a purchase, mention to them that you have read my review.
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