I paddled the Glide briefly a little over a year ago at the Outdoor Retail show. My initial impression was good, and we have been selling them to happy customers all summer long.
We've finally been able to get a 12'6" Glide to put into our Premium Demo Fleet*. I've gotten to to spend several hours on the board the last couple of days, and here are some of my thoughts on this board.
First of all, the Naish description nails it. At my 195 lbs the board is fast, and very easy to paddle. Unlike some of the more dedicated race boards which are tippy at slow speeds, this board is comfortable "just cruising along", and at the same time it responds when you put the power to the paddle.
The AST construction felt super solid under my feet, but carrying the board, it doesn't feel as light as my $2400 carbon race board. (It does have a super comfortable carry handle) Not heavy mind you, and at $1649, it would be still be a good durable race board without breaking the bank, or worrying all the time about dinging / breaking the board. The Naish deck pad is comfortable, and there is light non-skid finish behind the deck pad if you step back on the board for a pivot turn.
Bottom line, I LOVE THIS BOARD, and can't wait until the next time I get to paddle it.
However, having said that, this board has a lot of floatation and may not be the best choice for some of our lighter paddlers when the wind picks up or in a heavy side chop, but for anyone 150lbs and up, looking for a fun board to cruise or race, this board is a winner!
L-12'6" W-30" D-5 -5/8" Volume 265 Wt. 31 lbs
* Premium Demo Boards are available on a limited basis and only to experienced paddlers. Demo fee $75
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