Channel Islands' Sampler "Varial Foam vs. PU" Surfboard review by Noel Salas Ep. 16
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- This video is about Channel Islands' "Varial Foam vs. Polyurethane (PU)" Surfboard review by Noel Salas. Noel orders his favorite small wave board 'the Sampler' by Channel Islands in two different foam constructions. Both boards are the same, exact dimensions (5'7 x 19 x 2 5/16 volume 26.7) and glassed with polyester resin. Both boards have Team Light glassing with 4oz S cloth on the deck and 4oz E cloth on the bottom.
The crew from SS&T (Surf Show and Tell) head to Ventura, CA to meet the two founders of Varial Foam, Parker Borneman and Edison Conner.
As this review unfolds, you will hear the story of Varial foam and what makes it so unique. The cost of a Varial foam board is roughly $200.00 more than a Polyurethane foam board.
The claims made by the folks at Varial foam are listed below compared to the conventional Polyurethane foam:
1. Faster
2. Lighter (25% compared to a PU foam)
3. Stronger (30% compared to PU & EPS foam)
4. Foam will never YELLOW (Glass could yellow)
5. Will not Delaminate
6. Closed Cell Foam
7. Longer-Lasting Boards & Eternal Flex (compared to PU & EPS)
Noel goes in to detail using Trace Up GPS to verify some of these claims. We compared the Varial and PU boards in the following ways and the results are listed below:
1. Max Speed on a wave (PU was faster)
2. Average Speed on a wave (PU was faster by 5%)
3. Cutback rotation speed (Varial was faster by 8%)
4. Cutback Power (Varial was greater by 16%)
5. Cutback Turn Angle (Varial was greater by 8%)
6. Cutback Roll Angle (PU was greater by 5%)
7. Bottom turn roll angle (Varial was greater by 14%)
8. Bottom Turn duration (Varial was greater by 4%)
9. Bottom Turn Speed Gain (Both Equal)
10. Degree of vertical after bottom turn (PU more vertical by 1%)
11. Weight: Varial 4.85 & PU 5.07 (Difference roughly 4.5%)
All data was complied from 3 days of shooting video at Lower Trestles. After each session the data was sent to Trace for analysis with in-depth detail consisting of 13 pages of data for each day.
Just to clarify the weight of both boards. The Varial foam board weighed in it at 4.85 and the PU came in at 5.07. The Varial board came in roughly 4.5% lighter. Sorry for any confusion.....
Have a look at the full review and decide for yourself which board looks best as Noel tests them both in different wave conditions.
For more information on Varial Foam go to www.varialsurf.com
This is the technology from the Varial Foam website:
Varial Foam is the world’s first high performance foam adapted from advanced aerospace materials for surfboard construction. It is a new foam chemistry, which focuses on improving the performance of the surfboard core. The high modulus of Varial Foam makes it 25% lighter and 30% stronger than a PU blank with a stringer. It provides a strong and lively foundation on which shapers can incorporate any flex option they desire. Our extremely tight cell structure and uniform density enhance the board building process, eliminating variables which negatively affect a board’s performance. Varial Foam is 100% UV resistant and is always stringerless.
How is it for the environment? Manufacturing this high tech aerospace material.
Didn’t know that Jared Leto knows so much about surfboards.
Hi Noel, trying to decide between a PU Twin pin and Varial twin pin for a mini-step up. Which would you recommend?
PU/Poly for me in bigger waves
The sampler still a favorite HP small wave board? Or you move on to something newer?
Move onto something newer. I like the RW Squash better or the NB2 and the Mini Ghost Squash
Is this a non bias review? Or sales pitch. I am wondering cause you are wearing the Varial Foam T Shirt.
Just to clarify the weight of both boards. The Varial foam board weighed in it at 4.85 pounds and the PU came in at 5.07punds according to my to my UPS Small Package scale. Sorry for any confusion.....
This still is unclear. 4 lbs 8.5 oz? Or 4.85lbs? (4 lbs, 13.6oz)
Josh Ellis 4.85 pounds from my UPS small package scale. Sorry no oz’s.
Thank you Noel for this awesome review on varial foam as well as all the interviews with industries' professionals you've done in the past. Not only your reviews are unbiased but also very entertaining to watch you ripping in the water. I think Trace analytics make a huge differences, just bought one myself. Thanks again.
Thanks for the props on the show and the surfing. Stoked you like the reviews and I am happy to hear that you got a Trace unit. Cheers!
Saw you ripping on that board at lowers! Great review and huge fan of the show. Keep it up!!!
Thanks.... That board works good and I am glad you like the show. Peace!
Hi Noel, want to get a board for travel up/down so cal and not worry about heat in car. Would you recommend Vfoam or another source? Also, want an all-arounder short board HP/groverler, which board would you recommend between Sampler, uber driver xl, lost HP PJumper-maybe in lib tech, or seaside(will that hold up and not delaminate)?
Hey Noel, which board material is the strongest you've tested that resists pressure dings? Besides firewire's wooden deck, is varial foam the strongest? Looking for a long lasting board. Or is it about the glassing, thanks.
sean craig The strongest boards I have tested are...
Surftech TLPC
Firewire Helium
XTR Foam
My favorite out of the these three...
Helium
XTR
The Surftech TLPC didn’t have enough flex for me and it hurt my feet because the board was so hard.
The XTR foam is epic and you can get a custom shape in a lot of the big brand names.
sean craig Varial Foam pressure dents pretty easy... maybe a tad better compared to PU.
libtech
Varial foam dents SUPER easy !
@@surfnshowreviews7777 would you say the EPS carbon wrap is list worthy
Hey Noel, does varial float more like your typical eps? I understand this is a older video so if you dont get back, no worries. But great content to refer back too, also love how things have progressed over the years. Aloha bruddah! 🤙
Roughly the same as normal EPS
If you had to choose between getting a Varial or a Flex bar which would you choose?
Roland Verdugo Flexbar is my favorite construction right now. I also like that CI is backing it up with a 1 year warranty on breaks n buckles.
Love your videos and your surfing rocks! Thanks for the review sir!
Stoked you like the show. Cheers!!!
Great review brother! love the comparisons and the actual facts! I like the quickness out of your turns on the Varial, subtle but noticeable difference. Keep ripping!
Yea Magnum thanks for the comments.... It did seem fast in and out of turns. Cheers!!!!
always stoked on your videos noel , epic one here seems unbiased
Thanks Brian. Stoked to hear that it was unbiased. I just want to help validate claims and give people facts before they make such an important decision. Cheers
so varial is slower down the line, i wonder if the flex actually slows it up slightly as planes
Good thought..... I think it would be cool to flex test both boards and see which one has more flex. The Varial board was faster in and out of turns.
easy to put the board between two trestles put a 50lb+ weight in the middle and measure defection
Good idea..... Thanks!
Great videos! can you review the weirdo ripper. I'm stuck between it and the HS love buzz, cheers.
Glad you like the show. I am not sure I will be able to get to the WR for a while but it might happen. On another note I really like the WR and I think it's a very versatile board. I liked in surf 3-6 and the paddle power is great. Lots of foam under the chest. It has a little too much rocker in it for small wave groveling. That's my two cents....
How does the Varial foam compare to a typical EPS blank? Stoked for the upcoming comparison of all the variations of foam. Would be sick to have you test out a "geo blank", "incide" blank, and carbon fibre layup too !
That's a good question. I have not ridden a regular EPS since the Peregrine groveler. One thing I can say about the Varial foam is it took me roughly a week to get used to it. I can step on a regular EPS and get it dialed in after a couple of waves. I have been riding a few different boards lately including the Varial Sampler and it's hard for me to adapt between constructions.
I will look into the other blanks you mentioned too.
+Surf Show and Tell Reviews incide can be ordered easily through any manufacturer that deals with US Blanks. Carbon wrap and geo might be slightly harder to find! Looking forward to the test either way !
Excellent video !
Also a different question.... Whats the Band and song at the background? Sounds cool.
「あなたのコンテンツはとても感動的です」、
a heated wetsuit review would be yummy for winter surf (battery life, feel/flex, warmth duration)
bodhi tree Sounds good to me... who makes a good one that you know of?
Thermalution surf series 15M by HeatedWetsuits.com was also going to mention the ripcurl heated vest but doesn't seem to be on their website anymore.
I will look into this and see if we can do one soon. It was cold at first sun up yesterday because the offshore winds were strong. I could have used a heated vest....
Yes I'm eager for technology to improve so much so that you can wear a 2mm wetsuit and be as warm as a 4/3, Future tech come at me!
bodhi tree That would be nice. Flexibility with warmth
Another great review
Awesome video!! Love the numbers and data you put into surfing, if you are ever in HB/Newport Beach. I'd be down to help you guys film or edit.
DGK Sick thanks for the offer. Glad you liked the show!!!
Howzit Noel,
Another great review.
How eco-friendly is Varial foam? Toxic?
Stoked you liked the review!!! That is a really good question and I don't have an answer for it at the moment but I will hit them up at Varial and get back to you. Hang tight!!!
Here is the answer from the crew at Varial.
Varial Foam is non-toxic and completely inert. The primary eco
benefit of Varial Foam is that it is stronger and more durable, which keeps
boards in the lineup and out of landfills.
Epoxy feel not good.it set on the water.
Erezdekel Erez123123 It takes a little getting used too. Now that I am used to EPS I don’t want to ride a PU in until the surf is over 4’.
Surf n Show Reviews thak you very much.👍👍👍👍