Length: 246 cmWidth: 76.0 cmTail Width: 50.3 cmThickness: 11.5 cmWeight: 7.50 kgFin: Drake Venom 48 (Tuttle Box)Sail range: 6.0m² - 9.0m²Available Constructions: Carbon and Wood

Shape:

We have an all-new range of Futuras for 2015. This Futura 124 takes from last year's Futura 131 with less thickness. A deck concave, a pinched narrow tail and a long and rather thick G-10 fin are what this board is about.

On the Water:

Narrow and thin under the back foot, the new 2015 Futura delivers a strong acceleration once it's planing and rides above the water to benefit from the reduced wet area and drag. The deck concave combined with the slight dome in the tail make for an ergonomic board with relatively centered footstrap positions which facilitates jibes and boost overall accessibility.

Stiff under the feet, it goes very well over chop with good overall balance. It's one of the most playful board of this test. It also requires less effort to glide, making it one of the most accessible and "freeride" boards of the group. Extremely fast on the beam and downwind angles, especially in constant winds, it heads upwind well with its long Venom 48 fin.

However, it doesn't always match its rivals in terms of sheer speed, particularly if the wind is on the lighter side. This is due to the Venom 48 fin which lacks a bit of glide; the Futura 124 goes much faster when fitted with the Choco Fin Slalom 44 of the Fanatic or the full carbon Deboichet SL7 of the Naish.

And finally, one of the Futura's strength: the jibe. It's easier to engage and producing tighter, shorter curves than its rivals, as if you had 15 liters less under your feet. A real pleasure.

Verdict:

Its accessibility to performance to jibing ratio makes the Futura 124 Carbon one of the most "freeride" board of this test group. It plays the accessibility card compared to its rivals which are much more slalom racing orientated and usually derived from the pure slalom boards. With the Futura 124, we have the planing characteristics and performance of a 125-liter board, with the accessibility and maneuverability of a 110-liter board.

Pros: + Comfort on deck+ Effortless+ Maneuverability+ Wind Range+ Accessibility

Cons: - Upwind Performance- Going through Lulls