I just bought a slalom sail that mounts an RDM mast (I'm still waiting for the mast to be shipped) (Severne Mach5 5.5) I'm very curious, I've always had slalom sails that mount SDM masts.
@@512k I am a heavyweight windsurfer whose summer sails are 7-oh to 10-oh and are typically on SDM. Winter sails for ice and snow are RDM and welcome to be lighter and apparently more robust !! As an amateur I stay under 25 knots ...Hear/read heavyweights prefer SDM ?? Yes, SDM vs RDM by Nico would be welcome 🙂
rdm is for waves. It's heavier, and does have a different gradient of response. But it can bend much more without breaking. When I used SDM on waves I used to break one o two masts a year, now i dont break any.
As a beginner I used 30 and 55 % with wave and freeride sails but had a lot of catapults and bad days. Once switching to 70% and freerace sails the control improved a lot. Now I have a 97 % rdm, 80% and 70% sdm masts. With the 97 I find it easier to find wind when gliding through lulls. The 70 % is a good and affordable choice with strong wind but a bit harder to control in manoeuvres. To progress to “comfortable planing” level in WS would recommend not buying lower than 70% to anyone. High performance gear like 100% masts or slalom boards is nice but also gives headaches (did I clamp the boom too much? Over-downhauled the sail?, hit the nose again?). Most amateurs should be totally fine on anything between 70-90%.
Yeah, another point for people generally is budget. And you are also going to need more than one sail size. So if you buy a 70% mast you can almost buy another sail size giving you far more options, compared to the 100% mast and one sail. Plus the durability as mentioned is higher in the 70% mast.
I see that a lot of guys already said it but I have to say it too: - those videos when you test and explain the difference between different equipment are sooo good!! Especially for us who don't buy new gear so often it's a very good help to pick the right thing when we do 😃👍🤙
I love Nice gear so i have only ever owned 100% Carbon masts😅. But i would say it was worth every penny, since im going on the water 3-4 times a week on Average even though it is 2 degrees outside here in denmark🥶
I have matching (Ezzy masts & sails), which as you explained is the most important factor in another video, because the designer may have a different curve philosophy, so I am glad that I got that right ;-) I never had the privilege to try or buy 2 masts for the same sail size, so my perspective is more like an apple & orange comparison. From a value perspective, I had to compromise so: - I use the more EXPENSIVE mast for my LONGEST 470cm Ezzy 90% carbon RDM Hoopika mast for my BIGGEST 7.5m2 Cheetah sail - I use the more value oriented and shorter 430cm Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my smaller 6.5m2 Cheetah sail - I use the more value oriented and short 400cm Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my 5.5m2 Legacy sail - I use the more value oriented and shortest 370cm base & 400cm top Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my smallest 4.7m2 Cross sail My rational was actually another factor - right or wrong - which was that the longer the mast, the more important stiffness/responsiveness becomes...so I saved my money for matching my LONGEST 470cm 90% mast with my BIGGEST 7.5m2 sail. The 2nd reason which you alluded to is weight, and the bigger the rig is, the heavier it is, so I get to shed more weight on the bigger rig. The 3rd reason is that I mix & match XT masts tops & bottoms, with my 6.5, 5.5, 4.7 sails in the middle and bottom part of my quiver, since I can't afford to have a Hoopika-only quiver of masts. Feel free to confirm or correct (or ignore) my rational. PS: I use a wide quiver and just 1 board - a 130L BIC Techno WindFoil freeride board - and your video does make me want to a get 430cm Ezzy 90% carbon RDM Hoopika mast for my 6.5m2 Cheetah sail, because that is my favourite sweetspot for that 130L board windsurfing on the Columbia River, so thank you for your insights. PPS: Could you do a video on the pros & cons of 1 wide (e.g. 4 sail, 1m2 apart) wide quiver and 1 board vs a narrower (2 sail/board) quiver and 2+ boards?
I would agree, I also use Ezzy 60% and aluminum booms with my Ezzy wave sails, but recently got a carbon boom for my 6.0 Sailworks Flyer, and will probably get the Sailworks lightstick for the foil sail instead of using the 60% Ezzy mast. The reduction in mass is noticeable and will use the carbon boom with my wave sails and probably look for lighter masts in future 😊
I just purchased a 7.7 V8 and a NP 460 95% mast. I haven’t used it yet but hope to do so in a few weeks. This will replace my 7.5 Rig that I purchased with a new board a few years ago. I’m expecting a big improvement.
Hey Nico, super clear explanation, this is useful to us. Thank you. I sail a Hellcat and a V8 with 65% carbon and it works great for me. OMG, the ease in which you play while gybing is just crazy.
I'm a wind foiler most of the time these days. I made the switch to 100% carbon RDM masts over the past couple years and have not looked back. The 100% carbon masts are so light and responsive! Their lightness really helps me control the rig during jibes, where things can get out of control quickly.
Nice video to discuss such %carbon choices. I agree with others comments around the issue of whether to rig on RDM and SDM masts and and why the feel of the two types can make such a difference under certain conditions, mainly underpowered versus overpowered.
back in about 2013 Peter Volwater (a slalom racer) said he felt no need to go for more than 75% carbon. as I am an amateur windsurfer, I follow his advice and am happy with my masts 🙂 (I will not feel the difference anyway lol)
I used to have a duotone F-type 5.8 on a duotone black 50% mast, I'm now using an ezzy hydra 7m on duotone mast 50%, a 5.5 ezzy hydra on a 50% cc unifibre and a witch craft slayer 4.7 on same mast, took advise from David ezzy about rigging 7m hydra on duotone mast, an ok match, it would probably work better on 90% ezzy mast, but it's perfectly ok for me, I don't get on the water much,my mast are the cheapest part of my kit.
Thank you very much for your videos. The subjects you cover are very interesting. Windsurfing is a very technical sport and thanks to the videos you make, you simplify it. Technique is all very well, but this sport has become too technical and it's even an obstacle to starting or continuing this sport if you're an amateur. So thank you for your contribution to the sport and keep up the good work!
I'm using North Ultimate Pro RDM 100% they are the latest generation masts for the 3di sails. Here is my windsurfing gear buying rules. Rule 1) buy the best you can afford, your life may depend on it. 2) if you have decided to make windsurfing your sport, invest in quality gear, you will have it for a much longer than the cheap stuff. For example, I have a NP carbon boom. It's probably 4 -5 years old now. It still looks good and it works very, very well. I'll have that boom for several more years, I'm sure. I hope I don't come across as someone that is an expert, But I've had a couple of serious break downs over the years and this is what I came up with to alleviate them. Windsurfing it the best.
Very nice production and quality info, thanks! Just sourced high C masts for this season. 490 is 100%, 460 is 80%, 430 is 90%. I had 1 session with the 490 and 1 session with the 430 already last year. Both felt very nice, previously i had 80C for the 490 and 75C for the 430. It would be nice to back-to-back test them just as you did, but I rather spend time on the water blasting. ;)
On my 5.7 torro I use a unifiber 40% carbon mast which is RDM, to be fair Im not good enough to distinguish the characteristics of two masts but what I can say with 100% certainty is the RDM feels much better than SDM north sails 100% carbon (i thinks its 100% not sure) mast, mostly because the SDM gets stuck and doesnt let the sail flip over when turning
I’m an intermediate level windsurfer but my shop (North Beach Windsurfing) has always encouraged me to purchase higher carbon masts so that I buy once and get the best performance for my time on the water. Question- longevity? How long does a mast last? Sails I usually hear 300 hours in the sun but what about a mast and does more carbon make a difference?
I'm using 100% whenever possible. 430, 490 and 520. In EVO's (XI, XIII and XIV's) and speedsters. But I have a couple of locations where I have my gear. My main location in NL has all the 100% and a few 95%. My secondairy location in Antwerp has 2 95% masts 430, 490. I very much prefer my 100%, but budget is a consideration.
for regular people is more about security. 80% is the ideal one, so that you are not afraid to break it. with 50% it's gonna break sooner or later, especially if you push it in strong winds.
I use 100% on the 9.0 sail because you just need that extra bit on the bigger sizes on 6.7 and smaller i use a 70% mostly because of the budget. Of course one day i might use the 100% if there will be the money but since then I am more than happy with it. But it was nice to see this type of confirmations that i didn't just have opinions in my mind. Keep up the effort to educate the normal windsurfing community🤙
Ok with the free-race sails you can switch the masts . Is it the same with pure race sails ? Don’t you have to use 100% with these to even trim them properly ?
Totally agree. My budget has become my major factor so the days of 100% masts are sadly gone. Do I notice the different with 75-95% is another question altogether as I don’t spend so much time on the water now so skill fade and lack of fitness also play a big part for me now… I would also add recreational sailors only change their mast when absolutely necessary so a mast with longevity is key… I had a 100% RDM mast I purchased new and didn’t use it for a 12 mths bcs no opportunity and then on its first outing in B&J conditions it snapped… top Brand refused to warranty the mast so again unless you have deep pockets don’t buy a 100% masts as a recreational sailor as it’s just not worth it!
Deine Videos sind sooo krass Nico! Ganz ehrlich: Das guckt sich besser weg als Netflix 😂Make Windsurfing Great Again passt echt - du bringst so einen frischen Wind in den Sport mit deinen Videos 🎬Großer Respekt und ganz liebe Grüße, Max 🙋♂
Hi Nico. Thanks for this great video. After to watch this video it's come a great question about masts. Is there any difference in the performance of the sail if you consider carbon % and distribution bend of it % ( constant curve, flex top, etc)?
I am using 100% carbons to my slalom sails. I am hunting for good condition used one to be cost minded. Not all used ones worth to buy, but every year pops up some good deal, than I go for it! What I would like to see is blind test of masts ( carbon % ) and yehh, I do care about rdm SDM comparison as well. Thanks for sharing those test!
I still have a couple of Neil Pryde 95% carbon masts from,,, around 1995 I think? Along with VR2 and VR3 sails and a Thommen 295... I unfortunately don't have the opportunity to use them as often as I did when I bought them, but they are still in mint condition and performing well whenever I take them out. Man I need some new stuff... 😮🤣 Did you get the chance to actually get the weight of the masts? That will make a big difference with the moment of inertia for handling and going into gybes. Nice flatwater spot 👍
Very good test. Whish I had this before. I personally use 90% on my wave sales and foil sails. I had some 100% masts, but Ifor me the difference between 90 and 100 is not worth the money. Also I feel the 90% is more durable and that's important for a recreational surfer. But in short, thumbs up 👍 👌 for this test.
So Nico, you’ll be training with a 50% mast and rip out the 100 on race day, like wearing weights on wrists & ankles until show time. Can you now compare RDM & SDM in the Speedster. What’s your GPS Alphas?
great video congratulations and thank you. What is still missing in the comparison for me is the shock resistance. I'm an average surfer, especially speed and nice maneuvers and small jumps in the chop. I worked as a windsurfing instructor for 7 years. For example, if you take your material out of the car and hit it against the tailgate, or the mast hits a stone, the 100% mast gets small breaks in the material more quickly and then breaks more quickly, even when rigging it up. For example, a 70% mast is much less sensitive to shock. If you drop your mast on the meadow, which many surfers do, there will be a small stone in the way... bad luck. I recommend 70%, it lasts the entire time you are surfing and can easily be sold again with these same arguments. 100% mast I wouldn't buy used
Wenn der Mast etwas gebogen ist (Banane ungeriggt), aufgrund des vielen Gebrauchs. Muss man tauschen? Oder geht das trotzdem ohne grosse Performance Einbusse?
Tolles Video, wie immer. Kurze Frage: wie macht ihr das mit der Drohne? Auf Teneriffa darf man ja fast nirgednwo fliegen. Habt ihr Sondergenehmigungen oder fliegt ihr einfach?
My long masts are 100%, shortest is 70%. Also shorter masts are RDM easyer in chop, longer mast are SDM. In some sails i do use bot types SDM or RDM depending of chopp conditions.
Any tips on starting to get into the back footstrap, I’m moving away from techno to smaller boards. ik it’s simple but each time I try I either fall or really slow my board down which isn’t great when I’m racing against others in my club 🤣
MFB (Mast foot pressure) try starting with keeping your mastfoot, front foot & back foot @ 1/3 weight distribution each. Then when you start accelerating right before planing: first move your feet backwards & touch the footstraps. Then place your front foot in the footstrap > accelerate a bit > hang in harness lines a bit more (MFP) > move back foot from touching the side of the back-footstrap into the footstrap. Should work! Focus on weight distribution, try to keep your board half-wind without it turning up-wind.
I was gifted a 420 mask with 100% carbon from my coach as well as a sail, at the time I was 10 and didn't realise to the full extent at how incredible and lucky I was! Wow!
Nico, sweet video! Would the same take aways/conclusions on slalom gear apply to wave sails? Wondering where that % carbon sweet spot is when getting tumbled in 2-3m waves come into the equation and you cant afford to break a mast a few times a season?
@Nico_GER7 interested in what harness line length you sail with in a freerace setup like in this video. BTW as always super informative and well produced video.
Merci pour la vidéo. Les bottoms des "TPX" sont beaucoup trop raides, du coup ils sont incassables(garantie 2+1), c'est génial, mais mais : la courbure global des mats "TPX" ne corresponds pas aux courbures des voiles (evo 10, 11, 12, 13). J'ai gagné presque 4 noeuds avec un mat 4.60m decathlon sur une evo 13, 7.4m, alors qu'avec le "tpx"4.60, impossible de faire sortir le vent de la voile(20 à 30 nds de vent). Résultats : 29.87 nds vmax avec tpx et 32.32 nds avec le mat décathlon(ceci n'est qu'un exemple avec ce mat : je n'aborderai pas les autres mats). J'ai tous les TPX : y en a pas un qui marchent (4.00m rdm, 4.30 rdm, 4.30 sdm, 4.60 sdm, 4.90 sdm). Désolé! Mais au prix que sa vaut et la performance qui n'est pas du tout au rendez vous, il est obligatoire pour moi d'offrir la contradiction. D'ailleurs, Pryde n'a pas fait de podium en 2023 : serait-ce lié? Pardon Nico prien, mais c'est la vérité, et je vois bien que tu t'entraines ainsi que Martini et Morotti! Ne venez pas me dire que vous êtes mauvais : c'est faux! Le matériel, ne marchait pas en 2023 sur le tour. Tu peux enlever mon message si tu veux : ce n'est pas grave! Porte toi bien et bonne chance pour 2024 : si les mats marchent aussi bien qu'en 2023, alors va falloir que tu passes encore plus de temps à la salle de sport(ce qui ne règlera pas le problème). Ceci étant tu as tout mon respect.
Great video, but I raly want to know what is the other material in mast, you have 70% carbon and what is other 30% becouse it cant be fiber glass becouse their properities don't work together. Also thing to consider is how difrend sails work with difrend masts, I'm not talking about hard/flex tops, I have Severne Reflex 7 9.2 and it work beter with 70%C mast than 100%C mast, maybe it is the age difrence betwen mast and sali techlology but it's somehow beter.
Ich benutze ein Evo12 mit dem spx95. Ich glaube nicht dass ein Hobbyracer einen Unterschied zum C100er merkt. Dazu kommt noch die grössere Empfindlichkeit des 100ers. Ich habe schon 100er am Gardasee gesehen, die wg. der Hitze während des trimmens gebrochen sind. Mein 95er hält bereits seit 2021. Leider verbiegen sich alle NP Racemasten wenn man sie 1 Tag geriggt im Segel lässt.
Hey Nico good video. One interesting observation that you had is that the 70% was a bit thinner. I was wondering if the 95% and 100% were thinner than the 75%, as some of us sail with cambers, and was curious as to camber rotation with a 70% vs a 95% or 100%
Great video again, but it would be better blind test with. I usually ride GA 70% of carbon content RDM/SDM mast with, but I want GA 95% percent masts. All of my sails has from GA (Cosmic, Manic)
Nice Video Nico with alot of gybe action looks so easy.. But it isnt. 😅. Nice to have some explanation how its made and the materials. For me every 6 years 100% carbon ❤ tpx 370 > 550. They last long if you take care of them and dont let them drop. 😊
it is mean if you are buying 100% C mast you pay extra money for insurance in case your mast will break and vendor has to provide you the warranty :) smart !
I have sailed NP Since 1990, so I have been going through a lot of sails and mast( also other brand than NP in masts) What i have concluded is: The higher the sail size , the better the mast you should invest in, I have only 100 procent in 370 and 400, than covers from 4,2 and up to 5,6 in Combat wave Series. From 4,0 and Down i have 95 procent Carbon, and to been hornest , i Don,t Think you Will be abel to tell the difference, ( from my 4,2 to 4,0 Combat wave I can’t not) furthermore there is an added safety in 95 mast, in which is important if , you surf in cold condition, and Waves are normally bygger, the more the Wind. ( northsee) - also i Can say than, its superimportant to use the right kind of mast for the sail, so therefore go for the mast, than you know will be 100 procent right for the sail( same brand) i have once other other masts, ( other brand) but there is a clear difference, i later learned.- One last thing, .. its always good to know how much time you Will invest in windsurf, lets also than be a guideline to, how much Money you invest in the mast.
Considering an 80% mast is much more common than a 95% I feel you should have used the 80% instead. I always use 80% masts and when I have used a 100% it snapped when overpowered and destroyed my sail! So of course I don't trust 100% now.
You always forget from your gear information (like board size and sail size) the most important part - Nico Prien weight at the given day. 😀 and possibly also wind speed ...
ohh the mast topic. I remember North's Gold Mast was at 75%, that was 10 years ago. Where is it now? At 90%. All of this just makes the sport even more expensive. And the normal windsurfer doesn't need that. He doesn't drive at the limit anyway. And 2. the shorter the mast, the less relevant the topic becomes. Because the problem is the weight in the top, because of the leverage. But these are all luxury problems for people who don't know what to do with their money. I prefer to sail 5 sails 5.3/5.0/4.7/4.5/4.2 and 2 75% masts than 3 sails and 2 100% masts. Even if it is more expensive. In the end, it is the surface area of the sail that counts most for the right performance.
Hi Nico, wie immer ein klasse Video von Dir. Ich kann Deinen Aussagen aus eigener Erfahrung nur zustimmen. Allerdings wäre es (ohne NP-Katalog) deutlich informativer gewesen, wenn Du auch mal die Preise und die Gewichte der Masten gegenüber gestellt hättest. Ich habe schon Ende der 90er den Vergleich mit CK55/75/95 auf 8,5er V8 bei super wenig Wind gemacht, als Referenz (neben dem Windmesser der Surfstation) fungierte eine Jolle, die kaum vom Fleck kam 😂 Mit 55 ging nichts, trotz pumpen, mit 75 und viel Nachpumpen kam ich ins gleiten, der 95 brauchte nur wenige Pumpschläge, ich war im gleiten und musste auch nicht nachpumpen, also auch höhere Geschwindigkeit. Meine damalige Einschätzung war, daß die Leistungsdifferenz zwischen 55 und 75 sehr hoch war, die zwischen 75 und 95 zwar merkbar, aber deutlich geringer. Preislich war aber der Unterschied 75/95 deutlich höher als 55/75. Vom Gewicht her war es damals (bei Fehlern berufe ich mich auf Alzheimer 😇😂), bei 2,8 kg/55 zu 2,3/75 zu 1,9/95 beim 490er Mast. Beim 55 frage ich mich eh, warum überhaupt ein Hersteller diese Masten noch baut, da der Mehrpreis zum 75 nur sehr klein ist, der Leistungsgewinn aber riesig. M.E. sollten auch sehr leichte Personen mindestens den 75, eher noch den 95 nehmen, da der Komfortgewinn durch das geringere Gewicht (Hebelwirkung am Top ist heftig) enorm ist. Ich konnte das Top vom alten CK95 am Top mit ausgestreckten Arm locker schwenken 👍🏼 Meine Empfehlung daraus war, daß ein 75er vom Preis/Leistungsverhältnis fur den Normalsurfer völlig ok ist, da man sich dann eben noch ein weiteres Segel/Rigg kaufen kann und man die Mehrleistung eh kaum spürt. Auch der Wiederverkaufswert vom 75 ist deutlich besser als beim 55. Beim 95 wiederum schauen viele Gebrauchtkäufer sehr genau hin, da er sicher etwas empfindlicher ist. Klar, für den Racer ist der 95/100 die Mehrleistung wert. Ich fahre ja auch heute noch lieber den 95 im V8. Mach weiter so, ich wünsche Dir für dieses Jahr eine noch erfolgreichere Saison 👍🏼👏🏼
Danke dir. Ich kann nur wiederholen (habe ich zuvor schon mal kommentiert), dass ohne Sponsoren, wie NP das ganze in dem Rahmen garnicht möglich wäre. Deshalb finde ich es völlig in Ordnung, so wie es ist. Bei 200.000 Aufrufen pro wäre Video, wäre das vielleicht anders :-)
GET A WARM WETSUIT, BOOTS AND GLOVES AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON THE WATER AS POSSIBLE. THINK ABOUT BETTER EQUIPTMENT AFTER U KNOW HOW TO FALL AND NOT BREAK IT XD. So after u know how to sail and how to not explode on the water go for 100% mast is is so good.
My experience is that 100% Masts are much stiffer in comparison.. An objektive test would be, to measure the force you need to bend the Mast at different Levels of bending. Also bending curve should be compared. The weight may play a limited role in bending Speed. If you want to make a real good Test, you must do a blind Test, without knowing before what type of Mast is rigged. Sorry, but in my eyes your test is not very useful.
I’m testing, because I’m curious and sharing my experience. For some it’s useful, for some not. Your “objective” test wouldn’t help much, because in this case the responsiveness is the most important factor for the performance.
@@Nico_GER7 There is a point. You should have made a blind test. I.e. testing without knowing which carbon percentage you have. Remember the placebo effect. You feel what you believe you should feel. That is normal bias.
@@schobihh2703 I'm referring to his suggestion of bending the masts. Anyhow, the differences were so significant to feel that a bias wouldn't make the difference. And if you do not believe or trust my tests or reviews, there is no point on watching my videos anyways. However, I have risked several times my sponsors not being happy with my statements or actions, so I hope that gives some confidence to viewers. But you can't make everyone happy. 🙂
@@Nico_GER7 As you make critical statements which your sponsors maybe not always like, you should allow your followers to make critical comments so too. Or do you only want to have claqueurs.... There is nothing wrong with your judgement. But you are a professional, they need top performance gear. There is no sport, where the regular athlete needs to have the same high tech gear what professionals need. Only windsurfing, there the "industry" wants to make the customer believe,, that he needs the same gear. To me that doesn't make sense. And for me that is one of the reason,s why this sport is in the demise. This does scare of many.
@@schobihh2703 Critical comments are great, that's why we are here in the comment section discussing. 🙂 Personally, I still wouldn't watch someone's content, whom I don't trust. To your other points: Of course, nobody "needs" it. It really comes down to the person. You can't hide the fact, that indeed the pro gear is better. Some people really like to invest and make sure to have the best gear. Just like in road cycling, for example. But I agree, as long as you don't compete there's never really a need for it.
It would be interesting the difference between rdm and sdm 😊
I just bought a slalom sail that mounts an RDM mast (I'm still waiting for the mast to be shipped) (Severne Mach5 5.5) I'm very curious, I've always had slalom sails that mount SDM masts.
My 430 sdm 45% broke, now use a 70% rdm… I miss the sdm😂 but can’t really explain, it just doesn’t feel the same.
@@512k I am a heavyweight windsurfer whose summer sails are 7-oh to 10-oh and are typically on SDM. Winter sails for ice and snow are RDM and welcome to be lighter and apparently more robust !! As an amateur I stay under 25 knots ...Hear/read heavyweights prefer SDM ?? Yes, SDM vs RDM by Nico would be welcome 🙂
rdm is for waves. It's heavier, and does have a different gradient of response. But it can bend much more without breaking. When I used SDM on waves I used to break one o two masts a year, now i dont break any.
You’re such a great ambassador for these sports. Very useful presentations. Keep up the great work.
As a beginner I used 30 and 55 % with wave and freeride sails but had a lot of catapults and bad days. Once switching to 70% and freerace sails the control improved a lot. Now I have a 97 % rdm, 80% and 70% sdm masts. With the 97 I find it easier to find wind when gliding through lulls. The 70 % is a good and affordable choice with strong wind but a bit harder to control in manoeuvres. To progress to “comfortable planing” level in WS would recommend not buying lower than 70% to anyone. High performance gear like 100% masts or slalom boards is nice but also gives headaches (did I clamp the boom too much? Over-downhauled the sail?, hit the nose again?). Most amateurs should be totally fine on anything between 70-90%.
Yeah, another point for people generally is budget. And you are also going to need more than one sail size. So if you buy a 70% mast you can almost buy another sail size giving you far more options, compared to the 100% mast and one sail. Plus the durability as mentioned is higher in the 70% mast.
I see that a lot of guys already said it but I have to say it too: - those videos when you test and explain the difference between different equipment are sooo good!! Especially for us who don't buy new gear so often it's a very good help to pick the right thing when we do 😃👍🤙
Loved the interview with the designer. Great touch.
I didn't need a new mast but I watched your video and now I may 😁
I love Nice gear so i have only ever owned 100% Carbon masts😅. But i would say it was worth every penny, since im going on the water 3-4 times a week on Average even though it is 2 degrees outside here in denmark🥶
I have matching (Ezzy masts & sails), which as you explained is the most important factor in another video, because the designer may have a different curve philosophy, so I am glad that I got that right ;-)
I never had the privilege to try or buy 2 masts for the same sail size, so my perspective is more like an apple & orange comparison.
From a value perspective, I had to compromise so:
- I use the more EXPENSIVE mast for my LONGEST 470cm Ezzy 90% carbon RDM Hoopika mast for my BIGGEST 7.5m2 Cheetah sail
- I use the more value oriented and shorter 430cm Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my smaller 6.5m2 Cheetah sail
- I use the more value oriented and short 400cm Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my 5.5m2 Legacy sail
- I use the more value oriented and shortest 370cm base & 400cm top Ezzy 60% carbon RDM XT mast for my smallest 4.7m2 Cross sail
My rational was actually another factor - right or wrong - which was that the longer the mast, the more important stiffness/responsiveness becomes...so I saved my money for matching my LONGEST 470cm 90% mast with my BIGGEST 7.5m2 sail.
The 2nd reason which you alluded to is weight, and the bigger the rig is, the heavier it is, so I get to shed more weight on the bigger rig.
The 3rd reason is that I mix & match XT masts tops & bottoms, with my 6.5, 5.5, 4.7 sails in the middle and bottom part of my quiver, since I can't afford to have a Hoopika-only quiver of masts.
Feel free to confirm or correct (or ignore) my rational.
PS: I use a wide quiver and just 1 board - a 130L BIC Techno WindFoil freeride board - and your video does make me want to a get 430cm Ezzy 90% carbon RDM Hoopika mast for my 6.5m2 Cheetah sail, because that is my favourite sweetspot for that 130L board windsurfing on the Columbia River, so thank you for your insights.
PPS: Could you do a video on the pros & cons of 1 wide (e.g. 4 sail, 1m2 apart) wide quiver and 1 board vs a narrower (2 sail/board) quiver and 2+ boards?
I would agree, I also use Ezzy 60% and aluminum booms with my Ezzy wave sails, but recently got a carbon boom for my 6.0 Sailworks Flyer, and will probably get the Sailworks lightstick for the foil sail instead of using the 60% Ezzy mast. The reduction in mass is noticeable and will use the carbon boom with my wave sails and probably look for lighter masts in future 😊
I just purchased a 7.7 V8 and a NP 460 95% mast. I haven’t used it yet but hope to do so in a few weeks. This will replace my 7.5 Rig that I purchased with a new board a few years ago. I’m expecting a big improvement.
Hey Nico, super clear explanation, this is useful to us. Thank you.
I sail a Hellcat and a V8 with 65% carbon and it works great for me.
OMG, the ease in which you play while gybing is just crazy.
Great video with amazing result. I would have expected the cheapest one was the best hahaha but still epic content. Keep up the good work Nico!
Thanks - I love the tutorials!
I'm a wind foiler most of the time these days. I made the switch to 100% carbon RDM masts over the past couple years and have not looked back. The 100% carbon masts are so light and responsive! Their lightness really helps me control the rig during jibes, where things can get out of control quickly.
Two of my favorite figures in windsurfing! Robert Stroj and Nico Prien!
I love 85%, feels more sturdy, not too stiff & a bit less worry about dents, cracks & temperature of the mast.
Nice video to discuss such %carbon choices. I agree with others comments around the issue of whether to rig on RDM and SDM masts and and why the feel of the two types can make such a difference under certain conditions, mainly underpowered versus overpowered.
back in about 2013 Peter Volwater (a slalom racer) said he felt no need to go for more than 75% carbon.
as I am an amateur windsurfer, I follow his advice and am happy with my masts 🙂
(I will not feel the difference anyway lol)
What type of mast are you using? Is it time to upgrade?
1) always same brand mast as sail (recommended mast)
2) high carbon content
70% but going to switch it for a 95% 🤙🏻
RDM 100%
30%😭
Rdm 55 i think
I used to have a duotone F-type 5.8 on a duotone black 50% mast, I'm now using an ezzy hydra 7m on duotone mast 50%, a 5.5 ezzy hydra on a 50% cc unifibre and a witch craft slayer 4.7 on same mast, took advise from David ezzy about rigging 7m hydra on duotone mast, an ok match, it would probably work better on 90% ezzy mast, but it's perfectly ok for me, I don't get on the water much,my mast are the cheapest part of my kit.
Thank you very much for your videos. The subjects you cover are very interesting. Windsurfing is a very technical sport and thanks to the videos you make, you simplify it. Technique is all very well, but this sport has become too technical and it's even an obstacle to starting or continuing this sport if you're an amateur. So thank you for your contribution to the sport and keep up the good work!
learnt more from nico s videos than a whole semester in high school
😂😂😂
I'm using North Ultimate Pro RDM 100% they are the latest generation masts for the 3di sails.
Here is my windsurfing gear buying rules. Rule 1) buy the best you can afford, your life may depend on it. 2) if you have decided to make windsurfing your sport, invest in quality gear, you will have it for a much longer than the cheap stuff. For example, I have a NP carbon boom. It's probably 4 -5 years old now. It still looks good and it works very, very well. I'll have that boom for several more years, I'm sure.
I hope I don't come across as someone that is an expert, But I've had a couple of serious break downs over the years and this is what I came up with to alleviate them.
Windsurfing it the best.
thanks ur vids mate they help a lot , def answer a lot of questions as well . cheers nico
Thanks, these videos are very helpful
Im using 430sdm 95% on speedster 6.7 at 98kg and Im happy with it.
Very nice production and quality info, thanks! Just sourced high C masts for this season. 490 is 100%, 460 is 80%, 430 is 90%. I had 1 session with the 490 and 1 session with the 430 already last year. Both felt very nice, previously i had 80C for the 490 and 75C for the 430. It would be nice to back-to-back test them just as you did, but I rather spend time on the water blasting. ;)
On my 5.7 torro I use a unifiber 40% carbon mast which is RDM, to be fair Im not good enough to distinguish the characteristics of two masts but what I can say with 100% certainty is the RDM feels much better than SDM north sails 100% carbon (i thinks its 100% not sure) mast, mostly because the SDM gets stuck and doesnt let the sail flip over when turning
Awsome video like always🔥 I prefer the 100% carbon mast because it feals so much better in the jibe on the foil
I’m an intermediate level windsurfer but my shop (North Beach Windsurfing) has always encouraged me to purchase higher carbon masts so that I buy once and get the best performance for my time on the water. Question- longevity? How long does a mast last? Sails I usually hear 300 hours in the sun but what about a mast and does more carbon make a difference?
I'm using 100% whenever possible. 430, 490 and 520. In EVO's (XI, XIII and XIV's) and speedsters. But I have a couple of locations where I have my gear. My main location in NL has all the 100% and a few 95%. My secondairy location in Antwerp has 2 95% masts 430, 490. I very much prefer my 100%, but budget is a consideration.
for regular people is more about security. 80% is the ideal one, so that you are not afraid to break it. with 50% it's gonna break sooner or later, especially if you push it in strong winds.
I use 100% on the 9.0 sail because you just need that extra bit on the bigger sizes on 6.7 and smaller i use a 70% mostly because of the budget. Of course one day i might use the 100% if there will be the money but since then I am more than happy with it. But it was nice to see this type of confirmations that i didn't just have opinions in my mind. Keep up the effort to educate the normal windsurfing community🤙
Ok with the free-race sails you can switch the masts . Is it the same with pure race sails ? Don’t you have to use 100% with these to even trim them properly ?
I use rsracing evo 14 on 70% mast, want to try 85% though
Totally agree. My budget has become my major factor so the days of 100% masts are sadly gone. Do I notice the different with 75-95% is another question altogether as I don’t spend so much time on the water now so skill fade and lack of fitness also play a big part for me now… I would also add recreational sailors only change their mast when absolutely necessary so a mast with longevity is key… I had a 100% RDM mast I purchased new and didn’t use it for a 12 mths bcs no opportunity and then on its first outing in B&J conditions it snapped… top Brand refused to warranty the mast so again unless you have deep pockets don’t buy a 100% masts as a recreational sailor as it’s just not worth it!
Deine Videos sind sooo krass Nico! Ganz ehrlich: Das guckt sich besser weg als Netflix 😂Make Windsurfing Great Again passt echt - du bringst so einen frischen Wind in den Sport mit deinen Videos 🎬Großer Respekt und ganz liebe Grüße, Max 🙋♂
Hi Nico. Thanks for this great video.
After to watch this video it's come a great question about masts.
Is there any difference in the performance of the sail if you consider carbon % and distribution bend of it % ( constant curve, flex top, etc)?
When will we get 150% carbon? Without epoxy resin?
I am using 100% carbons to my slalom sails. I am hunting for good condition used one to be cost minded. Not all used ones worth to buy, but every year pops up some good deal, than I go for it!
What I would like to see is blind test of masts ( carbon % ) and yehh, I do care about rdm SDM comparison as well.
Thanks for sharing those test!
Just got a set of NP V8 Flight with 70% masts (from Surf Center😊). Nice combo!
I still have a couple of Neil Pryde 95% carbon masts from,,, around 1995 I think? Along with VR2 and VR3 sails and a Thommen 295... I unfortunately don't have the opportunity to use them as often as I did when I bought them, but they are still in mint condition and performing well whenever I take them out. Man I need some new stuff... 😮🤣
Did you get the chance to actually get the weight of the masts? That will make a big difference with the moment of inertia for handling and going into gybes.
Nice flatwater spot 👍
Very good test.
Whish I had this before.
I personally use 90% on my wave sales and foil sails. I had some 100% masts, but Ifor me the difference between 90 and 100 is not worth the money. Also I feel the 90% is more durable and that's important for a recreational surfer.
But in short, thumbs up 👍 👌 for this test.
SPX 90 RDM. Just bought. Haven't used it yet.
So Nico, you’ll be training with a 50% mast and rip out the 100 on race day, like wearing weights on wrists & ankles until show time.
Can you now compare RDM & SDM in the Speedster.
What’s your GPS Alphas?
great video congratulations and thank you.
What is still missing in the comparison for me is the shock resistance.
I'm an average surfer, especially speed and nice maneuvers and small jumps in the chop.
I worked as a windsurfing instructor for 7 years.
For example, if you take your material out of the car and hit it against the tailgate, or the mast hits a stone, the 100% mast gets small breaks in the material more quickly and then breaks more quickly, even when rigging it up.
For example, a 70% mast is much less sensitive to shock.
If you drop your mast on the meadow, which many surfers do, there will be a small stone in the way... bad luck.
I recommend 70%, it lasts the entire time you are surfing and can easily be sold again with these same arguments.
100% mast I wouldn't buy used
Hi Nico, Can you please make a tutorial for the footstraps? I struggle a lot with it.
Wenn der Mast etwas gebogen ist (Banane ungeriggt), aufgrund des vielen Gebrauchs. Muss man tauschen? Oder geht das trotzdem ohne grosse Performance Einbusse?
Great videos. To see the how the mastes has been made❤. Can you explain the RDM and SDM. 😊
Ich fahre 90 Prozent und bin sehr zufrieden! Wie lange fährst Du Deine Masten? Wechselst Du jedes Jahr?
Tolles Video, wie immer. Kurze Frage: wie macht ihr das mit der Drohne? Auf Teneriffa darf man ja fast nirgednwo fliegen. Habt ihr Sondergenehmigungen oder fliegt ihr einfach?
Danke!
Nico the trim of the Sail especially for free race sails ( V8 ) and racing sails would work both with 100% and lower percentage ?
My long masts are 100%, shortest is 70%. Also shorter masts are RDM easyer in chop, longer mast are SDM. In some sails i do use bot types SDM or RDM depending of chopp conditions.
Any tips on starting to get into the back footstrap, I’m moving away from techno to smaller boards. ik it’s simple but each time I try I either fall or really slow my board down which isn’t great when I’m racing against others in my club 🤣
MFB (Mast foot pressure) try starting with keeping your mastfoot, front foot & back foot @ 1/3 weight distribution each. Then when you start accelerating right before planing: first move your feet backwards & touch the footstraps. Then place your front foot in the footstrap > accelerate a bit > hang in harness lines a bit more (MFP) > move back foot from touching the side of the back-footstrap into the footstrap.
Should work!
Focus on weight distribution, try to keep your board half-wind without it turning up-wind.
I was gifted a 420 mask with 100% carbon from my coach as well as a sail, at the time I was 10 and didn't realise to the full extent at how incredible and lucky I was! Wow!
Nico, sweet video! Would the same take aways/conclusions on slalom gear apply to wave sails? Wondering where that % carbon sweet spot is when getting tumbled in 2-3m waves come into the equation and you cant afford to break a mast a few times a season?
always very interesting videos. Thank you
I was just asking the same question the other day. We have a telephatic connection haha😂
@Nico_GER7 interested in what harness line length you sail with in a freerace setup like in this video. BTW as always super informative and well produced video.
Merci pour la vidéo. Les bottoms des "TPX" sont beaucoup trop raides, du coup ils sont incassables(garantie 2+1), c'est génial, mais mais : la courbure global des mats "TPX" ne corresponds pas aux courbures des voiles (evo 10, 11, 12, 13). J'ai gagné presque 4 noeuds avec un mat 4.60m decathlon sur une evo 13, 7.4m, alors qu'avec le "tpx"4.60, impossible de faire sortir le vent de la voile(20 à 30 nds de vent). Résultats : 29.87 nds vmax avec tpx et 32.32 nds avec le mat décathlon(ceci n'est qu'un exemple avec ce mat : je n'aborderai pas les autres mats). J'ai tous les TPX : y en a pas un qui marchent (4.00m rdm, 4.30 rdm, 4.30 sdm, 4.60 sdm, 4.90 sdm). Désolé! Mais au prix que sa vaut et la performance qui n'est pas du tout au rendez vous, il est obligatoire pour moi d'offrir la contradiction. D'ailleurs, Pryde n'a pas fait de podium en 2023 : serait-ce lié? Pardon Nico prien, mais c'est la vérité, et je vois bien que tu t'entraines ainsi que Martini et Morotti! Ne venez pas me dire que vous êtes mauvais : c'est faux! Le matériel, ne marchait pas en 2023 sur le tour. Tu peux enlever mon message si tu veux : ce n'est pas grave! Porte toi bien et bonne chance pour 2024 : si les mats marchent aussi bien qu'en 2023, alors va falloir que tu passes encore plus de temps à la salle de sport(ce qui ne règlera pas le problème). Ceci étant tu as tout mon respect.
Interesting video. It also looked like the jumps were higher with 100% carbon mast. A slalom board jump tutorial would be nice idea 😃👍
There is a tutorial on this channel.
Great video, but I raly want to know what is the other material in mast, you have 70% carbon and what is other 30% becouse it cant be fiber glass becouse their properities don't work together. Also thing to consider is how difrend sails work with difrend masts, I'm not talking about hard/flex tops, I have Severne Reflex 7 9.2 and it work beter with 70%C mast than 100%C mast, maybe it is the age difrence betwen mast and sali techlology but it's somehow beter.
Nice video 😎🤙🏻
@Nico_GER7 you tested the masts on a race set. Would you give the same advise for wave equipment? Thanks!
How about RDM vs SDM w same carbon content?
Oh man these conditions warm weather flat water 😢😮
I have 95% Ezzy hookpia. Bought the 430 new but the 400 & 370 I got more recently I bought second hand at half price and they are fine.
Personally I’ve a FLX70 SDM of 490 and a SPX65 SDM of 460. Wonder why they have stopped the SPX65. 🤔
I use 85%, best compromise for me
Ich benutze ein Evo12 mit dem spx95. Ich glaube nicht dass ein Hobbyracer einen Unterschied zum C100er merkt. Dazu kommt noch die grössere Empfindlichkeit des 100ers. Ich habe schon 100er am Gardasee gesehen, die wg. der Hitze während des trimmens gebrochen sind. Mein 95er hält bereits seit 2021. Leider verbiegen sich alle NP Racemasten wenn man sie 1 Tag geriggt im Segel lässt.
Hey Nico good video. One interesting observation that you had is that the 70% was a bit thinner. I was wondering if the 95% and 100% were thinner than the 75%, as some of us sail with cambers, and was curious as to camber rotation with a 70% vs a 95% or 100%
I have the 70 like in the video. Suits me well for now. I only do 15 sessions a year. Also probably too bad at surfing to feel the difference 😂
Great video! Put a 50% mast in your race sail and have another pro try it without telling him about it and see how he reacts!
I have been using only 100% carbon masts for the last 12 years but more importantly - how do you keep your hat on?
Great video again, but it would be better blind test with. I usually ride GA 70% of carbon content RDM/SDM mast with, but I want GA 95% percent masts. All of my sails has from GA (Cosmic, Manic)
Nice Video Nico with alot of gybe action looks so easy.. But it isnt. 😅. Nice to have some explanation how its made and the materials. For me every 6 years 100% carbon ❤ tpx 370 > 550. They last long if you take care of them and dont let them drop. 😊
it is mean if you are buying 100% C mast you pay extra money for insurance in case your mast will break and vendor has to provide you the warranty :) smart !
Correct
Where was the video taken?
It would have been great if you had a reference sailer during all the tests.
Nice vid
I have sailed NP Since 1990, so I have been going through a lot of sails and mast( also other brand than NP in masts)
What i have concluded is:
The higher the sail size , the better the mast you should invest in, I have only 100 procent in 370 and 400, than covers from 4,2 and up to 5,6 in Combat wave Series.
From 4,0 and Down i have 95 procent Carbon, and to been hornest , i Don,t Think you Will be abel to tell the difference, ( from my 4,2 to 4,0 Combat wave I can’t not) furthermore there is an added safety in 95 mast, in which is important if , you surf in cold condition, and Waves are normally bygger, the more the Wind. ( northsee) - also i Can say than, its superimportant to use the right kind of mast for the sail, so therefore go for the mast, than you know will be
100 procent right for the sail( same brand) i have once other other masts, ( other brand) but there is a clear difference, i later learned.-
One last thing, .. its always good to know how much time you Will invest in windsurf, lets also than be a guideline to, how much Money you invest in the mast.
Considering an 80% mast is much more common than a 95% I feel you should have used the 80% instead. I always use 80% masts and when I have used a 100% it snapped when overpowered and destroyed my sail! So of course I don't trust 100% now.
NeilPryde doesn't have an 80% mast. But it will sit between 70% and 95%, obviously.
I prefer the 90%. The durability is higher. The performance I can work in other component
WOW! Just think how much faster you could go if you had a 200 or 300% carbon mast, there is no limit.
Late but not heartfelt: Moin Nico 😉
Bro do some videos on better start while races
10:09 is when Nils’s ass is so close to your ear! Lol
Love the spot!
Carbon breaks easier right?
I usually use 75 % Carbon
Would be nice to see the difference between a 800$ NP mast vs a 400$ dollar Gunsails mast 🙂
A blind test would be interesting. Meiningen you are not supposed to know which mast you are using.
Did that with a fin before :)
You always forget from your gear information (like board size and sail size) the most important part - Nico Prien weight at the given day. 😀 and possibly also wind speed ...
Nice vid
Hallo Nico!
ohh the mast topic. I remember North's Gold Mast was at 75%, that was 10 years ago. Where is it now? At 90%. All of this just makes the sport even more expensive. And the normal windsurfer doesn't need that. He doesn't drive at the limit anyway. And 2. the shorter the mast, the less relevant the topic becomes. Because the problem is the weight in the top, because of the leverage. But these are all luxury problems for people who don't know what to do with their money. I prefer to sail 5 sails 5.3/5.0/4.7/4.5/4.2 and 2 75% masts than 3 sails and 2 100% masts. Even if it is more expensive. In the end, it is the surface area of the sail that counts most for the right performance.
Hi Nico,
wie immer ein klasse Video von Dir. Ich kann Deinen Aussagen aus eigener Erfahrung nur zustimmen.
Allerdings wäre es (ohne NP-Katalog) deutlich informativer gewesen, wenn Du auch mal die Preise und die Gewichte der Masten gegenüber gestellt hättest.
Ich habe schon Ende der 90er den Vergleich mit CK55/75/95 auf 8,5er V8 bei super wenig Wind gemacht, als Referenz (neben dem Windmesser der Surfstation) fungierte eine Jolle, die kaum vom Fleck kam 😂
Mit 55 ging nichts, trotz pumpen, mit 75 und viel Nachpumpen kam ich ins gleiten, der 95 brauchte nur wenige Pumpschläge, ich war im gleiten und musste auch nicht nachpumpen, also auch höhere Geschwindigkeit.
Meine damalige Einschätzung war, daß die Leistungsdifferenz zwischen 55 und 75 sehr hoch war, die zwischen 75 und 95 zwar merkbar, aber deutlich geringer.
Preislich war aber der Unterschied 75/95 deutlich höher als 55/75.
Vom Gewicht her war es damals (bei Fehlern berufe ich mich auf Alzheimer 😇😂), bei 2,8 kg/55 zu 2,3/75 zu 1,9/95 beim 490er Mast.
Beim 55 frage ich mich eh, warum überhaupt ein Hersteller diese Masten noch baut, da der Mehrpreis zum 75 nur sehr klein ist, der Leistungsgewinn aber riesig.
M.E. sollten auch sehr leichte Personen mindestens den 75, eher noch den 95 nehmen, da der Komfortgewinn durch das geringere Gewicht (Hebelwirkung am Top ist heftig) enorm ist. Ich konnte das Top vom alten CK95 am Top mit ausgestreckten Arm locker schwenken 👍🏼
Meine Empfehlung daraus war, daß ein 75er vom Preis/Leistungsverhältnis fur den Normalsurfer völlig ok ist, da man sich dann eben noch ein weiteres Segel/Rigg kaufen kann und man die Mehrleistung eh kaum spürt. Auch der Wiederverkaufswert vom 75 ist deutlich besser als beim 55. Beim 95 wiederum schauen viele Gebrauchtkäufer sehr genau hin, da er sicher etwas empfindlicher ist.
Klar, für den Racer ist der 95/100 die Mehrleistung wert. Ich fahre ja auch heute noch lieber den 95 im V8.
Mach weiter so, ich wünsche Dir für dieses Jahr eine noch erfolgreichere Saison 👍🏼👏🏼
Danke dir. Ich kann nur wiederholen (habe ich zuvor schon mal kommentiert), dass ohne Sponsoren, wie NP das ganze in dem Rahmen garnicht möglich wäre. Deshalb finde ich es völlig in Ordnung, so wie es ist.
Bei 200.000 Aufrufen pro wäre Video, wäre das vielleicht anders :-)
@@Nico_GER7
Logisch, ohne geht's nicht ab Level X.
Grüße von einem verPRYDEten 😇😂
i am more a 50 percent carbon mast type of guy (also cheaper) as 100 percent masts have some how always broken
Use what you can afford go and have fun. It doesn't really matter that much. Unless you are professional.
GET A WARM WETSUIT, BOOTS AND GLOVES AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON THE WATER AS POSSIBLE. THINK ABOUT BETTER EQUIPTMENT AFTER U KNOW HOW TO FALL AND NOT BREAK IT XD. So after u know how to sail and how to not explode on the water go for 100% mast is is so good.
hi
My experience is that 100% Masts are much stiffer in comparison.. An objektive test would be, to measure the force you need to bend the Mast at different Levels of bending.
Also bending curve should be compared.
The weight may play a limited role in bending Speed.
If you want to make a real good Test, you must do a blind Test, without knowing before what type of Mast is rigged.
Sorry, but in my eyes your test is not very useful.
I’m testing, because I’m curious and sharing my experience. For some it’s useful, for some not.
Your “objective” test wouldn’t help much, because in this case the responsiveness is the most important factor for the performance.
@@Nico_GER7 There is a point. You should have made a blind test. I.e. testing without knowing which carbon percentage you have. Remember the placebo effect. You feel what you believe you should feel. That is normal bias.
@@schobihh2703 I'm referring to his suggestion of bending the masts.
Anyhow, the differences were so significant to feel that a bias wouldn't make the difference. And if you do not believe or trust my tests or reviews, there is no point on watching my videos anyways.
However, I have risked several times my sponsors not being happy with my statements or actions, so I hope that gives some confidence to viewers. But you can't make everyone happy. 🙂
@@Nico_GER7 As you make critical statements which your sponsors maybe not always like, you should allow your followers to make critical comments so too. Or do you only want to have claqueurs.... There is nothing wrong with your judgement. But you are a professional, they need top performance gear. There is no sport, where the regular athlete needs to have the same high tech gear what professionals need. Only windsurfing, there the "industry" wants to make the customer believe,, that he needs the same gear. To me that doesn't make sense. And for me that is one of the reason,s why this sport is in the demise. This does scare of many.
@@schobihh2703 Critical comments are great, that's why we are here in the comment section discussing. 🙂
Personally, I still wouldn't watch someone's content, whom I don't trust.
To your other points: Of course, nobody "needs" it. It really comes down to the person. You can't hide the fact, that indeed the pro gear is better. Some people really like to invest and make sure to have the best gear. Just like in road cycling, for example. But I agree, as long as you don't compete there's never really a need for it.