Hyperlite Broadcast, AKA "Mama Bear"
Style: Skim
Tail: Swallow
Length: 4' 8" (also comes in 4'5" and 5' 4")
Width: 21"
Fins: Two 3.5" and one 2.4"
Main Reviewer: Brooke and Shippee
We received this board a few weeks ago and could tell just by looking at it that it would be a fun ride. It was a perfect size, with a narrow sparrow tail and a thin nose. When we got in the water, our hopes were confirmed -- this board pulled around easily under the feet for quick maneuvers and tricks, but was stable enough to goof off on and body surf while staying in the wave. Another thing we loved about this board is that the nose curves up, making it harder to snuff. This board was perfect for the size of our teenage riders, but also comes in a smaller and larger version (Baby Bear and Papa Bear) so anyone can enjoy the ride. As if it couldn't get any better, this board retails at $350, which is an incredible value for the performance you get. In a perfect world, this board should be a 5/5.
However, there is one downside to this board, and we noticed it before we even hit the water. Plain and simple, the fins are faulty. We had three different team members attempt to affix the fins to the board, and every time the screws were stripped or the fins would otherwise not install. This was the case for all three sizes of this model, and we even got sent a spare set of fins and experienced the same problem. Clearly, it was not a one-off issue. Luckily for us, our HQ has surf gear spilling out of every nook and cranny, and were able to find a fin that would fit in well enough to make the board ridable. We contacted Hyperlite a week ago to see if they had a response to this issue, but they haven't returned our correspondence. We hope they do soon, because this board is otherwise fantastic and we plan on keeping it. For those of you looking to buy: find a good knock-off fin.
Our Review: 4.5/5
