F-One team rider Brian Friedmann reviews the new Bamboo Surfboards

These boards are extremely well constructed and have a very solid feel in the windy choppy conditions of kiting. I’ve been riding the 5′6″ Signature strapped and the 6′ Surf strapless and they both handle really nice.

The 5″6″ is exceptionally responsive to whatever direction you want to go, turns are very tight and snappy yet it holds an edge and won’t slide out.

The 6′ Surf is a really easy board to ride strapless. It has a lot of surface area and is nicely balanced between stability and carving functionality. It works great as a light wind board for a lighter rider or as a standard (strapped or strapless) board for a heavier rider.

There’s also the Surf SL models available in 6′2 and 6′4″ if you prefer a bigger board. All of these boards benefit from the Bamboo sandwich construction which really increases the durability and life of the boards. And while they may feel slightly heavier than an epoxy board of the same size, they can handle a lot of abuse and come out unscathed.

I’ve broken around a half dozen other directional boards and have run the 5′6″ Signature through the paces and the thing is just super solid. The 6′ Surf is no slouch either and has been washed up on numerous beaches, reefs and hit just about every rock that I tried to avoid and still maintains it’s original form. I’m not advocating that you run the board into anything you can find, but it’s nice to know that it will withstand a little rough handling. The great thing is if you happen to have both these boards you’ll find you won’t change kites so much if the wind fluctuates. When it’s light wind or still building go strapless on the 6′ Surf. Then when the whitecaps really start kicking in don’t worry about pumping another kite, just grab the 5′6″ Signature and have at it.

And the F-One 09′ Fish at 5′4″ looks like it will be a crazy fun summer time board that I can’t wait to try. It’s really nice to see so many options in terms of sizes and shapes coming in the bamboo construction.

Now there’s something for everyone!