After a month of riding the new generation Fourth Gear Flyer in everything from perfection to slop, I am pleased to say that it is great! The nylon canvas top is superb and the blue bottom fabric is excellent. Overall, this mat is an improvement on an already terrific product. Especially surprising is how comfortable the deck feels when surfing in boardshorts. I expected to be getting a canvas rash straight away. Yet after weeks of barebacking it, still no irritation. After trading off with the same size and shape Gen1 Fatty 4GF for comparison, I have concluded that I definitely prefer the new mat. It feels much more substantial with equal speed. Handling is smoother. Getting out through breaking waves is easier. Grip on the deck is ideal for subtle position changes. And it's got to be much stronger. I reckon this mat will last for decades.
Apr 3, 2009
Gen2 4GF Update
After a month of riding the new generation Fourth Gear Flyer in everything from perfection to slop, I am pleased to say that it is great! The nylon canvas top is superb and the blue bottom fabric is excellent. Overall, this mat is an improvement on an already terrific product. Especially surprising is how comfortable the deck feels when surfing in boardshorts. I expected to be getting a canvas rash straight away. Yet after weeks of barebacking it, still no irritation. After trading off with the same size and shape Gen1 Fatty 4GF for comparison, I have concluded that I definitely prefer the new mat. It feels much more substantial with equal speed. Handling is smoother. Getting out through breaking waves is easier. Grip on the deck is ideal for subtle position changes. And it's got to be much stronger. I reckon this mat will last for decades.
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6 comments:
Mat - did you experience any chafing on your upper-inner biceps from paddling? I get that if I don't wear a rashie with a sleeve. The skirt just eats bare skin.
Hi Nathan,
This has been an issue with mat riding since day one. The old Hodgmans had stitched on vinyl piping around the perimeter of the flanges, and that helped some. But there was still friction on the inside of your arms that eventually chafed you.
The new, coarser blacktop deck is slighly more abrasive because the material is rougher and the flange itself is stiffer. Trimming the flanger narrower exacerbates the problem, because the edge of the trimmed flange is sharp and, when cut narrower, there's no chance it will bend out of the way.
One thing comes to mind... Glue some kind of thin, smooth material around the top and bottom of the flange where it abrades you.
You can temporarily try this idea with rubber cement, used like contact cement. Coat both surfaces with glue, let it dry completely. Add another coat, let it dry 10 minutes, then press it together. This yeilds a servicable but not permanent bond.
But, obviously, the easiest solution is to use a rash guard or wetsuit.
The deck fabric on the Gen2 4GF looks really rough, and should cause chafing. Part of my experience may be that I've learned to keep my upper arms out wide to avoid rubbing on the flange of the mat. I also tend to stay pretty well centered, with my nipples in the channels, so no titty rash. Still though, I'm finding less chafing than with diamond back. I'm just stoked on the whole deal. Old style feeling with modern performance. And no need so far to wear anything to prevent chafing. That's just me though. I'm giving it five stars.
Thanks guys.
So Mat - you paddle like John Wayne walks? :-D
PS..nathanoj is jonathan sort of backwards
Jon ;-)
Yeah, when paddling my mats I tend to stick my elbows out like a tough guy throwing his weight around. Which is silly, as it's not very crowded down here. This paddling style has become a habit, due to years of surfing in a shortjohn on mats with rubber grit on top, and then surfing on diamond back all last summer in trunks. So I've probably toughened up to withstand the new nylon canvas top better. I'm still shocked to discover how comfortable it is, since it looks like fresh pavement, and should cause road rash. But no, the new blacktop works just fine for me bareback. Very mysterious this is...
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