The Xanadu GIPOS is a new model blurring the lines between waveskate ninja weapon and shortboardy rocket type hybrid.
available as a thruster, quad, or 5 fin convertible option
nice amount of tail rocker:Here is what Zach Plopper had this to say about his new GIPOS:
Paddle out anywhere in southern California these days and you’ll notice a commonality among nearly everyone’s board. After two decades of the same razor blade thin, pointed nose, potato chip thruster, people are catching on to new designs. No longer is the glass slipper the status quo in today’s line-ups. Instead people are going shorter, wider and stubbier.
I am no exception. On a recent visit to Xanadu’s office in San Diego to order a few boards, he sold me on the 5’6” Gypos, a round nose, rounded pin quad. I ordered it because I trust his opinions and innovations as he is inarguably one of the world’s greatest shapers. I also ordered my standard 6’0’ thruster and a 5’10” quad that follows the design of my favorite board.
Well, the Gypos came first and the result…I never want to ride a different shape again. We were blessed with a mix bag of swells right after I got it and I was blown away by its versatility, but most of all, its mach-10 capabilities. I am a reformed surfer now…the little board guy.
I think a lot of surfers, especially the competitive pros, are afraid of embarking on the little board endeavor. Slater’s loss at the Quicky Pro has been attributed to his board choice. A lot of shapers tend to throw all sorts of volume into these designs and the result has been slipping and sliding all over the place; no penetration. No need for thickness. The right little disk design can be as thin as your standard thruster and the result will be that you are able to put it wherever you want. Since Kelly is the only guy on tour applying the little board philosophy to real surf, I think we will see some domination when he eventually works out his design kinks (maybe he should leave the shaping up to Al). We will also see no one on the world tour even try it since it’s Kelly ushering in the change. We tend to think he is just trying to make things hard on himself. Anyone that has a proper little board will tell you, it’s not only all the more easy, it’s all the more fun.
Zach Plopper on his 5'6" quad from Matuse Inc. on Vimeo.
The GIPOS is a super fun new design and works great with our KEAHANA EPS technology.
http://xanadusurfdesigns.com
