Tabou 3s 86

“The Tabou has got everything going for it that a freewave should have”

“Rides on the tail with the nose up a bit making it feel lively, fast and exciting”

“Goes over the chop well because of the high ride”

“Can feel a bit too ‘finned up’ in the biggest gusts, making the control suffer”

Summary

The Tabou 3S is a great all-rounder which excels in pretty much all ‘freewave’ conditions. In a straight line it has a very fast, exciting feel to the way it rides whilst in waves the 3S turns incredibly well for a freewave board. Speed is held very well through the turns, making the board feel loose, maneuverable and really inviting you to turn at every opportunity.

The Tabou planes early and gives a sensation of sailing off the tail and fin of the board once up to speed. This exciting feel made it a real favourite in bump & jump conditions. At the top end, the fin felt just a bit too big and we would suggest buying a smaller fin if you plan spending much time using 4.7m or smaller.

The pads are great, with good grip, cushioning and contouring. Functionally the straps are good, but when used very big with bare feet, they dont have quite enough padding around the edges.

Overall, the Tabou is a really fun board to sail and has the performance to match its exciting nature.