This week we want to talk you about NSP, a brand stablished in 2001 by Buzz Hansen, a hawaiian shaper, who started made custom boards for the local surfers of Maui, and he thought about the needs of every people and started to make boards suitable for everyone.
Buzz didn't want to close himself to the demands of the local surfers and limit his boards to a selected group of people, he wished to offer a high quality product, enduring and economic, made with the last technology in boards production, for everyone, first in Hawai and later, all over the world. This is the reason why NSP (New Surf Project) was born more than 15 years ago.
After the jump from Hawaiian market to the world distribution, NSP was one of the first brand that decided to produce Stand UP Paddle boards in serie on 2007, making a range that suited the needs of anyone who look for an especific board, from waves to touring.
In 2013, Dale Chapman started a collaboration with NSP, this fact allow to develop the race boards range, and NSP race team was born. It has gained a lot of wins in the most important competitions of SUP in the last years, it has joined amazing race boards and awesome riders.
It's probably that if you are doing Stand Up Paddle since two years or more, you know that NSP is the board brand that uses the two stars of SUP: Titouan Puyo and Travis Grant, that have placed this brand as one of the top one in the world in the race modality. But NSP has more to offer than these famous race boards, remember that it comes from the surf world, so we are going to introduce you all the NSP paddle boards range as well as some interesting paddle that the brand brings for 2018.
NSP SUP boards range
The SUP boards range by NSP has a variety of construction technologies, and a lot of different shapes depending on the use of the board that we want to do. We can find these different technologies:
ELEMENTS+: It uses the same core as the Elements boards, but the difference is that they have a hole in the nose to tie the board and be safety, so it's a model that could be a good option for business like rental or schools that need to leave the boards on the beach. The Cruise model is the unique one that it's offered in this technology, and the best option for us is the 11'6"x33" that can be use for riders up to 120 kgs.
COCOMAT: Probably it's the most famous technology by NSP. It utilizes raw coconut fiber waste from naturally sustainable plantations. These boards are light and strong. This proprietary, patent pending technology from NSP creates a visually unique board with an unmatched strength to weight ratio. Cocomat is an innovative, sustainable, proprietary and patent pending technology, light to carry, easy to maneuver and even lighter to paddle. Responsive flex and strength gives confidence to push your limits in the conditions. There are touring, cruise or allround boards made with cocomat technology, but we strongly recommend the Surf Wide range where you will appreciate and value the features of this construcciotn as weel as the amazing finished sightview. These boards give you the best performance in terms of strength and lightness, in a range designed for easy paddle surfing with two lengths: 8'3" and 8'10" with a width of 32", that gives you a board with an excellent maneuverability and without to put in risk the stability.
P2: It is a technology focuses on safety first and ease of teaching wih the same core as Elements. The P2 core is NSP’s Secure Cell EPS, fully glassed in a durable fiber epoxy shell with eco-friendly bio-resin and finished with a soft-top deck with protected rails and slick PE bottom. All P2 Soft boards are fitted with high end accessories for safety and ease of use, with rubber bumpers on nose and tail and neoprene handles for instructor board control. P2 series offers a proven return on investment for surf school/rental operators worldwide. We can find in this serie the Allrounder, a flatwater and the Cruise one with a 10'2"x32" shape and 205 liters of volume that we consider the best option to start suping.
O2: This is the name that NSP uses to call its inflatable range of paddle boards. These boards are made with drop stitch technology combined with double layer in the deck and the bottom, and also the rails. There is a large pad with EVA rubber on the deck to improve the grip. All NSP boards have the inflatable version: racing, surf, allrounder, touring, yoga and the fisherman one. This last board is 11’6”x39” with 370 liters, and it is an ideal board for those who enjoy fishing, thanks to its three rod holders and the possibility to set a seat.
NSP 2018 Racing boards
Here you can read a detailed description of the racing boards by NSP, because we think they need a full review as one of the most important products of the brands.The making of the NSP SUP racing boards are made using the Pro Carbon technology. This construction uses the most innovative materials combined to produce true bullets, super light and with excellent performance that has been evident in competitions like The Carolina Cup, where Titouan Puyo and Travis Grant won the double for NSP two years in a row (2016 and 2017).
These boards have carbon innegra in the tail and nose, the most sensitive areas of the board, carbon biax in the deck and bottom, carbon in rails and fin box, all this on an EPS Super Cell core and topped with a PVC reinforcement in the estance area where we can find a 3 mm thermoformed EVA pad. The board has a multifunctional insert and neoprene handles that you can place in different places depending on your preferences, all of these elements make true artworks.
About the shapes of the boards, we can find the following racing models:
- Molokai: It is a 17’ board designed especially for downwinds, and in particular for the M2O race. With this board, Travis Grant won for the third time in 2017 seting a new record like the fastest edition.
- Ninja: It is the flat water board by NSP, it has a sharp nose that open the road in the flat water making the movement faster. All Ninja models feature the dugout deck concept that lowers the riders center of gravity and allows us to reduce the width without compromising stability. They have enough nose volume to be able to paddle in a pack and wash ride comfortably and keep tracking straight. The Accelerator Vacuum System (AVS) quickly removes any wash that enters the deck. There are three sizes: 12’6”x23.5” - 14’x22” - 14’x25”
- Puma: It is the top seller race board by NSP, a board that suits everyone in any condition of water. It's the most versatile race board so it is the one that every rider wants. For 2018 the design brief of the Puma range was totally changed from a focus on beach racing to a design that is as equally at home in the surf, flatwater and with excellent downwind performance covering all water states and race formats. If you are not comfortable with the feel of a recessed deck, if you want to kick turn, if you want to surf race, downwind, race on the flat or just enjoy paddling faster and further, the Puma can do it all. If you want to own only one race board with no significant disadvantage compared to a specialized board but want to enjoy diverse conditions the Puma is the go to board. NSP has included a stabilizer surface to deliver greater speed and control, that's the secret of the Puma. The 14'x26" is the most versatile model with only 10.42 kgs of weight, also you can find these others: 12’6”x24” - 12’6”x26” - 14’x23.5”.
- Sonic: This is the option for open water conditions or choppy. Recess deck designs lower the rider’s center of gravity, and it allows to reduce width and drag without compromising stability. The Sonic is the very strong performer in upwind and downwind conditions as the bulbous nose pops over chop to carry speed upwind and catch bumps downwind. Like the Ninja, the Sonic has the Accelerator Vacuum System (AVS) that quickly removes any wash that enters the dugout. Sonic range has these sizes: 12’6”x24.5” - 14’x23” - 14’x24” - 14’x25.5”
The fins that have the NSP race boards deserve a separate mention in this post as they stand out for their design and performance. We have the:
- Surf Race 20: It is the fin that assembles the boards of the Puma series. Its design minimizes drag even with a high angle of attack. The flex of the fin produces a smooth reaction giving stability to the board even in difficult conditions. It is a design with a broad base to transfer the movements of the rider at the time of carrying out the turns.
- Race 22 & Race 24: The design of both models is similar, looking for the maximum performance in terms of speed and direction of the board. Its design allows a fast circulation of water and favors the thrust of it on the board, helping the rider to maintain a high speed. The difference between both is the length, being 220 and 240 mm respectively.
NSP SUP Paddles 2018
NSP also offers paddles that perfectly complement the boards. In the paddles we highlight:- 100% Carbon Fixed: It is the paddle for racing time by NSP, it is made in 3K carbon that gives the proper stiffness to transfer all the power of the action. It is available on two sizes 94 sqi and 86 sqi, this last size is the one that we recommend to have a high cadence. The paddle includes a blade cover to protect from hits.
- 75% Carbon-Bamboo Adjustable: It is the perfect option for waves, because of bamboo flexion is the ideal to do the maneuvers in paddle surf. It is also beautiful with the natural finished layer. It's available only in 86 sqi size and it is adjustable from 170 to 212 cm to adapt it depending on the use for waves or tours.
- 50% Carbon Adjustable: An intermediate polyvalent paddle with hybrid construction that mixes carbon and fiber. It is offered in size 86 sqi, and also 94 sqi, available in two or three pieces.
- PVC Alloy: It is the paddle for beginners by NSP. An adjustable paddle that covers the basic needs of those who start in Stand Up Paddle. The V-shaped blade provides stability and power, and the fiber shaft has the hardness required for an initiation paddle, all topped with the ergonomic knob and EVA rubber inserts.
If you are interested in any product of this brand, some of them are available on HoeNalu, where we have a broad range of the best NSP products.
You could find different paddles and boards, for tours and waves, and of course, the famous race boards. If you want more information about NSP you can download the new NSP catalogue for 2018 from our website, because we offer the purchase on request.
Also, if you live near to Marbella and the Costa del Sol, you can come to the shop and, look and try our NSP paddle test boards. Contact to us if you want to ask for a date!
And as always, we are at your disposal to answer any questions that may arise about SUP material of this brand, or any other brand of our shop.
#KeepSUPing!
You could find different paddles and boards, for tours and waves, and of course, the famous race boards. If you want more information about NSP you can download the new NSP catalogue for 2018 from our website, because we offer the purchase on request.
Also, if you live near to Marbella and the Costa del Sol, you can come to the shop and, look and try our NSP paddle test boards. Contact to us if you want to ask for a date!
And as always, we are at your disposal to answer any questions that may arise about SUP material of this brand, or any other brand of our shop.
#KeepSUPing!