Description
XPE Custom X Bodyboard Review
This Custom X bodyboard is offers all of the features that you would expect to find in a high end bodyboard with a huge price tag. But this board is very moderately priced and for the money you pay for this custom x bodyboard, it has great value. The board looks really awesome – The deck is a solid blackish gray color that really stands out with the red custom x logo at the top. Along the bottom right is the Xp series branding also in red. The rails are red and the bottom is white. Of course you can get this board in whatever color you desire!
Custom X bodyboards are among some of the best bodyboards in the world. Custom X has many big names riding and endorsing their boards. Some serious wave-riding can be done on any custom x bodyboard. Check out the video that shows some really nice rides all done on custom x bodyboards.
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What’s in this Custom X bodyboard?
- 50/50 Template
- Wave-Plank Polyethylene Core
- Tight Cell Deck Material (TCD)
- High grade surlyn slick bottom
- Double rails @ 60/40
- You’re choice of crescent tail or bat tail
- Single graphite stringer
- 42 x 21 ¼ x 12 x 18
What makes this board so special is that it can be used as a prone bodyboard and a drop-knee bodyboard. It offers stiffness in the places where you need for drop-knee boarding and control and speed for when you are prone bodyboarding. So its up to you what you want to do with the board. This is why I believe this board is such a great bargain. Instead of having to go out and get a $200 board for prone bodyboarding and another $200 board for drop-knee boarding, this board accomplishes both of those tasks for less than $200. So basically, that’s what the 50/50 template is, it’s great for drop knee bodyboarding, but at the same time can be used just as effectively for prone bodyboarding.
The core on this custom x bodyboard is made out of extruded polyethylene or a Dow core (also known as a PE core). I’ll note that extruded cores, irregardless of their material, add flotation to the core and also softens the impact of landing an air or slamming hard down on the board after a big drop-in. PE cores have been known as the most common type of bodyboarding cores that there are. The only downside i can really find with dow cores are that they are not top of the line materials. Most PE cores are found in beginner bodyboards. But none the less, beginner bodyboards don’t have a ton of other features like this board does. This is not necessarily a beginner’s bodyboard.
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The deck is made from Custom X’s TCD material (tight cell deck). Basically the foam on the top of this board has a nice tight foam feeling. Unlike older style bodyboards its not a very ‘squishy’ foam. It’s a harder more dense foam – and typically it helps to give the board a lot of flotation. I will note that on higher end boards like the X1 and X2 series and any of the $200 range boards, you get a filmed TCD material deck. The only thing you’re really missing out on is that a filmed deck has a smoother finish and will typically give you less rashes after prolonged use. It’s no big deal though – just throw on a wetsuit or rashguard and you don’t have to worry about it.
Custom X Bodyboard Speed Vs Control features
With this custom x bodyboard you get a high grade surlyn slick bottom. Surlyn plastic is regarded as the top of the line material for any bodyboard slick. In terms of how this affects the bodyboard it adds speed! It adds speed, stability, and longevity to your board. The high grade surlyn reduces friction while increasing surface area and that is a formula for very high speeds. The surlyn laminates with the rails and the edges of the board to help give the board a nice stable feeling while helping the board retain its shape.
This board offers a great deal of control of what you’re trying to accomplish on the waves. Whether it be high speed bottom turns, 360’s, aerial moves, or any sort of drop-knee bodyboarding, this board can handle all of that. This custom x bodyboard has double rails @ 60/40. So i’ll break this down for you: Double rails give the board a little bit of the speed that you sacrifice with a 60/40 rail ratio back. As well as adding speed it gives the board a more stable feeling and prolongs of the life of the custom x bodyboard by making it more durable. The rail ratio is ideal for controlling whats going on in the water. You have 60% of the bottom rail in the water, while 40% of the top of the rail is outside the water. This 60/40 ratio allows for a better grip or ‘bite’ int the wave similar to how a crescent tail provides you with more control. It increases the surface area that the side of the board has in the wave and helps you maintain control over the board.
This custom x bodyboard comes with a your choice of either a crescent tail or a bat tail. A crescent tail is going to give the board more control just like the 60/40 double rails do. So if you’re looking for something with a little more speed I would go with the bat tail. But if you’re going to be doing a lot of drop knee bodyboarding i would say go with the crescent tail. Here’s what it breaks down to: Crescent tails give you more control and less speed, while bat tails give you more speed, but less control. Crescent tails provide more grip into the wave, where as bat tails allow you to fly down the face of the wave without much resistance.
If you’re looking for something extremely rigid – then this board isn’t going to accomplish that. However, this custom x bodyboard will give you some rigidness. It has one stringer, so you’ll still get some flex with the board, but the graphite stringer helps keep the board in place after the flexing takes place. It does add rigidity – more stiffness than a board with out a stinger that’s for sure. But it’s not going to have the same rigidness that a drop knee bodyboard with three graphite stringers has. It’s still pretty stiff though, which offers you more speed. It’s also up to personal preference how much flex you want in your board.
So whats the verdict on this board?
>>>Click here for pictures, reviews, and other information on amazon.com<<<
This board is awesome, you don’t get completely high-end materials – but if you’re able to overlook the fact that the deck isn’t filmed and that it doesn’t have a polypro core, then this board is legit. The 50/50 template is pretty unique as far as custom x bodyboards are concerned. If you’re a prone bodyboarder looking for a new board and you want to do some drop-knee bodyboarding every now and again than this board is perfect. The board is stiff enough to support a drop knee rider, while still maintaining the maneuverability and grip of a regular prone bodyboard.
This board is awesome – looks sweet – you get that 50/50 template and you’re choice of a bat tail or crescent tail. The power is yours!
