Liquid Force Kites Slice 5’10” 2014
Reviews / Surfboards
12,160
At A Glance
Liquid Force have really stepped up their game with their surfboard range over the last couple of years. The tech levels have increased with carbon wraps on the rails, BXP3 waterproof foam cores and bamboo veneer decks. These combine with stealthy good looks that will be sure to get you drooling in the local kite shop! The Slice is a do-it-all design with a medium to low rocker to give it good board speed. It features a slightly wider mid section for its length than a regular shape, the nose area has been reduced as well to keep the control in high winds. The moontail shape is also interesting, a more mellow version of a swallow tail it offers on-axis turning ability whilst still keeping the volume.
On The Water
The Slice is a quick board, whether you are charging a section on a wave, or just blasting back upwind it feels quick underfoot at all times. The extra volume in the middle also helps it to get up and going early, and generates extra power when riding down the line on the wave. It’s a fairly stiff board, and you feel that underfoot, especially when you first jump on! You need to really engage your rail and put pressure through the board to control it at speed. Once you are used to it, you will enjoy the speed and responsiveness, however if you usually ride a board that has a fair amount of flex it might catch you off guard initially. What impressed us most about the Slice was the versatility, whilst it looks like it has been cut out for the barrelling lefts of Indo, or the pounding rights of Maui, it actually responds fantastically on smaller mushy Euro waves. It really enjoys being ridden hard and vertically, snapping off the lip with a force that is both pleasing and perfect for chucking buckets of water. It’s one of the most solidly built surfboards we have ever tested, even if you do get a ding the core is waterproof so you don’t need to panic about a repair straight away.
Overall
Fast, responsive and exceedingly versatile the Slice will handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. We enjoyed the filled out shape which offered plenty of advantages in smaller waves and in light winds, whilst the stiff and crisp flex made it feel snappy and lively when the waves got to a decent size.
This review was in Issue 42 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit Liquid Force KitesRelated
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!
