Interesting feedback from Tomed on our forum about the Carter EPS 7’8 and the pleasure of riding a mid-length board.
“This Carter 7’8 is MAGIC !!! The perfect blade.
I rarely participate in comments and reviews.
But the forum and comments from the GONG site helped me a lot in my choice and today I’m so excited about this board, that I want to share my point of view, if it helps anyone …
I’ve been looking for a shape that could suit me for 2/3 years, looking for shapes with volume on the front third, a bit like boards from the 70’s.
The mid-length boards arrived, and made me want one. But I wanted to keep a shape that looked good, not a mini Malibu, an Egg, or a special big boy short board.
I like big old-school fish, but riding flat isn’t my thing … I like carving.
After 3 years of looking and studying the Carter from every angle (shape, construction (I love epoxy) and its price) … I couldn’t resist with Christmas coming.
I hesitated for a long time between the Carter 7’3 and the 7’8 because I think there is really a tipping point between the 2 shapes. I see the 7’3 plus as a mid-length, but I really wanted longer and more buoyancy to really feel a difference from my other boards.
After a first session in a Mediterranean swell (no wind – which is rare – waves of 0.8 to 1m, with a mini period of 5s), it’s a REVELATION.
Glide, speed, long cutbacks, the feeling of flying, the possibility of carving with the feet in the middle of the board, and the possibility of finishing the foams or passing soft sections by doing mini hang five ….
I regained my childhood smile, with incredible rides on small and soft waves.
We catch up the shoulder so easily, with the feeling of speed of a fighter plane, then a big cutback … in short, old school carving (my friend told me that I had the stance of Joël Tudor … he’s a little too nice).
I am aware of having diverted the use of this board from its initial program but I can attest that even in tiny conditions it is an awesome board. The ease of paddling and take off of a small Malibu with a carves that could cut through carpaccio…
A bomb !!!
I rode it in a 2 +1 fin set-up, with the central fin in the middle of the box. And it turns… very very well, and with grip on the rail.
You still need a little adaptation time, if you come from shortboarding.
- No more duck dives and long live the turtle roll. Be careful if you let go of the board in a set, it pulls hard. On the other hand, you can’t have the best of both worlds. A large volume = a large anker at the foot on the sets
- No more corking to take off ‘late’. You can also forget the take-offs sideways knifing with the rail. The board is flat at the level of the front rocker, so you have to start early. Don’t wait and start with the curl of the wave. Take off early then do a big bottom turn and what a speed !!!
My opinion is necessarily biased, because I am getting older, and the ease of take-off becomes essential … But damn, when you follow the steps, it’s too good …
Some small negative points (it’s relative)
- The supplied central fin is a bit too thick to fit fully into the US box. I had to sand it down a bit so as not to force when placing the fin in the center box.
- The stainless steel bolt (and its square nut) used to lock the central fin, has a BTR type head (ALLEN key) which seems to be the size of FCS type I keys. It’s a good idea, for practical reasons (you can fix the bolt at the end of the wrench to place it in front of the square nut), but on the first tightening without forcing, the head of the bolt has messed up – and the wrench now spins without turning. I am thinking of changing this bolt by a more classic stainless steel bolt with a slotted head for a flat screwdriver or why not, with the heads clamped by hand, as on the GONG inflatable SUP’s.
Apart from these very minor and correctable aspects, I am happy and satisfied … with a feeling of having found the ultimate board for my program …
A final commercial note: after having been very well advised by Aymeric, I bought the GONG SURF BAG LUXE 7’6 board bag which is very suitable for the Carter 7’8 and which is of very good quality … very practical with a zip that opens on ¾ of the bag, which allows you to put the board more easily in the bag. And thanks to the GONG voucher…
Brilliant !”
