Thrust or Twinze

10th Dec 2009 @ 09:32:40 AM

sSs Team Rider, Carl Tomlinson brings us one of his up to date reviews comparing the RRD Thruster and Twinzer. Read on:

Recently we had the day of the year at my favourite spot. I couldn’t believe my luck 16ft on the wave buoy, with a slightly cross off wind at 20kts; I left the house early to the muttering of “its always the best day of the year” from “‘er indoors”. At the beach the waves were big & clean with just enough wind to bob through the shore break to the stronger wind and swells out the back. Tools for the job Twinzer 82 & Ezzy Wave Panther 5.0. With only myself to enjoy this perfect experience of waves smoking off the top on their way into the beach, I rig up in a shot, take a few pics, then send a few calls on the bush telegraph and head out to the joy of windsurfing heaven in logo / mast high clean surf.

I had 45 minutes of Twinzer wave riding joy before the wind started to swing to slightly onshore as forecasted. The Twinzer 82 is so unbelievably loose on the bottom turn that it allows me to get really vertically and gives me the grip & control needed to handle the bigger waves comfortably, it floats nicely over the crumbly tops of the Irish Sea surf when smacking the lip and jumps easily.

As the wind became more cross on it started to increase and before long I was able to rig up a 4.5 and my Wave Thruster 68. More joy just in a different package. Lots of speed and a really secure bottom turn and slide out cut backs if you can get the thrusters to disengage on the crumbly tops or you could just go for a big snap. The Wave Thrusters speed and grip ensure rocket jumps are easy and effortless. Another hour later after the wind finally settles down and I’m down to 4.0 maxed out on the big swells out back and just powered up enough for an onshore frontside bottom turn on the inside. The 68 makes it easy.

Wave twin – My take – there is a feeling of total confidence bottom turning this board with the full rail engaged with the weight forward and over the front foot. I can really commit and can even adjust my turn as the conditions change around me. I find that the mast base is best around 135 mark or just north of it, is about right. Mine is a 2010 year version and you need remember the mast track position was put a little further forward this year if you have 2009 version.

Wave Thruster – My take – just as confidence inspiring as the Twinzer, but this board has more emphasis on being driven through the back foot. It feels totally secure in the bottom turn. The inside thruster fin throws up spray onto your shin and knee which is a nice bonus when your deep in the bottom turn. I initiate the bottom turn with the front foot and put my weight forward as normal but then move way more over the back foot to drive hard on all the fins and utilise the boards speed and grip to maximum effect. The top turn has a bit less slide than the Twinzer but more speed and grip. I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with the board settings and found the sweetest positions for me are mast base position south of the 135 mark by about 15mm and footstraps forward.

Thruster versus Twinzer which is best... they’re both brilliant and both have challenged me to try different things with my wave riding as they require different styles to get the best from each. Both will handle the more onshore conditions we have in the UK, with the Thruster having a slightly more onshore bias. If you like your wave board to feel secure the Thruster will be your choice, if you like a looser feel and the ability to go vert from side on to side off and with the high probability of lip slides, the Twinzer will be your best friend.

Carl is also a team rider for Aloha Sailboards in Cheshire.