Source: The Kiteboarder Magazine
Sizes Available: 5’1 x 17.9″ x 2.2″ – 21.7L, 5’3 x 18.3″ x 2.2″ – 23L, 5’5 x 18.7″ x 2.3″ – 24.7L
Sizes Tested: 5’1 x 17.9″ x 2.2″ – 21.7L
F-One Says:
The Slice Bamboo is a compact surfboard in a bamboo sandwich construction which does an excellent job of covering both strapless freestyle and small to medium-sized surfing. The compact format, the thin rails, the pronounced kick on the rocker and the profound channel on the bottom are the perfect attributes for strapless freestyle. The board offers a powerful natural pop, it is easy to maneuver in the air and the landings are soft and stable.
With its fairly parallel outline, the Slice planes with ease and its upwind abilities are remarkable. The Slice Bamboo is best suited to small and medium-sized waves and excels when the conditions are onshore and the waves aren’t too powerful. With its efficient and reliable bamboo construction, the Slice is great for riders new to directional or those looking for stability practicing everything from basic transitions to advanced strapless moves.
Visit for more info: www.f-one.world/product/slice-bamboo/
TKB Says:
Like coming back to a reliable old friend, the Slice in bamboo construction is still a staple of the F-One lineup that finds its spot between the performance surf Mitu/Shadow models, and on the other end of the spectrum, F-One’s dedicated strapless freestyle Magnet. The Slice has received some small updates and occupies the zone of user-friendly freeride and combines within one board a strapless freestyle platform that is still quite fun in moderate surf.
Design and Features
The Slice features the compact shape with parallel rails that is partly accomplished by combining a tucked in tail that gives you tight turning and excellent carving response with straighter template rails that feel fast and efficient for extra board speed and user-friendly rail control. In years past, the Slice has featured stepped wings on the tail, but this latest version uses a softer transition from rail to tail which makes the shift from edging to carving more casual. The nose is a bit more rounded and the bottom features a single channel that houses a double concave and soft center spine from the nose into the trail with tight rails and a fuller nose to help maintain float on strapless tricks. The Bamboo version comes with strap inserts that provide two forward/aft centered choices on your front foot and two forward/aft duck stance choices on the back foot. The Slice comes with a back foot stomp pad with a nice-sized tail kick which keeps your foot on the board and there’s an optional front pad that you can buy as an accessory if you prefer a deckpad to wax. Both pads use a fine corduroy pattern that finds a good balance between a plush feel and enough density to allow your feet direct feel upon the board.
The Slice is now only available in bamboo construction, but you can opt for the hydrofoil bamboo version that comes with tracks. The bamboo construction has a nice feel to the board while staying within a reasonable price range for its performance. F-One offers flex and carbon constructions in its other high-performance boards, yet for this year, the Bamboo construction is a fitting choice for the Slice with its all-around approach to freeride and wave riding. The Slice’s template isn’t quite as wide as some of the other compact shapes we tested which makes it feel a bit more geared toward wave riding rather than strapless freestyle.
Impressions
We found the Slice to feel active in the water with its flatter rocker and parallel rails contributing to easier acceleration and efficient movement through the water. The thinner rails seem to edge through the chop smoothly and the new tail shape makes it easy to initiate carves with playful turning that is predictable and fun in anything from small to medium sized surf. The Slice’s shorter length lends to fun strapless airs and chop hops as the tail rocker and template are easy to load and release into good sized airs. The most dedicated strapless riders will find better levitation with F-One’s lightweight Magnet board, but the Slice is still quite capable with its shorter length and quick access to capable load and release.
The Slice seems to hone in on all around surf performance with intuitive carving that will deliver a larger wind range and tackle a wider array of conditions. Riders that are getting into surf or moving through the progression stages can choose between straps or strapless, while most riders will find the Slice to be a stable platform that can rip upwind and carve up a wide variety of conditions all the while fitting in a golf travel bag or compact car. The Slice delivers versatility for the surfboard rider who wants to do a little bit of everything.
