Naish is currently competing for the favour of wave fans with two new models - Global Quad and Hookipa Quad. While the Hookipa Quad was primarily designed as a very radical wave board for select conditions, the Global Quad should feel at home at most wave spots worldwide. We have tested whether this promise is true.
On land:
The Naish Global Quad has been completely redeveloped and, at just 57 centimetres wide, is rather narrow for a board of this size. After the sometimes borderline narrow dimensions of previous years, the crotch width has now been adjusted to almost normal width, with multiple plug positions offering room for individual tuning. All straps are also solidly double-bolted. The large pads and comfortable loops ensure a comfortable stance on deck. At 14 and eight centimetres in length, the quad fins supplied are rather small. The underwater hull is inconspicuous - there is a moderate "V" with slight double concaves from the front to the centre and the upturn in the tail ("tail rocker") is also moderate.
On the water:
Despite the rather narrow width, the Global Quad is balanced in the water when bobbing. With the first gust, the board takes off well, runs with a good mix of control and liveliness and reaches a high top speed. Everyone can live with this combination, and on the way out you have the best conditions to hunt for suitable jump ramps. In gybes, the Global turns surprisingly tightly over the back foot, making it ideal for tight radii against the wave. The Global Quad is also pleasantly balanced on the wave. With less speed, you can coax tight turns over the back foot out of the board. Nevertheless, the board can also carve long radii with good control and takes the speed well up to the lip of the wave. Only when there is a lot of wind and high speed on the wave does the shape reach its limit in terms of manoeuvrability, then you can no longer make the radii as tight as cracks would sometimes like for 360s and tight cutbacks.
Naish Global Quad - the conclusion:
The Naish Global Quad offers a great mix of planing power, control and turning characteristics and consequently convinces as a universally usable wave board with a focus on the North and Baltic Sea. Even occasional trips to the Ijsselmeer chop or powerful ocean waves do not upset the Global Quad. For 95 per cent of wave surfers, the Global is probably better suited than the Hookipa Quad, which is noticeably more radical but also more difficult to ride.
Link til test : Waveboards 2024: Balanced all-rounder - the Naish Global Quad in the test | SURF (surf-magazin.de)
