DUOTONE BLAST SLS 117L TEST REVIEW 2024

The Verdict

A real Blast to ride, with incredible early planing ability, the Blast is fast and seriously fun. Remaining easy to use, whilst still providing top-end speed that remains comfortable and controllable with easy and effortless gybing.

The Lowdown

A bold electric purple tail is paired with suitably contrasting shades of mustard yellow that stretch across the deck of the Blast. Holding an obvious parallel outline, with its volume distributed evenly from nose to tail and rail to rail, helps the Blast to maintain stability, despite it being one of the narrowest on test. Its narrowness reduces drag and increases efficiency, which is a powerful combination of design features which creates a fast, yet user-friendly platform. The Blast also comes with ample footstrap placement settings, which means there’s an option to suit everyone. Once the straps are set, the Blast naturally has a slightly narrower stance, which encourages the rider to sail in a more upright position, providing greater leverage over a well-powered rig. The deck pads under the straps extend a little further onto the deck of the board, creating an accurate reference point to feel your way into the straps without breaking that all-important vision whilst riding. Meanwhile, the tail tapers slightly after the front footstrap, leading to a square pin tail, which carries a decent amount of width and volume, while still thinning out towards the rails, helping to promote early planing, control and effortless gybing. Flipping the Blast over reveals a stylish brushed grey underside, while its relatively sharp rails throughout, which assist with release and tricky chop, quickly become apparent. A double concave is present in the nose – which runs into a vee double concave to a vee. As a whole, the Blast’s hull shape looks to deliver early planing, speed, and control. What more do you want?

Brand Claim

“The BLAST is the perfect partner for freeride bliss – doing everything you ask of it and more! Whether you are just getting comfortable in the footstraps, attempting your first planing gybes or want to be the fastest freerace guy at your spot – the adaptability and tunability of the BLAST is what truly makes it your ultimate freeride/freerace board.”

Performance

Possessing incredible ability to get on the plane, both early and easily, the Blast responds to the smallest amount of input from the rider. With easy-to-find footstraps you can settle into the Blast, allowing you to reach top speed quickly without requiring huge input from the rider to get there. However, should you choose to do so, it certainly relishes any input you choose to give it. The Blast is fast, but it remains comfortable and controllable. With a locked-in feel in the tail, the board’s deck shape under the footstraps feels natural, allowing the rider to drive harder with the heels through the gusts, or stand a little taller and let some power off without making huge changes to their stance. With excellent pointing ability, the Blast will easily get you back upwind – limiting your chances of a walk of shame. Pushing the Blast off the wind, it displays some impressive acceleration, but still continues to deliver comfort and control at speed, but to truly experience its full potential off the wind the rider will need to show a little more commitment. Through the turns, the Blast provides super easy gybing – being forgiving on the entry, midpoint, and the exit, as its volume, overall parallel shape and tail help carry speed, giving you every chance of coming out of the gybe fully planing. The Blast is more than capable of handling confused seas and still exudes control and comfort when challenged. The Blast offers serious fun for any freerider from intermediate to advanced.

WEBSITE: www.duotonesports.com

DUOTONE BLAST SLS 117L TEST REVIEW 2024

VITAL STATS

Price: PRICE: £1599 ^{(Standard Epoxy Construction)} £2149 ^{(SLS Construction)}

Volume (Quoted): 117L

Length: 234cm

Width: 67cm

Bottom Shape: Double concave to vee double to vee from middle to tail

Weight (Naked): 6.9kg

Fin: Foil Ready Box – Duotone F-Ride Composite 38cm

Sail Range (Quoted): Up to 8.4m

Sizes Available: 100, 117, 132, 145

OTHER BOARDS IN THIS TEST:

Exocet Scross 125L

Goya Bolt 4 119L

JP Australia Super Ride 124L

Severne Fox V3 115L

Starboard Carve Wood 119L

Tabou Rocket Plus TEAM 123L

BACK TO TEST OVERVIEW

The post DUOTONE BLAST SLS 117L TEST REVIEW 2024 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.