Windsurfing
April 2007 pg. 71
::RRD Z-Ride 120 LTD::
What We Liked: Quick planer, easy to dial in, velvety ride through chop and a high fun factor. One veteran tester declared the Z-Ride "the best RRD I've ever ridden!" Several advanced testers used the word "love" repeatedly in their evaluations.
Buyer Beware: Some felt the heel pads were awkwardly positioned for comfort; experts felt it lacked top-end speed.
Better Than the Fleet At: Offering a huge sail range thanks to its hands-on control and long mast track.
Best Suits: Free-riders - not free-move, not free-slalom sailors - just straightforward sailors who want a fun sit-and-go flat-water board made for them.
Other Highlights: 40cm G-10 fin.
Boards UK
May 2006
::RRD Z-Ride 120::
“RECOMMENDED”
Developed from the SX Range which did very well when we last tested it, the Z Rides are sold as pure freeride boards.
Character & performance:
At 69 cm wide it’s one of the bigger boards in this test (despite a similar volume to many), and it definitely looks big on the beach. With a full deckpad covering the back of the board it’s very comfortable off the plane. It’s also more than averagely quick to plane and accelerates to a very respectable top speed – you often find you’re going considerably quicker than you think. It tracks solidly and quite powerfully across the wind, although not with a real racy feel upwind. It does feel big, with noticeably less maneuverability than most others, however for heavier sailors it gives a good fast platform to support their extra weight and plane easily in lighter winds, while also remaining controllable in stronger winds and over the chop.
The Tail is a bit too wide for the board to be truly loose into the jibe, but it’s still very easy to initiate the turns, and follows a predictable and controlled arc. It’s also an extremely stable platform in general: very easy to tack, and sail off the plane.
Fittings:
The Maui fin 40cm Liquid fin is good quality and suits it well as an all-rounder. You may also wish to invest in a more powerful fin for lighter winds and bigger sails. The straps are comfortable, but looked tatty by the end of the trip. We do like the all-over deckpad though, which offers great comfort for your feet.
Guesters’ View: Scored a couple of top 3 rankings, particularly with the heavier sailors, and generally appreciated as a good all-rounder.
Overall:
A good freeride for heavier sailors with good mix of intermediate and more advanced appeal, and a balanced, high-performance hull. Recommended for heavier intermediate to advanced sailors or lightweight lower intermediates for sails from 6.0-8.5m. (the smaller Z-ride at 66cm wide should offer performance on a par with most other boards in this test, and be the better bet for lighter / more proficient sailors.)
Windsport
Spring 2006 pg. 78
::RRD Z-Ride 120 LTD::
“Fast and Lively Small Freerider”
Bottom Line: Planes early for size, fast and exciting.
The z-ride replaces the highly praised Avantride as RRD’s top-performing freeride. Although the smallest board in this test, the Z-Ride 120 didn’t feel out of place, its ample width allowing it to perform bigger than its volume suggests.
Requiring more wind due to its size, the 120 is one of the quickest to accelerate onto a plane. It is fairly stable while it gets going but likes the rider to get into the footstraps quickly rather than hanging out on the front of the board. Set it up to maximize your pleasure by choosing the footstrap inserts according to your ability. The 120 likes attention, responding well to trimming both for early planing or speed, helping it cut smoothly across any chop.
The 120’s smaller volume makes more of an impact on jibing than it does on the straight line performance. Testers find the jibe easy to initiate, but 120 requires more wind and better technique than the larger boards. The 120 loves an aggressive, forwards-weighted slalom jibe and rewards with speed when done right.
RRD styles its boards beautifully. Accompanying the 120 are comfortable footstraps, a large, plush deckpad, and a true Maui Fin Company 40 cm Liquid fin. The 120 is a good all-round freeride that performs bigger than its size.
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