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In this SUPboarder Pro feature we hear from reader and local SUP surfer to us, Bryn Dampney. Weve known Bryn for a few years now, and hes always had a good eye for surf designs, shaping many boards himself. Bryn got in contact with us about his latest journey buying a Starboard Hyper Nut, and in this post shares how a newer board isnt always best!Ill be first to admit it, I have a bit of a problem with boards. Building a quiver of surf sups is not the cheapest of pastimes unless you are fortunate enough to be more than comfortably well off, in the industry or a team rider then it can be a painfully costly pursuit and one in which mistakes are best not made.Being a sup surfer/windsurfer/surfer/wing foiler/sup foiler presents a few logistical and financial issues so to keep the addiction fed theres the tried and tested method of buy something used and sensibly priced, use it for a while, see something else you want to try so sell, add a bit of cash and buy something better. And so on and so on. Ive become quite good at this over the years.Thankfully we have demo boards available and shop owners that are more than happy for prospective buyers to have a go before purchasing adding in an element of security. My local shop had a board traded in Id always been half curious about since its launch, the Starboard Hypernut 72 in carbon, the original Scott McKercher shape of 2016 vintage. A suitable window never came along to try before buying but another friend and local snapped it up as the price was right. Damn, fair play but damn.Not long after I happened to be loaned said board by the friend who bought it and faced with well lined up chest high rights hopped on and headed to the peak. Im 86kg and this board is 72 x 28 x 105 litres yet feels easy to paddle, stable and actually quite straight forward to get from A to B. First wave and boom, instant speed! This is what I wanted to know, it had an instant spark that from the first wave was addictive. It had so much drive off the bottom and the top turns were dynamic and fast linking straight in to the next bottom turn without missing a beat. Each wave it seemed to go better and better with a really intuitive feel. Easy, Im getting one!It didnt take long to hunt a board down, a year newer at 2017 but a great price carbon construction and in excellent condition. Should be good, job done!Board now in my possession, first surf out and something just wasnt quite right. It paddled the same, felt stable and took off as easily. But The spark just wasnt there, must be me! Waves arent great, put it down to over excitement and try again soon.Second session, chest high sucky peaks, still not really doing it. Everything I expected just still wasnt quite there. Maybe its the fins? The ones supplied with newer models are significantly smaller. Definitely swap them out next time.Third session, fins changed and fun little waves. Once there was a bit of wall again things started to improve and linked a few decent turns but still didnt feel the spark I remembered from the original. Either my memory is deceiving me, my surfing has regressed (both of which are possible) or something else is afoot.Side by side at first glance you would probably just say yep theyre the same but on closer inspection a few things started to reveal themselves and a tape measure quickly confirmed things further. Ive spent a fair bit of time designing boards and in and around the manufacture of surf equipment so curves and volume flow is something I notice in a board and these were definitely not the same boards!As far as I was aware Starboard hadnt changed the shape from the original Scotty McKercher shape yet here the newer one had some now obvious differences. The tail of the original was narrower point to point. The outline curve over the last 24 was different and more pulled in. The rails through the back third of the original had a different tuck and apex being fuller and softer. And quite crucially the fin cluster had been moved on the newer model putting the front fins further back and the rear fins further forward with different spacing from the rail. The 2017 model had ben supplied with 4.5 front fins and 3.75 rear fins but the original ran 4.75 in the front and 4.5 in the rear. The newer model was also incredibly light which also may have factored in to their difference in feel.Now were not talking huge differences here either, 1/2 narrower tip to tip of the swallow tail doesnt sound much. Neither does a 1/2 fin adjustment forward or backwards but they really do add up and make themselves known. Theoretically the changes shouldve improved the shape being the newer better model? Back to back testing definitely neededFinally a good day and arrived and both boards in the line up in very similar waves to my first go on a Hypernut, perfect test day. First wave on the 2017 nut actually lined up really well and had a good high line run and two good turns. Hmmmm must just be me after all! A couple more fun ones and feeling much happier with the newer model under my feet.A quick swap for the older model, paddle in to the first wave aboard it and boom. The electric feel I fell in love with was back instantly. Speed and flow on tap, even slid the tail on the second wave with a pleasing rotation. Felt great! DamnTo be fair to the 2017 Hypernut, if Id never ridden the original model it would still have been a ball to surf, playful and easy to throw about. It still very much fits the brief and for a large portion of potential purchasers would still offer great fun in a small yet accessible package and likely be the most fun board theyve ever had. You can guarantee that a lot will be down to personal preference as to which feel suits a particular rider in a certain type of wave and what sort of ride theyre looking for as at the end of day its all about what it feels like and what makes you happy in the surf.I had wanted this board to fulfil a particular role in my quiver which was bottom end spark and that performance speed and feel that allows you to play around and put the board in places you might not otherwise compared to a longboard or more traditional shortboard shape. To have spent out the money only to find the board that shouldve delivered those surf sensations just didnt quite hit the mark was hugely disappointing and became the one I didnt want to ride, more from a psychological stand point than anything else.Im not sure whether changes were officially made over this two year period or whether Starboard were so convinced the small changes were an improvement to an already great shape that no one would notice or mind. But they are definitely there and those small changes all added up to a different riding experience that I personally dont think was an improvement. If Im honest I do feel a little deceived as none of my homework has revealed anything to suggest any upgrades at all and left a slightly bitter taste. I will certainly be more cautious around some make/model/years in future purchases.It goes to show that even when you do your homework, read all the (excellent) tests available and do as much due diligence as possible you can still miss the mark. Its also not often you end up trading backwards in model years which is exactly what I have ended up doing! The friend who bought the original model made a truly grand gesture and offered to swap, ummm yeah OK (thanks Steve!)!! Hes happy as the 2017 model provides him with enjoyment for how he likes to surf and the challenge of a smaller board and I get the feel Ive been craving. Stoked!Cant help but wonder what the 2022 model 72 Hypernut surfs like, Beau seems to like it. Sounds goodThe post Same same but different A tale of two Starboard Hyper Nuts newer isnt always better! appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

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