GOYA CUSTOM QUAD 8 PRO CARBON: 2025 TEST REVIEW

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08 Nov 2024 07:45

GOYA CUSTOM QUAD 8 PRO CARBON: 2025 TEST REVIEW

THE VERDICT

The Goya Custom Quad 8 is comfortable, quick and offers ultimate riding agility. The Custom Quad 8 delivered on all fronts, carrying the rider comfortably, while possessing an innate ability to adapt to the rider in an instance. The lightweight and well-balanced Custom Quad 8 is a real master of riding and a real favourite among the test team.

THE LOWDOWN

The Custom Quad 8 has been redesigned, revised and reworked. Regardless of how you put it, the Custom Quad 8 has a fresh new look, with its construction and build process being completely overhauled. Before diving into the details, it stands out on the beach with its unfinished appearance blended with a washed-out lime green colour scheme. You can see some of the layup process, and with its jet-black pads, it almost looks reptilian – for me personally it’s a very attractive board. Looking closer at the details of the revamped Custom Quad 8, you immediately notice its overall weight and balance in your hands. Thanks to some clever design and forward thinking, Goya have shaved off weight in nearly every aspect. Key points include the water-transfer graphics, segmented deck pads with targeted dual density, before sloping away to only provide cushioning where needed, and a rear kick pad with carved-out holes. Additionally, custom-made US fin boxes are fitted. These features significantly reduce weight and improve balance, with the aim of making the board feel more connected to the rider and reducing swing weight when gouging turns and sending some spray flying. The Custom Quad 8 also features a more efficient rocker line, with a higher nose and flatter tail section, making it faster and more efficient at getting planing. Lastly, the improved volume distribution ensures a comfortable and stable ride. Whether it’s from the first moment you lay eyes on the Custom Quad 8, or when you’re handling it and diving into the finer details, the Custom Quad 8, on first appearances, is a very attractive ride and that’s before even hitting the water.

BRAND CLAIM

“The new Custom Quad has a more connected feel to the water during the turn, it has an instant response to rider input and goes exactly where you want it to go. Reduced swing weight means the Custom Quad feels lighter and more balanced during manoeuvres.”

PERFORMANCE

Quick to get up and going, the Custom Quad 8 loves power, but never runs away from you. It’s fast, but not uncontrollably so; it follows your lead immediately. Direct it with more power off the wind, and you’ll get the speed you need to hit the next ramp in your sights. While it’s slightly limited in upwind ability compared to others in this test, it still gets you there – it just requires a bit more input and technique from the rider to really push upwind at those angles. In lighter winds, or when struggling for power on the inside, in white water and reforms, the Custom Quad 8 truly shines. It supports my broader stature well, keeping me stable until the wind fills back in or the opportunity to get going comes along. This is a real benefit for larger riders looking to downsize their board to access real wave-riding performance. The Custom Quad 8’s lightness is immediately noticeable once you’re up and going. The straps are perfectly positioned, allowing you to slip into them with ease. Its lightness and overall balance let you switch between control and agility at will, responding intuitively to the rider. Gybes and tacks are light and smooth with the Custom Quad 8 naturally maintaining speed through gybes, keeping you stable and focused on the water and not just the manoeuvre itself. When confronted with a wave the Custom Quad 8 is like a magic carpet ride. It sticks to the pace of the wave, letting you turn wide or tighten up and go vertical at the last moment. It rolls easily from rail to rail as you turn, making top turns, bottom turns, and floaters much more manageable. Riding the Custom Quad 8 feels like wearing a slipper or a mere extension of your body – its lightness and balance allow you to drive the tail, throw some spray, or slide longer, then immediately tuck it back under for the next section of the wave. Though tested primarily in onshore conditions, the Custom Quad 8’s performance strongly hints at how enjoyable it would be in cleaner, more predictable conditions.