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Black Dark vs. Spine Tec vs Stretch CFT vs. standard EPS

D

dirtandrib

OTF status
Jan 24, 2011
179
122
43
NC
I have been using epoxy builds for the past 10 years for most boards (not my best wave boards and step ups). I have the most experience and preference for Stretch's EPS Tech now called CFT. I have had a great build by Channel Islands which was their stringer EPS with standard glass. I got a used Black Dart RNF Redux this summer and it has been a great small wave build. I like the durability, rebound and quickness of all of these builds.

I would rank Black Dart as the quickest, then CFT then the standard epoxy build. The only negatives for me are sun sensitive and the need to have them professionally repaired right away. I am a bigger guy (190lbs x 5'9), riding hybrid performance designs in small beach break.

I am interested in trying some Channel Islands designs in Spine Tech. Could someone fill me in how spine tech fits into this gap? I imagine it to be between Black Dart and CFT.

Thanks.
 
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R

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
5,831
113
54
Buy some high quality epoxy and digital scale and do your own ding repairs but I must say my 7x stretch boards (1×dft 6×cft) solid and never needed repairs "knock on wood"... Might like to try dft stretch with out spine glass tech same as cft lay out. Also I own a step upcft done in heavy and it can handle a punch or two and has nice weight all around no worries on off shore days.
Free ding repair book:shaka:
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ding_repair

MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere.
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One-Off

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,215
10,421
113
33.8N - 118.4W
dirtandrib said:
I would rank Black Dart as the quickest, then CFT then the standard epoxy build. The only negatives for me are sun sensitive and the need to have them professionally repaired right away. I am a bigger guy (190lbs x 5'9), riding hybrid performance designs in small beach break.
Click to expand...
I don't know if you order customs or how specific you can be with glass jobs when ordering customs, but if you can, order "superfused" EPS (US Blanks) and Resin Research "Ultra with optical brightener" epoxy. Your yellowing and water intrusion issues should be minimized.
 
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Fernando_costarica

Fernando_costarica

Feb 21, 2023
9
22
3
Cheers guys, I need some pro help regarding choosing a construction for a RNF96
The main question right now is Lightspeed or Black Dart?

Option A: I can choose a stock Lightspeed from Catalyst
Option B: Have a custom ordered with them in Black Dart construction.
(It will be around $100 more and 12 weeks of waiting (I have no issue with either) as long as the result is a board that will be more long lasting and will maintain its pop for many years.

I've never surfed a Lightspeed and from doing research in threads I am seeing more negative than positive feedback, on the other hand I surfed a couple of days ago a RNF Retro in Black Dart which is 4 years old and the board was still in great condition, no pressure dings, no repairs, really amazing and had some kind of weird flex while surfing that I kind of enjoy specially on smaller waves. The board came from Drew / Old City Custom Epoxies so I would expect if I custom order the RNF96 that it will also be done by him via Catalyst. Could anyone confirm this?

Anyway I do appreciate any info and secondary, if you have any other suggestion of construction that I should consider, please let me know too.

Pura Vida!
 
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S

Sauce

OTF status
Oct 6, 2021
307
448
63
I've seen many buckled lightspeeds, and my bosses husband blew out a fin box on his second surf from turning, not hitting anything. Go black dart
 
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J

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,879
5,173
113
The OC
Pricing also seems very reasonable considering the cost of other carbon builds. Drew is also the pioneer. I don’t recall seeing any vacuum bagged eps carbon boards before Drew started making them.
 
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GromsDad

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,681
16,534
113
West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
One of the ding repair social media accounts posted video of a snapped slatten dezines board of a particular build technology that revealed that the consumer may not be (likely isn't) getting what is advertised. Board appeared to be painted where it was supposed to have some carbon and high density foam secret sauce. That was pretty interesting.
 
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MrSteve

MrSteve

Gerry Lopez status
Oct 1, 2015
1,338
1,763
113
NJ
GromsDad said:
One of the ding repair social media accounts posted video of a snapped slatten dezines board of a particular build technology that revealed that the consumer may not be (likely isn't) getting what is advertised. Board appeared to be painted where it was supposed to have some carbon and high density foam secret sauce. That was pretty interesting.
Click to expand...
1687611878642.png
 
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Aardwolf

Aardwolf

Feb 9, 2019
73
70
18
Ride- Flex (stiffness) - Strength (break proof)
PU 5-5-5
CFT 6-7(to 9)-9
XTR 6-3 (to 8)- 6 (to 8)
Other brands epoxy 4-4-4
 
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