GOYA BOLT 4 CARBON 129 TEST REVIEW 2024
GOYA BOLT 4 CARBON 129 TEST REVIEW 2024
GOYA BOLT 4 CARBON 129 TEST REVIEW 2024
The Verdict
The Bolt 4 Carbon works just as well with a fin as it does with a foil, so the Bolt truly can be your one board weapon of choice for freeriders who want to dabble with the foil and not sacrifice a level of usability, familiarity and fun that the Bolt undeniably offers the rider.
The Lowdown
Straight out of the box, the Bolt grabs your attention. Its appearance, rocker line, concave deck, and volume distribution make for a beautiful board, which is noticeably light in the hands. Its appearance is almost reptilian, layered up from a lightly brushed carbon blue, with fine diagonal detailing, before finishing off with lime green lines, which run the length of the board. The Bolt’s volume has been distributed a little more boldly than some other on tests – with the majority of the volume sitting just in front of the footstraps before thinning out towards the tail. The rear of the Bolt blends beautifully into the front section where a new nose shape has been designed to eliminate the breaking point, resulting in a stronger nose structure, it also looks pretty good too. Staying upfront an obvious concave deck is present as well as a recessed mast track, which helps provide control when pushing the limits. Branded as Goya’s Freerace board, the Bolt carries a sportier outline with its straps set on double density pads and generally more towards the rails, there is however some adjustment here to enable you to set them a touch further inboard on the flatter section of the deck. On the underside, a pronounced vee double concave runs the length of the board, shallowing out to a vee in the tail that pulls into a rounded pin tail – where cutouts also sit to help reduce the Bolt’s wetted surface. Available only in premium construction, with a full carbon deck on top of a full Hyper Skin HD High-Density foam sandwich, keeps the Bolt lightweight and stiff. The 129L is the smaller sibling of the 139L and part of the Bolt range we tested in the 120L Freeride test. It’s the same board, it just carries more volume and a foil box can also be used with the provided fin. Overall, on first appearances and set up, the Bolt is incredibly attractive with its design features exuding excitement.
Brand Claim
“The new Bolt 4 Carbon, is our fastest ever Freerace board, and we are excited about its ultimate forward drive paired with empowering open ocean comfort. Its 4th generation puts it all together under your feet, ready out of the box, racing performance to be experienced by everyone. Sizes 129, 139 come foil ready – equipped with a deep Tuttle fin box.”
Performance
The Bolt is still a freerace board and handles as you would expect off the foil, requiring no drastic change in input to get the Bolt up and moving. The Bolt is quick to accelerate, get planing and up to full speed, with the straps placed a little more inboard than usual to suit the foil, and a more upright stance is required. The straps are easy to locate. Lifting out of the water is very much driven by the rider. Meanwhile, the foil box isn’t set behind the back strap, but is slightly offset, giving the rider complete and utter control in the initial angle of attack and ride height. Up and foiling, the Bolt is a very pleasant surprise, immediately feeling natural in the air, excelling when foiling with smaller, well-powered rigs. Its freeride taper in the tail makes everything feel familiar, whilst helping you to resist the urge to over sheet. It’s not going to allow you to drive hard upwind, but the Bolt isn’t about that, the Bolt delivers versatility, fun and freedom. Paired with a foil, where there is a nice gap between the front wing and foil mast, the Bolt has a really nice neutral ride, never asking for any extra effort from either the front or back foot, which allows you to channel your energy and focus elsewhere. Through touch downs, the tail sheds water like it’s water off a duck’s back, allowing you to carry and hold speed as you ride back up. The rocker in the nose and pronounced vee double concave hull assist when touching down with the nose. Through the gybes, it feels natural as its familiar shape doesn’t require any huge changes in technique. On the exit, making sure to land that new back foot right in front of the back straps to maintain lift to compensate for the offset foil box – that is the only small, but noticeable adjustment required. Unlike the majority of foil boards out there, there is ample space to tack to help you work your way back upwind. The Bolt never asks anything more of you in order for it to perform, it delivers foiling fun whilst still being able to deliver on the fin.
GOYA BOLT 4 CARBON 129 TEST REVIEW 2024
VITAL STATS
Price: £2099
Volume (Quoted): 129L
Length: 235cm
Width: 74cm
Bottom Shape: Pronounced Vee Double Concave shallowing out to a vee at the fin.
Weight (Naked): 6.9kg
Fin: Deep Tuttle Foil Ready Box & Deep Tuttle MFC H144cm
Sail Range (Quoted): 6-9m
Sizes Available: 99, 109, 119, 129, 139
OTHER BOARDS IN THIS TEST
Starboard Foil Freeride 85 Wood 160L
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