JS Monsta v DHD DX1

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to decide between these two boards as my better wave all rounder. If anyone has ridden either and can give an opinion I’d be really grateful. They both seem pretty awesome but as an intermediate I’m leaning toward the DX1 as the board with a little more volume. Happy to hear anyone’s thoughts though!

[Anonymous]

Looks like the DHD Jack freestone dx1 has a little more volume and more user friendly, the original DX1 looked very HP and low volume. never felt one up. Would be interested to know how it goes. I’m not sure If i’m a fan of the single concave when it comes to my go to board when the surf turns on.

[Anonymous]

Hi, had a Monsta last year, and although it wasn’t bad, I just got a DX1 JF and its such a great board. So easy to ride, and goes in waist hi to head and a half. Im tall and thin build, and it felt like you had to be a stocky/powerful kinda surfer to get the most out of the Monsta. I usually prefer single to double concave as well, but it doesn’t seem to matter that the DX1 is single, it still rips in everything. I think DHD will sell a heap of these. Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

South coast, thanks for the feedback mate. Can I ask, how much you weigh and your height? I find the stock JF Dx1 to be on the “stocker” side. I’m about 77kg and 5’11. I usually get around 27-28cl volume.

Also you from oz east coast? Or cali? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hey Josh, yeah I’m 79kg 6’1 53 yrs, late intermediate, surf 2 to 3 times per week, usually ride 28.5 to 29L, and surf around the Illawarra. Tried the stock 5’11 x 19 1/4 x 2 1/2 @29.5L at a demo day and although it did feel slightly over foamed for me, it still surfed great so I bought it at a good price. Thinking of getting one made up a 1/16 thinner at 2 7/16 which would end up around 28.6L. The board goes in everything from waist high to overhead.

Definitely has more wave range than the Monsta. Its a low entry, medium + tail rocker, so it paddles easy and planes through dead sections well. Sometimes boards with a lot of tail rocker get hung up coming off the top, but this doesn’t seem to. Its an easy board to ride, very forgiving, just one of those boards that you don’t have to think about, it seems to do what you tell it. I usually prefer single to double for an all rounder, but this being single seems to work perfect with this board. I think when this model catches on DHD will sell a heap of them.
I had a 5.10 stock Skeleton Key but really didn’t bond with it. The DX1 JF is heaps better.

The stock DX1 JF is 5’10 x 19 1/8 x 2 7/16 is 28.3L, if you got it custom made at 2 3/8 it would bring down the volume to approx 27.6 L …cheers

[Anonymous]

Hey mate thanks heaps for the feedback! I wonder how the board is compared to say the DHD puzzle piece. One of my DHD boards that I love (6’0 x 18 7/8″ x 2 3/8″). Board has a low entry rocker with a fair bit of tail kick (same deal very easy and user friendly board to ride – don’t get hung up in the lip). Wave does need a fair bit of push for it to get going (talking 3+ft and must be peaky not fat).

I’ll need to check out a JF DX1 at a local shop. The single must help lots to get through the dead sections (puzzle piece is singe-double).

How do you find the width of the board? I’m not sure what you usually ride but I wouldn’t be going over 19″ myself. Do you usually ride boards that wide?

So you ride the board a couple inches shorter, I was thinking it would be a board roughly same size + 1″ longer. I was thinking of a 5’11 x 19 x 2 3/8 or 2 5/16. Need to try and demo one if I can. Thanks heaps for all the insight!

Can I ask (another questions, soz haha) what didn’t you like about the skeleton key?

Cheers mate keep ripping!

[Anonymous]

I did have a really good look at the Puzzle Piece a while back, and really liked the look of it, kinda like a nice cross between a traditional and modern hpsb. Thats when the Skeleton key came out. I was looking for something to fill that spot between groveller and hpsb. So I got the SK instead. I found that it had a lot of width and foam down the back third, and it seemed to need a strong chest hi wave to get it going, then if it got a bit bigger it would feel to “blocky” to lay over at speed. Basically not much of a wave range for its sweet spot. I had the 5 10 at 28.6L
Regarding width, yeah I usually ride 6′ x 19 x 2 3/8 for a decent wave board. Iv got a T low and a Lost Beach Buggy for that. The BB is unreal but it only likes really good shape. The DX1 seems to go in a lot of conditions.
Maybe check out the DHD stab magazine winner board for Julian Wilson, that file looks a bit more pulled in and comes stock at 19″ wide

[Anonymous]

Hey Southcoast,

I’ve got a Skeleton Key 5’8 / 19 / 2 7/16 27ltrs and love the board. Im about to order another custom with a bit more volume and was thinking of a beefed up eager beaver or another skeleton key. DH have said they cant push up the dimensions on the eager beaver as much as Id like so I’m looking at the other models that are higher in vol as stock. I’m not wanting a wide tail groveler like the double shot etc, more of a full shortboard with extra volume. What’s your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Hi MJstatic, The problem I have come across is that boards these days are so refined and fairly specific to the weight of the rider, that some shapes work a bit overvolumed, and others don’t. With me being 79kgs I should be on low to mid 27 Litres, I can still easily surf that volume, put being a bit older, and need a little better paddling, i’m more comfortable on the “next size up” Like I said, some shapes seem to still work with the extra size/volume, some don’t. The S Key didn’t seem to scale up. It felt to wide and blocky thru the back half, and had a weird turning thing happening, e.g. it would start the turn and then start to resist turning half way thru.
I had a Black Box 2 after that, and it felt nice and familiar, easy to ride, but again a pretty small wave range. Needed chest hi to get going ,then a bit bigger I was fighting the volume at speed.
Thats why the DX1 surprised me, coz it was a litre more than I usually ride, and probably 2 litres more than what I “should” be on, Seems to fit the “between groveller and Hpsb” spot, but is also a great hpsb.
Iv only had the JF Dx1 for 3 surfs, but the waves were between almost chest hi to overhead, and it handled that range flawlessly. Mine is FCS and I run K2.1 PC with it. Never ridden or really checked out the Eager Beaver up close.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Southcoast, that’s really interesting about the DX1 JF and Im def leaning towards this model. I’m pretty much the same weight as you, maybe a touch less at 77kg but wear a 6/5/4 suit in winter so extra volume helps. My S Key was a custom order and I asked for foiled rails so mine doesn’t feel bulky and the slight hip works great for me to pivot in the pocket.

How does the rocker on the S Key compare to the DX1 JF?

[Anonymous]

southcoast, thanks for the feedback bro. I’ve had a look at the skeleton key but I too find them carry too much foam – I’ve only felt a few in the shops. Even for 28cl the thing looked bulky and heavy without fins.

I LOVE my Pyzel – Pyzalien. If you can demo one get onto it mate hands down best board I’ve ridden in seriously 1-2ft all the way up to 4-5ft. Board fits perfectly in the pocket in both mushy and steep waves. I did get mine custom 5’10 x 19 x 2.19 (27.7volume). It’s pretty much my goto board unless the waves are punchy/solid 4+ft or sucky then i’ll pull out my dhd puzzle piece or my pyzel flash.

I’ve definitely gotta get my hands on the DX1 JF model looks pretty solid. Cheers bro.

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,
I measured the 5 10 skeleton key at 5′ nose and 2 1/4 tail
nose width 12 1/2 tail width 15 1/4

DX1 JF 5 11 is 5 1/4 nose and 2 7/16ths tail
nose width 12 tail width 15

Yea iv got a Pyzalien 5 9 x 19 1/4 x ? (i can’t read it , I think its 2 3/8) its 28.6 L
I got it cheap as it had a few scuffs on it from the shop. Only taken it out twice, and it felt great in chest hi, but I struggled with speed on the smaller stuff. I ran it as a thruster with fcs 2 medium reactors. Another mate at my local has one and he was raving about how fast it was, he ran it as a quad. Do run it as a quad? i haven’t tried it as a quad yet. Maybe thats the difference. I probably should of got a 5 10, as it does feel a tad short.
Love to hear ur thoughts on the Flash vs Puzzle piece. I like the the look of the Flash, looks like the shape sits between a modern short hpsb and a traditional hpsb. Looked like low ish entry rocker and a fair bit of tail rocker. Im guessing it would be a good paddler as well..cheers

[Anonymous]

Has any body feedback on DHD sweet spot 2.0

[Author]

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