Takuma Rise

The Takuma Rise is designed to cater to a broad spectrum of foil disciplines, including prone paddling, SUP, downwind, surf, and wing foiling, the Rise is a testament to Takuma's commitment to creating the most versatile boards on the market.

For testing, we took out the well-rounded 7’10, packing 110 liters of volume into 19.5 inches of width and just over six inches of thickness. We paired this Rise with Takuma’s Kujira II lineup, using the 1400 for lighter conditions, the 1250 for average conditions, and the 1100 for more energized wind and swell.

Inspired by years of refined prone paddleboard race designs, the Rise stands out with its sleek bellied hull, low drag pin tail, and concave “gravity deck”. While this slightly recessed G-Deck is nothing new to the Takuma lineup, the benefits of a lowered center of gravity, a closer connection to the foil, and a skateboard deck-like feel significantly enhance rider comfort and control. The concave deck on these longer, skinny boards not only provides more heel/toe leverage for balance but also keeps your feet slightly flexed, preventing fatigue during extended rides or prolonged pumping. Constructed with a combination of carbon, fiberglass, and a protective gel coat finish, the board is robust yet surprisingly lightweight. It also features front strap inserts, offering the option for a more locked-in ride.

Our initial test involved proning and SUPing the board in clean 1-3ft surf at our local rivermouth. The mix of small waves on the inside, bigger rollers out back, and flat water along the river provided the perfect variety of conditions for testing. The first thing we noticed when paddling out was how comfortable this board is to lie on. The signature G-Deck cocoons the rider as if in an aircraft cockpit, and the non-absorbent micro-dot textured EVA deck pads offering the perfect amount of grip, without the abrasion of traditional traction pads.

Once up and standing, the board is a breeze to paddle and invites intuitive foot placement. We could definitely feel how the concave deck provided extra leverage for leveling off when tipping over, losing balance, and even turning rail to rail while on foil. The board boasts an impressive amount of glide and release. Our 72kg test rider managed to immediately flat water start and pump around with all three Kujira II wings we paired with the Rise. Adding a loose-fitting front foot strap also introduced a new level of locked-in balance and control, akin to clipping into bike pedals. This extra leverage was useful for paddling up on flat water, pumping higher on the mast, lifting the board off the water into tiny bumps or bigger sets out the back, and having the most control during tip-breaching turns.

In both prone and SUP downwind tests, with conditions ranging from barely whitecapping bumps to longer-period, fast-moving open ocean swells, the 7'10 proved to be a quiver killer, planing up to speed quickly to match any wind bump. Touching down or poking the nose during runs was also inconsequential, thanks to smooth release and effortless bounce back off the water. The ideal track box positioning and angle eliminate the need for shimming, balancing the board in a way that minimizes swing weight while pumping or turning, making the board feel much shorter than its near eight-foot span.

For light wind winging, the Rise also proved itself to be a weapon. For one session we rode it in marginal dead offshore conditions and the stiffness of the board, couplesd with the outline provided incredible forward momentum when pumping the wing and then a super smooth lift once you reach the required velocity. We spent most of our sessions up and riding while other riders were left seeking out occasional gusts to try and get up and going…

After putting this board through its paces, we were also impressed by its stiff and durable construction. Despite countless paddle strikes, banging the board on rocks, and getting tumbled in the shore break, the most damage we could inflict were just scuffs and chips off the protective automotive-grade gel coat finish.

The Takuma Rise proved itself an all-encompassing downwind experience which is great for downwinding but for much more too, and which reflects Takuma’s deep understanding of what riders seek in a foil board.