“It doesn’t matter what you want to do. Going fast, gybing, freestyle or just cruising”. Thus speaks the F2 website of its ‘all-round freemove’. The XTCs are unchanged from last season (2007) and the 103 is the middle placed size in a range of three boards.

On the water:

Very good all-round freemove performance. Compared to the other boards on test it’s significantly early to plane and quick in moderate winds, and feels quite compact and voluminous. It seems geared a little more towards the lighter wind end of the spectrum and towards freestyle and fast blasting and flatter water. Although it can’t be pushed quite as hard in the turn and is not as agile as the boards with slightly narrower, thinner tails, it gybes well and feels loose. Though quite chunky, it is reasonably wave capable too, with slightly more the feel of a pivotal, onshore board rather than a nippy trad.

Fittings:

Very light hull weight. Comfortable pads and straps and a decent fin. Sail sizes The XTC seemed best suited to 5.5-7.0m Popularity Very popular, particularly for freestyle and in marginal conditions.

Overall:

Quick, early planing, and fun with a floaty feel. It’s an excellent all-round performer – though more fast, floaty and early planing than ultimately nippy and agile. We would particularly recommend it to those who want to maximise speed and planing time in moderate winds without sacrificing that ‘action-ready, loose, upright feel’ and who want a fully freestyle-capable freemove.