TA B O U AIR RIDE 81 CED
WEB WWW.TABOU-BOARDS.COM PRICE CED £1899 AST £1250
THEY SAY
Experienced foil surfers looking for the next step
in performance, but also newcomers trying to get
their first airtime.
WE SAY
Described by Tabou as their ‘Flying Sensation’ the
81 sits next to their race performance Air Ride+
91, as the more accessible option. The idea is to
provide a stable easy platform for first time fliers,
yet provide plenty of speed and upwind potential
to grow into. Mirroring nigh on the same outline
as its larger sibling, its rails are super parallel, with
what is described as a “more pulled in tail”, yet re-
maining wide enough to generate lift and purchase
against the foil. The complex cutouts are then in
place to reduce wetted surface area and promote
release, whilst there are no less than three rows of
six footstrap holes for each rear strap! Now that’s
an abundance of options if ever there was one and
said to enable the Air Ride 81 to cater for all foil
styles, riding styles and abilities. There is also some
confusion regarding construction options, with
LTD stated as the dearer option on the Tabou
website, yet the board here clearly marked as CED.
Whatever its tag or title, there is a price-pointed
alternative available in the AST technology. With
a quoted volume of 145 litres, the Air Ride sits
easily and comfortably on the water at rest, thanks
to the additional stability afforded by a foil, mak-
ing it easily capable of floating a 9.0m, even 9.5m
at a push. Using the inset strap positions initially,
the rider’s feet are sited well in from the rails, the
deck flat enough to provide dependable connec-
tion through the heel, yet enough dome to remain
comfortable. The deckplate position and straps
can be moved forwards or back ad infinitum to
fine-tune the rider’s stance position to the lift of
each individual foil – a real bonus for ensuring
comfort and confidence during those first tenta-
tive flights. Start sustaining flights and you soon
realise the Air Ride has a real thirst to be loaded
with a high aspect performance foil. Sure it can be
setup to cater for a low aspect, cruising foil, with
an inboard upright stance ... but the width in the
tail almost looks wasted! Instead, move the straps
out and partner it with an efficient blade and the
width allows the rider to really power up the ride
and charge about at impressive angles. We used
foils up to 105 cm in mast length and the Tabou
copes without issue. Cover distances whilst ex-
ploring the four corners of your sailing arena, the
Air Ride provides the comfort and connection to
really push your foiling progression. In the gybe
the flat deck helps, albeit the width in the tail
requiring a two phase step over with the back
foot to really master its cornering capacity. Rest it
just over the centreline in preparation, but shift itright over to the leeward rail as you initiate the
turn. More straight-line cruising or blasting than
manoeuvre master, the Air Ride was a joy to use
racing our peers around the harbour. Tabou may
have taken their time to join the foil-specific party,
but this 81 was certainly worth waiting for.FREERIDE FOIL TEST
80 JULY 2019
VITAL STATS
BOARD
- Length: 226 cm • Width: 81 cm
- Volume: 145 L • Sail Range: 6.0-8.5m
- Sizes Available: 81,91