JP FSW vs. Kombat

Has anyone sailed the JP Freestyle wave AND the Kombat? I'd like to see a comparison from someone who has ridden both.

I liked the shape of my JP Freestyle Wave 85, but it snapped in half when I was sailing it this year! Not too good, and the "Full Wood Sandwich" construction seems to be just a very thin layer of carbon on the outside, then pure foam core.

The JP snapped midway between the footstraps and mast step. First board I've ever had fail on me like that in 20+ years of sailing. One minute I'm sailing along at 26 mph in head high waves and 6.0 conditions on Lake Michigan, the next I'm drifting- with the board pivoting from the bottom skin, the deck is what separated.

Yes, those JP boards are light, but not built to last. Have not sailed the Kombat, of course the A box is not too good, otherwise it might be a good board.

[o2bnme]

I'm hoping Roger Jackson gets the 79-liter Kombat in his arsenal this year. I'm trying to decide between the JP FSW 77, RRD FSW 78 & Kombat 79.

[raggy]

the JP's seem as you said light and having seen more than one fail I wont be rushing
out for mine just yet. Ill keep my carve thanks

I've owned and sailed both.

If you want performance go for the JP. My Kombat was the 2006 96 liters. Kombat is more durable and tough (DRAM) and JP is way more light. JP gets on a plane faster and is faster once it's planing. Kombat has a very progressive and slow way to get on a plane and feels sticky tothe water, very smooth and under control, the JP has more "life" and grip on the water, lighter means more fun and more fragile. Forget about freestyle with the Kombat (sliding moves), JP is good for freestyle.

It's all about feeling on the water. The Kombat always felt too slow and heavy to perform compared to the JP but was better in small waves. Kombat seems like a good choice for mushy waves while JP is a better match for places with strong currents and tides.

[Phill104]

I own a K96, have sailed a few others in the range and have sailed and owned JP FSWs (owned an 84).

I think it would be unfair to say one board is better than another as both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Performance wise the jp seemed faster for straight line blasting and got on the plane slightly quicker. Freestyle wise (watching those who have the skills) it seemed better for the sliding stuff.

The Kombat is easier to ride in difficult conditions and loves waves. I was watching a guy a few weeks back on the south coast performing some massive jumps and loops on one. On the lake it's much more comfortable in the messed up wind blown chop we get when it's really honking.

Board repairers I've spoken to say the JPs lighter build doesn't affect strength too much, they do get more rail and nose damaged ones but the white paint is easier to match.

i sailed the kombat and Jp FSW in maui this spring, after a few days on the JP FSW i changed to the kombat and liked the kombat better, then after a few more days went to the acid. All with stock fins with 4.2 to 4.7 size NP zone sails at 190 lbs body weight.
BUT people will have to make there own choices and i guess if you can try all the boards youll find out what you like but in the real world is that possible?
i dont do freestyle at all so the freestlke in FSW or the kombat meant nothing to me. On the other hand i was trying to sail waves, and while the FSW did not do that well at all, the kombat was slightly better suited , .........but not as good as an acid, is that a suprise???
One thing i have had a problem with is these so called "crossovers". IMHO it a confusing crossover.
The shape one must design for freestyle is very different to that of a wave board. For freestle, flat and wide for pop and slide ( hey that rhymes ) yet... for a good wave rider you need rocker and a narrow low volume tail, aka an Acid.
these concepts and their practical apllications in board shape are almost diametrically opposed, So different IMHO i really wonder why call any board a freestyle/ wave at all.
So ultimalty it is up to the sailor and while i liked the kombat over the FSW my buddy sailing in maui at the same time stayed with the JP FSW while i changed to the ACID and like the wave riding even better.

one big difference is the stock fins the FSW came with this big fin in comparison to the kombat it was totally unsuited for waves sailing great for blasting and jumping but otherwise no good for wave stuff.
so ultimately this too would make a big difference i sure the FSW would do better in the "wave ".

PPS oh i heard through a distributor's sales rep up here in ____ ( i wont say) but to paraphrase this person , " people were complaining about Jps durability, ie they were breaking , but then also wanting the lightest weight , and you just cant have both at some point." that was a year ago...

The JP folks claim that their "Full Wood Sandwich" construction is more durable than the lighter "Pro" version. But this didn't help me much, I liked the JP shape since I mostly sail bump and jump type blasting rather than surf zone waves.

So when I bought the JP Freestyle Wave the dealer recommended the FWS construction, he said the "Pro" construction would only last six months. Well now it looks like the FWS construction lasts just about 13 months, slightly past the warranty and don't bother to talk to JP about it, they just don't care and don't seem likely to change their construction.