Darks Arts EPS and Carbon Fiber Surfboards

Oct 1, 2015
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I was having FOMO the past few weeks about these boards. Had just bought a whole new 3 board quiver: Superflex Fling, Flashback Fish Coil, Model 8 Torsion spring. Seeing the Florence brothers on them, I thought this could finally be the construction that blended durability with the Pro approved performance. But after watching the review, I'm less sold on it for us mortals. As much as I want to get to trying airs...I'm not there and i think 99% of surfers arent either. Burying the rail is still a must for me, and seems like Mikey struggled, which would make sense considering the construction.
 
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jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
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I was having FOMO the past few weeks about these boards. Had just bought a whole new 3 board quiver: Superflex Fling, Flashback Fish Coil, Model 8 Torsion spring. Seeing the Florence brothers on them, I thought this could finally be the construction that blended durability with the Pro approved performance. But after watching the review, I'm less sold on it for us mortals. As much as I want to get to trying airs...I'm not there and i think 99% of surfers arent either. Burying the rail is still a must for me, and seems like Mikey struggled, which would make sense considering the construction.
I wouldn't take too much stock in 1 review.

Your fling is EPS. Your Coil is EPS. Your Model 8 is closed cell EPS.

Sounds like you're already used to the feel of an EPS board. The difference on these DA boards is the carbon fiber layup..... and that's not preventing rails from being buried.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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Not just 1 review but 1 session and his first on the board, I think? I don't get the impression mikey rides a lot of EPS either but I could be wrong. Those waves looked fun as heck.

Torsion Spring is XPS, not EPS.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
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San Diego, CA
Agree with jkb. Did not get the feeling it would be any difference in sinking the rail, felt responsive underfoot and easy to push around. I'm not doing airs either, but for me, the light weight would be big plus in mushy/soft/small waves. For something like a Ghost in larger OH waves, I could see how it might be too light, and Tony of DA said even adding a front pad adds enough weight to balance that out (in his experience), and there are a couple other tweaks they can use.
 

ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
1,712
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S. Redondo
Outside of Slater Designs' Cymatic, it seems like Michael Ciaramella connects more with PU boards: Chilli Volume II, CI Happy , compared to EPS boards he's demoed and not loved such as JS' Air 17X HyFi (which he said felt amazing under arm). He loved the PU Eye Symmetry Lucid Eye, but was lukewarm on the Eye Symmetry's EPS step-down model the Rapture.

He's a little guy (5'5', 140 lbs.) so EPS' and potentially XPS' added buoyancy probably isn't doing him any favors with the inexact science of how the thickness flow throughout the board correlates to variable buoyancy across different constructions.
 

racer1

Tom Curren status
Apr 16, 2014
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Honolulu, Hawaii
Outside of Slater Designs' Cymatic, it seems like Michael Ciaramella connects more with PU boards: Chilli Volume II, CI Happy , compared to EPS boards he's demoed and not loved such as JS' Air 17X HyFi (which he said felt amazing under arm). He loved the PU Eye Symmetry Lucid Eye, but was lukewarm on the Eye Symmetry's EPS step-down model the Rapture.

He's a little guy (5'5', 140 lbs.) so EPS' and potentially XPS' added buoyancy probably isn't doing him any favors with the inexact science of how the thickness flow throughout the board correlates to variable buoyancy across different constructions.
He did say he loved the JS twin fin, which I think was HyFi.
 
Oct 1, 2015
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I wouldn't take too much stock in 1 review.

Your fling is EPS. Your Coil is EPS. Your Model 8 is closed cell EPS.

Sounds like you're already used to the feel of an EPS board. The difference on these DA boards is the carbon fiber layup..... and that's not preventing rails from being buried.
I hear you guys, one review and one session is far from gospel. I do take mikey and stabs reviews (or Noel) with a little more weight (pun intended) than a random review, mainly because they have the ability and opportunity to test a TON of boards. But at the end of the day, its personal preference and subjectivity.

I won't rule DA out, but not rushing to sell my quiver to get one after this review. It also looks like dialing in sizing might be tricky for such an expensive board. I think I read here that DA has sample boards? Living in SD, I would love to support a local innovator. Perhaps i'll demo and compare. Also I've seen clips of Kyle Knox on DA IG ripping at about 200LBS. Less airs and more heft in the turns. As much as I love COIL for being one of the first to Vacum Bag and push the envelope w/ tech... My one complaint was always just seeing footage of guys ripping their boards. It really is a mind F for me actually seeing what a board is capable of by those with more ability than myself. DA seems to already be putting their boards in front of the Camera for us to see. Props.

 

waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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Would love to try a couple of Smith shapes in his construction ... I had a couple of G-star's boards that were epic, but was the softest boards I've ever owned. The daily driver didn't last 3 months :(
 

griffinsurfboard

Duke status
Oct 31, 2004
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At least 10 years ago John Admunson on the North Shore said he trained a non surfer to bag his Kite Boards.
Offering that to myself .

I still don't understand how you can glass a stringerless 1.5 lb or less EPS shape without some sort of rocker bed to retain its rocker .
 
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Jun 23, 2003
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Bought a pair of Ghosts for when I can actually travel again. Craftsmanship is top notch and they feel light but not too much so (like old S-core and some Marko builds I’ve had.)

Ordered a Smiths shape quiver which I hope to pick up in a month or so.

I was a fan of Aviso and still have a few I ride when conditions are right for the shapes I have.

Will post ride updates when I have something to report.

M
 

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waxfoot

Michael Peterson status
Apr 21, 2018
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Holy sh!t, Mr moneybags! Thats epic.

Which Smith shapes did you get? I had the Ignite and Hookit models, but that Tomahawk (should really be called the Tomohawk ...) looks the t!ts.

 
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surfadelphia

Nep status
Nov 15, 2010
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At least 10 years ago John Admunson on the North Shore said he trained a non surfer to bag his Kite Boards.
Offering that to myself .

I still don't understand how you can glass a stringerless 1.5 lb or less EPS shape without some sort of rocker bed to retain its rocker .
I had a buddy who was out there glassing his boards for a year about 15 years ago. He brought home a PU/epoxy vac bagged Admunson and left it in my garage for a while...the thing went insane.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,990
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So I was looking at Album's custom order website and they offer both EPS and PU wrapped in carbon. I'm assuming it's Dark Arts who are doing the wrapping because I've seen some Album boards glassed up by them. Made me curious what a PU core wrapped in carbon would be like. Also whether it would be a stringerless blank or not?

I might bug Matt for those details but I'm curious if anyone here has any knowledge about it.