LF Diva 128 vs Angel 130 vs Cadence 131

Hi ladies, I'm a German living in Dubai and now I'm tired of riding other guys' and girls' boards and wanna get my own :-)}... we ride on a sea creek, as there are no such beautiful lakes as in the US around, but the water is heavenly warm and very early morning just perfect!

Riding since 2 years on and off, so guess I'm something like an advanced beginner. Since my accident 1.5 years ago I became a lil shy (a loose fixed board in the tower rack smashed in my forehead at full speed while returning to the marina) and was driving slalom next to the wake, but now I overcame my fears and I'm right back to w2w and lovin' it!

I am 5'44" and 125 lbs, so far I tried 134 boyz boards and once a HL 128 for ladies... which was much easier to move around... however I can't make up my mind which one to pick: LF Diva 128 vs Angel 130 vs Cadence 131 as all LF models sound very tempting in their product description. I didn't start yet with any tricks, but wanna start trying soon... Would the Diva be Ok to improve to a real intermediate level? How are those levels being defined anyway - where can I find out what exact skill level I am?

Also I am confused with the shoe sizes for bindings, I am a 38 in Europe which I believe is a 7 1/2 in US but all the binding sizes come as XS/S or S or S/M or M/L. Since I will order online it's really important to make the right decision... Again - also confused about the Minx or Element, they both sound great in product description...

Appreciate any help!!

Thanks & sunny greetings from Dubai, Antje

I have the LF Minx bindings in a small and my foot size would be comparable to 37.5 european (7.5; 38= sz 8, I believe - or so I've always been told!) My toes are right at the end of the bindings, but I think the reason the small fits me is because my feet are narrow and I think maybe the bindings run a little wider. Most girls that I know with my foot size are in a Medium Minx binding, so if you choose Minx, I'd go with the medium. I haven't tried any of those boards; I think the Cadence might be the "girl" version of my LF Substance, which I like. p.s. Glad you're giving it another try after the accident!

Hi Kylie, thanks for super fast reply, thought US is still asleep :-) Will go for M then...

I just found out that by definition I am actually intermediate already which sort of confirms my doubts about the Diva as I don't want to end up buying a new board every year... Now I need advice on the actual difference between Angel and Cadence.

Yes this accident was pretty intense as my skull was showing and I looked like an alien for a while after that :-)

Hey Antje, I'd love to break down the difference between the Cadence and the Angel. You can find explanations on the website but here's a short definition in "friendly/lay" terms. The Angel board is very grippy and really moves you through the water quickly. It can be described as fast or aggressive but don't let that intimidate you--it's great if you feel like you've never gotten enough "power" out of a board. It can really help in progressing your egde and approach to the wake. The Cadence on the other hand is much slower but still has plenty of speed. It is almost totally flat in the center which is part of it's more aggresseive rocker shape--meaning the curve of the board from tip to tail is more dramatic which helps you get a strong pop off the wake. Both boards are excellent shapes--it just depends what you're looking to get out of your board. I'm sure some other girls on here will pipe up and share their experiences with the boards. I hope that helps! Good luck and have fun out there! Dubai looks amazing! I hope to make it there one day. Thanks, Kathleen

Hi Antje,

Well, you have gotten 2 great replies... Ill just give you my personal input!
Ive tried the Minx and I love them! Im a size 8 (US) and I would wear the Mediums... if you have a more wide foot, go for the large ones. I currently ride the LF Transits (size Medium) because they're a little stiffer and I prefer that... although sometimes I miss my old Minx because they're more flexible (helpful when trying to poke out your grabs!)

As for the boards, I've tried both the Angel and the Cadence. The Angel was much faster than my Cadence (lighter as well since it has the Aercore construction) has soft landings, but as Kathleen said, it is more grippy and had a more manageable (i dont know if thats a word!) pop. I recommended this board to a friend of mine I ride with and coach, she totally loved it (shes about your size, maybe 10 lbs more) and even went w2w for the first time using it! Even though this board has a continuous rocker, it really pops!

I ride the Cadence and it is a much looser board, it has the perfect speed for my taste, not slow, but not too fast unless you want it to go fast. It has huge pop, soft landings. It doesnt have the Aercore construction but its still very light.

I highly recommend both, it all depends on what you prefer on the water... if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Whats the boarding scene like in Dubai?? Are lots of people into it?