On land: The beStyler 99, a hybrid concept for freestyling and foiling, comes from the Hungarian custom manufacturer Mojo, just like the beRacer (surf 8/2020), which has already been presented. The deep-tuttle box sits directly under the rear strap, but everything can still be mounted quite easily. Due to the design, the board has to be very thick in the box area, and the 65 mm width is probably a concession to foil suitability, as the wider the board, the easier it is to control the foil.
On the water: Equipped with a fin, the beStyler seemed a little more throttled in the planing phase compared to "normal" freestyle boards. Due to its above-average width, the board feels like it needs one to two centimetres more fin surface area than is usual for this volume class so that it gets up to speed more powerfully and runs really freely. Basic moves such as spock and flaka work perfectly on the beStyler, the board slides in a controlled and forgiving manner rather than radically fast. The fact that the board can't quite keep up with pure freestyle boards in terms of pop is probably due to its higher weight (surf measurement: 7.54 kilos) combined with a slightly lower basic speed in light and medium winds. Nevertheless, if you can do power moves, you can of course also do them with the beStyler - provided you have a little more wind or leg power.
To take to the air, swap the Tuttle Box fin for a foil - ideally the good-natured Carbonfoil 4 All Complete from Maui Ultra Fins. Here you can be sure that the set-up is right, as there are of course no tuning options for the foil position with a deep tuttle box. Equipped in this way, the board takes off well and after a short familiarisation phase, you can float through the air in a very controlled manner, at least on the straights. However, standard manoeuvres such as jibes and duck jibes are much more wobbly and demanding than when riding the same foil on the Freeride & Foilboard beRacer, for example. This is of course due to the smaller (tail) width of the beStyler compared to freeride foil concepts.
However, we really liked the board for foil styling, i.e. for jumps and freestyle tricks on the foil. As soon as you take to the air, the beStyler 99 naturally appears much more compact and less bulky than a classic foil board with a wide tail.
surf conclusion: A hybrid concept like the beStyler is always a compromise: as a 100 per cent freestyle board it is a little heavy and sluggish, as an entry-level foiling board for leisurely cruising and jibing it is too difficult to control. But if you are already freestyling at a good level and are looking for a "one fits all" concept for 50 per cent freestyle and 50 per cent foiling, you will quickly get to grips with it and have fun with the beStyler.
