HATHA PLANK TEST REVIEW
HATHA PLANK TEST REVIEW
Verdict:
The Plank leads hard with its very keen price and should be a very attractive option for those looking to enter the sport, or pick up a versatile cruisey board in epoxy build rather than an inflato or pop out. Looks better than the price tag suggests, and is well suited to fitness and cruising with the ability to run in moderate swells.
Overview:
Hatha is a yogic term ‘willful’ this alludes to the brand’s all-round fitness, cruising and relaxation ethos, but interestingly the brand itself is British, run by Dan Sulsh from Dartmoor, Devon.
The Plank is built around a recreational template with ease-of-use in mind and decent area at the squared off tail and a full, rounded nose. A one piece deck pad extends 3/4 of the way up the board, with a handily offset, recessed handle. Underneath the functionality continues with a single concave running to a double / V and 2+1 fin set up.
Brand Claim:
The Hatha “Plank” is styled on the classic long board shape with a stylish wood grain effect to give that traditional look. It has a pronounced rocker and a squash tail for cruising on flat water. It has the capability to take on midsize waves when the mood suits. This is the ultimate all-round board for wave riding or cruising.
Performance:
At £600, Hatha have an epoxy / EPS board here with wood veneer, a proper fin system, air vent, and bottom contours that comes in a few hundred quid less than boards made from comparable technology. So where have they saved? Well the deck pad isn’t a multi-coloured multi-piece design, the fins are basic black rather than honeycomb sandwich and the contours might not have the direct input of a master shaper, but it really has everything a paddler needs to get out on the water and learn the sport with a board that will allow their skills to grow. We took the Plank for a few laps around Newquay Bay on a windy SW day with the usual accompanying swell running. There’s a decent sweet spot under foot that allows constant forward progress in some pretty ragged seas, stepping back for a pivot turn the tail sinks predictably, and yes, it holds a nice straight line when you paddle into a wave. Sure you might not win a longboard-style expression session but likewise there are no deficiencies in the way this board works. At 10’6 and 155L, we felt the Plank would have appeal to paddlers who want to rack up some good water time for fitness or general coastal cruising without the weight and windage of a 12’6 or inflatable.This isn’t a huge board at all, but for a gateway to the sport it offers plenty of stability without stifling the paddler’s skills and reflex development, or removing any sense of challenge in the way that a school type board can. If you’re getting into sup and looking for a board to get you out on the water for general paddling and have the option to run down the line, or want to add a second board to the quiver for family and smaller days, the Plank will be a comfortable investment.