Cabrinha Imperial 133 x 38cm 2008
Reviews / Twin Tips
56,118
At a Glance
The Imperial from Cabrinha sits in the middle of a range of three boards, The Custom is a core wake style board with plenty of rocker and the Prodigy is a freeride board aimed at the entry-level market. This leaves the Imperial with a fairly wide spectrum to fill in terms of versatility and performance. Last year it was very popular and fitted this expansive role perfectly, equally at home in the waves, as it was the freestyle arena. This year Cabrinha have added a concave bottom shape and changed the outline slightly from last years model. The graphics have also changed and they have also added a more lightweight strap and pad set up which reduces the weight considerably.
Meat and Veg
On the water the 133 feels quite small underfoot, being one of the narrowest boards in the test and it takes a little bit of power to get it going. But once it is powered up it has a really impressive turn of pace. In the straight line the Imperial is very quick, yet the concave bottom helps add control and the board is easy to ride at speed. Out in the choppy waters we get here so often it is also a very comfortable ride. The flex and outline of the board working together to smooth out those bumps on even the roughest of days. The narrow outline of the board makes it a dream to carve from rail to rail. If you want something to tear up a few swells with from time to time then the Imperial won’t disappoint. The speed of the board helps it to pop off the water in an impressive manner, it isn’t the most radical of freestyle boards out there, but then the shape is far more conservative and Cabrinha have the Custom which fills those boots. But that said it is still fun to ride and throw down new school tricks on. The board has quite a bit of flex in it too so landings are pretty smooth from a height. The chimed rails help to make it really forgiving as well so if you do over rotate or come in to land at a slightly off axis angle there is a good chance the board will save you from a dunking. When powered the board rides upwind with ease, a lightweight rider will also find it has some good low wind potential. The Imperial has a three-stage rocker line with a flat section in the middle to help it to get going early on. But if you are a bigger rider you will want the bigger size to use in light winds.
Fixtures and Fittings
Cabrinha have some new pads this year, they’re a 3d moulded EVA affair and have dual density to them so there is a super comfy base for your feet to stand on. They are of a decent size too so even the guys out there with big feet should be happy! The straps are wide and comfortable and are also easy to fit onto the board. The Imperial comes standard with 5cm G10 fins.
Overall
A very versatile board the Imperial doesn’t mind turning its hand to any style of riding. Excellent in the waves and through the chop it will also excite you when you throw a bit of freestyle at it. Suited to the lighter weight intermediate looking for and all round machine, or a slightly heavier rider who is looking for a high wind board that will hold down lots of power.
This review was in Issue 9 of IKSURFMAG.
For more information visit CabrinhaRelated
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!
