On land:The Duke is designed as a classic all-rounder and is available in three colour variants and sizes from 4.2 to 6.7 m² - all with five battens. The size we tested with 5.4 square metres (surf measurement 3.35 kilos) is rigged on a 430 mast and has a slimmer cut than the freeride model E Pace, for example. The centre batten above the boom sits comparatively high on the Duke, resulting in a fairly large, batten-free area in which the sail can develop a deep profile. The numerous trim aids printed on the sail are a positive feature and make it noticeably easier to set up. In keeping with its orientation as an all-rounder, the sail is solidly reinforced with thick grid material in the lower area, while the top is made of coloured monofilm to optimise weight.
On the water:The Duotone Duke is well-balanced in the hand when starting off, making it easy even for less experienced surfers to find the right angle of attack for the wind. With the first gust, the sail pulls a full belly and loads up well, the planing performance is absolutely convincing in the medium trim. Fortunately, the sail can also be controlled for a long time in medium trim, even in strong gusts the pressure point remains well between the hands, so that annoying re-trimming is only necessary in very strong winds. Due to its deep profile in the centre area, the sail also feels very powerful when powered up - which is good if you expect a freeride, stable and fast sail feeling. Conversely, the Duke is not quite as playful and agile in the hand as you might expect when heating up. However, this changes in manoeuvres, because as soon as the Duke rotates or shifts, the deep belly flattens out again.
Surf summary of the Duotone Duke:
The Duke convinces as a successful all-rounder and, with its powerful characteristics, should primarily make sense for freeriding on single fin boards and for bump & jump conditions. If you are looking for maximum playful handling or even freestyle moves, you should consider the Superhero or Idol Ltd. Thanks to its balanced handling characteristics and good wind range, beginners to planing surfing or waterstart novices will also be perfectly happy with the Duke.
Technical data Duotone Duke
- Sizes: 4.2/4.5/4.7/5.0/5.4 (tested)/5.8/6.2/6.7 square metres
- Vorliekslänge:380/390/404/412/434 (tested)/440/452/466 cm
- Gabellänge:154/158/164/166/170 (tested)/178/182/190 cm
- Prices: 879 to 1009 euros (Test size 939 Euro) >> available here
