Brunotti Boomer 5’8 2016
Reviews / Surfboards
18,526
At A Glance
Brunotti have been making surfboards and kiteboards since the very beginning of our sport. Their twin tips have graced the feet of riders such as Ruben Lenten, Youri Zoon and Annelous Lammerts. Their surfboards, however, have been quietly blazing a trail with a loyal following of hardcore riders from around the world. The Boomer is built using a sandwich construction for increased strength and durability; it also features an Extended HoneyComb material that you can see through the glass. This increases the strength and allows Brunotti to make thinner boards that are still extremely tough.
In terms of shape, the 5’8” Boomer is a short wide design with a swallow tail and a quad fin set up. There are grooves in the nose area for grabbing the rail and performing strapless airs, and the wide point has been pushed further forwards to increase the user-friendliness of the design. The board is aimed at newcomers to wave boards, riders looking for performance in sloppy euro waves and also a great stick for strapless freestyle.
Build quality is second to none as we have come to expect from all Brunotti RDP products and the board is supplied with a decent set of fins to fit the Futures boxes.
On The Water
While the Boomer has been built tough, it offers plenty of flex, it very much feels like a traditional surfboard underfoot, offering a smooth ride through the chop. The board gets going early, thanks to that wide point, at 19” 3/16 (or 48.7cm in real money) that width is not insignificant.
It plays a large role in how the board performs, it is exceedingly forgiving when learning to gybe, and also when on the wave. If you mess up a turn slightly the board doesn’t sink and punish your mistake instead it rides on and allows you to set up for the next turn with plenty of speed. In marginal conditions with small mushy waves the width allows the board to power through the soft sections of the wave and keep the momentum high.
On faster, more demanding waves the wide point becomes the boards weakness, however, and that is to be expected. This board isn’t about riding race tracks at One Eye; it’s about getting riders into the discipline and making life easy for them. It’s about strapless freestyle and early planning. It’s about making crappy conditions fun, and it does all of the above with aplomb.
For
Beautifully made with excellent construction that is tough but has plenty of flex. Great for beginners, marginal waves and early planing, also excellent for learning to gybe and performing strapless freestyle.
Against
When the waves get serious, it is time to switch to a more suitable stick.
Overall
The Boomer 5’8” is a fantastic choice for riders looking for their first wave board, the width will help you learn your gybes and progress on the waves quickly. It should also be considered if you want a light wind board or something for strapless freestyle!
This review was in Issue 54 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit BrunottiRelated
By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
