RRD COSMO 8.5 SUP
We have been testing the RRD Cosmo 8.5 for a few months now and in the irregular swell we have all begun to really like this board. As paddle surf surfboards go this is a wide body, surf and all-round model which I reckon suits the the south coast and cornwall pretty much all the time up to head high plus waves. I have used it at Saunton, Putsborough, Gwithians and at The 2XS/RRD Test Centre at West Wittering .
There are quite a few wide body style boards and I have used the Fanatic All wave 8.10,9,1,9.5 -JP 8.2 and Starboard versions all are pretty decent boards but all work in slightly different conditions and have slightly different bias. The RRD COSMO 8.5 surprised us all with how easy it is to pick up on small waves in Wittering and and in a recent trip to Gwithians.
The RRD Cosmo has a real ability to pick waves up quickly the rocker line and width gets you into waves fast without much paddle effort and there is not too much row effect. As soon as you are on the wave you have the stability to walk to the nose or get your back foot onto the tail pad. This board will turn super fast and for its width charges from rail to rail effortlessly.
When you take a look at the shape the board is not over thick the rails are foiled out with an old skool double winger –which help to promote early wave catching and still keep the tail width down when you need to start carving on the wave face. Underneath you have a rolled vee with double concave running through the the board.
If you are going to use it on flat water it paddles well and has a decent glide for a board of its size.
It comes as standard with a set of RRD quad future box quad fins which track well and give plenty of grip – I prefer setting it up as a tri fin leaving the front quad fins in adding a 5 or 7 inch centre fin (US style box) which changes the feel of the ride and sharpens the top turns. The RRD Cosmo also works really well as a twin fin in small surf if you want the tail to drift around. The RRD Cosmo is available in Classic construction £999 for the 8.5 x 32 x 4.5 inches (132 litres) 9.6 kg for a 80 kg rider this is an easy board to paddle in flat and chop. RRD produce a lighter and stiffer version in Ltd construction 8.2 kg for the 8.5 and 7.5 kg for 8.0 at £1399.
Plus if you want the smaller version there is 8.0 version RRD Cosmo (122 ltrs ) by 30 .5 inches and new 9.0 which is in production at the moment.
RRD haven’t added a windsurf mast attachment to any of these boards but you do get a go pro mount built into the nose on each model…
Here is the link to the 2XS site for the RRD Cosmo
